The Phoenix Suns are hiring David Fizdale as an assistant coach, luring him out of the Utah Jazz's front office with a substantial financial deal, sources told ESPN on Monday.

Fizdale, who had joined the Jazz's front office as an associate general manager last year, has strong recent history with new Suns coach Frank Vogel and an even longer relationship with general manager James Jones.

Fizdale joins associate head coach Kevin Young on Vogel's coaching staff. The Suns made Young the league's highest-paid assistant at $2 million-plus a year, sources said, before making a substantial financial commitment to Fizdale.

The Suns had been determined to surround Vogel with an accomplished and veteran staff. Fizdale has been a head coach for the New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies for parts of four seasons, including a Western Conference playoff berth in 2017 with Memphis. He was 71-134 overall.

Fizdale joined the Jazz in June, where he quickly impacted the front office while working closely with general manager Justin Zanik. The Jazz were eager to keep Fizdale, but ultimately the financial considerations, and the chance to coach Devin Booker and Kevin Durant on a Western Conference contender, proved too much to turn down, sources said.

Fizdale spent eight years as an assistant with the Miami Heat, where he and Jones were part of two championship teams. Fizdale spent the 2021-22 season under Vogel with the Los Angeles Lakers.

CINCINNATI -- Milwaukee Brewers infielder Luis Urias was activated from the injured list, more than two months after he strained his left hamstring on Opening Day.

The Brewers activated Urias on Monday while also announcing that first baseman Darin Ruf has a right patella fracture. The Brewers transferred Ruf from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL and optioned infielder Mike Brosseau to Triple-A Nashville.

Urias batted .239 with a .335 on-base percentage, 16 homers and 47 RBIs in 119 games for the Brewers last season while playing third base, second base and shortstop.

He was the Brewers' starting third baseman for their season-opening 4-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs, but he got hurt in that game and hadn't played since.

Ruf got injured Friday when he ran into a tarp while chasing a foul ball. Ruf was batting .192 with a .300 on-base percentage in 11 games since joining the Brewers.

Brosseau was hitting .205 with a .256 on-base percentage, 4 homers and 8 RBIs in 29 games with the Brewers.

Japan's Miyu Kato was overcome with emotion as she tried to discuss her French Open doubles disqualification for hitting a ball girl with a ball.

A day after the incident, Kato cried on court after playing in the mixed doubles and was still emotional when she tried to talk to journalists.

"Miyu feels terrible about what happened," Tim Puetz, Kato's mixed doubles partner, said.

Kato, 28, offered her "sincere" apologies to the youngster for the "unfortunate mishap", saying it was "completely unintentional".

In a news conference after Monday's mixed doubles match, a teary Kato did not speak before leaving the interview room to compose herself.

She managed to return a few minutes later but only feeling composed enough to answer questions in Japanese.

On the decision to default her, Germany's Puetz added: "It was so bad. Everybody in the men's locker room was saying it was impossible to default her. You feel so bad for the person.

"I was happy when we got the call that we will be allowed to play mixed. Not because I care too much about the mixed but because hopefully she can kind of move on."

In Sunday's match, Kato knocked a loose ball down the court between points, hitting the ball girl on the shoulder and leaving her visibly distressed.

Kato was initially given a warning by the umpire but was disqualified after protests from opponents Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Kato, ranked 31st in doubles, left the court in tears and was consoled by Indonesian partner Aldila Sutjiadi.

The pair stand to lose 43,000 euros (37,000) in prize money.

Czech Bouzkova and Spain's Sorribes Tormo received widespread criticism for seemingly encouraging their opponents to be defaulted, but Sorribes Tormo defended their reaction.

"For Marie and for me it's tough to have all this kind of things that people are saying," she said after losing in the singles fourth round on Monday.

"It's not easy because the only thing we did was go to the referee and explain what happened.

"The rest of the decision was taken by the supervisor. We haven't done anything bad."

We're almost at the end of the 2022-23 European season, and the talking points keep coming. Manchester City completed the second leg of their attempt at the treble, wrapping up the FA Cup win over rivals Manchester United and now turning their attention to the UEFA Champions League. Real Madrid's longtime star, Karim Benzema, announced his surprise exit this weekend, scoring in his final game for the club ... and giving them a chance to properly and authentically rebuild.

Elsewhere, RB Leipzig won the German Cup, Inter Milan continued their positive momentum ahead of Saturday's CL final, Paris Saint-Germain's season ended in dismal fashion and the legend, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, brought his career to an end after 24 brilliant seasons.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga & more (U.S.)

It's Monday, and for the final edition of Musings in 2022-23, Gab Marcotti reacts to the biggest moments in the world of football.

Two down and one to go, but for Pep Guardiola and Man City, it's all about the Champions League

There are his words, not mine. "More than ... the treble, is the fact to win the Champions League," Pep Guardiola said. "We have to admit it, without the Champions League -- it has been amazing, it has been fun -- but we are missing [something]. We have to do it.

"We get more and more credit for what we have done these years, we have done many things, but I said to the players 'you have to put the pressure on yourself, to be recognized as something good, you have to win in Europe.'"

It's an understandable thing to say, but it's remarkable when, for the longest time, Guardiola's tune was rather different. After seven years of being asked pretty much variations on the same question ("How important is winning the Champions League to you?") and replying in a very rational if rather coachspeak-y way ("We want to be the best that we can be, sometimes in a knockout competition there are things you can't control, the league is the best measure of what you are achieving") he sounded like a fan. And maybe a bit irrational, too, because he knows full well that in 90 minutes -- just like Saturday's Champions League final against Inter -- anything can happen.

Manchester City can be unlucky, Inter can have the game of their lives, the referee could make a terrible mistake... it's the nature of the sport: the best team doesn't always win. City played 61 games in all competitions this season. On paper, they were the best team in every single one of them going into the game, and yet they only won 44 of those 61 games. That's less than three out of four.

Guardiola has never been about banging on about silverware in public (like, say, Jose Mourinho). He's talked about performance, improvement and all those those things clubs strive for without measuring them exclusively in terms of trophies. So why layer on this extra dollop of pressure on yourself and your players now, especially since it doesn't come from the ownership or the supporters?

City don't need to win the Champions League for their business model to work and Sheikh Mansour, who has famously been to watch a game at the Etihad just once in the nearly 15 years he's owned the club, presumably isn't bombarding him with text messages. The fan base is diverse and global, but certainly the hardcore -- the folks who boo the Champions League anthem -- has such an acrimonious relationship with UEFA (stemming from the Financial Fair Play investigations) that it's never been part of the club-defining narrative the way it has been at, say, Real Madrid or Liverpool.

Nope, you suspect this comes from within. From Pep himself. Analytical and intellectual he may be, in his heart he's still a footballer, and this is how players measure success. He may have three of these trophies at home, including the one he won as a player, but he knows what another Champions League trophy (one without prime Lionel Messi on his team) would mean to his legacy. At least to those who measure these things in cups.

In terms of how good they are, there's not much to prove, and he showed it against Manchester United in the FA Cup final.

It wasn't so much about the performance -- United won the xG battle, even without the generous penalty for the Jack Grealish handball, and they had two chances to equalize at the very end -- it was the way they seemed unfazed throughout, looking as if they could have kicked it up a gear or two at any time. And that opening goal, after just twelve seconds, was the epitome of directness, long passing, second balls and all those things you would never have associated with a Guardiola team even just a few years ago.

As for United, the game pretty much confirmed what I wrote leading up to the final. There's a style gap, there's a stability gap and there's a personnel gap and Erik Ten Hag will need time to close it (assuming he does).

I'm not sure his results this year -- he took his team to two domestic finals and the last eight of the Europa League, while finishing third in the Premier League -- are how we should measure his progress in the long term, but in the short term he showed he can deliver on what he needs to do to keep the side ticking over and the media off his back.

Benzema goodbye is a chance for Real Madrid to rebuild

It happened so quickly. It began with early rumours on Friday, Carlo Ancelotti's firm denial -- he said he had "no doubts" that Karim Benzema would be staying -- on Saturday, Real Madrid's club statement on Sunday afternoon and, on Sunday night came the farewell after the 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao, in which he scored his 353rd and final goal for the club.

After 14 seasons, five Champions League crowns, four league titles, three Copas del Rey, a Ballon d'Or and an assortment of lesser trophies, Benzema is swapping the Bernabeu for (reportedly) Saudi Arabia.

Where does this leave Real Madrid? As I see it, in adversity there is opportunity, and maybe his farewell is a chance to accelerate the rebuilding process.

Marco Asensio (reportedly close to Paris Saint-Germain), Nacho, Luka Modric, Mariano Diaz, Dani Ceballos and Toni Kroos are all out of contract this summer. Eden Hazard is rescinding his deal, which had another year to run. The club, reportedly, were going to extend Modric and Kroos another year, partly out of gratitude, partly because they can still contribute, partly to help the youngsters grow.

I'd be tempted to move on from all of them with the possible exception of Ceballos, who is 26, if he was willing to commit to a club-friendly deal. Doing so would knock close to 100 million euros off a wage bill that is the second highest in Europe. That savings, plus the money set aside for the Kylian Mbappe deal that never materialized, can provide the basis for a proper rebuild.

It may mean not being among the Champions League favourites straight away, but one of the good things of being in LaLiga, as opposed to Serie A or the Premier League, is that you know you're pretty much assured of a top-four spot. (And given Barcelona's myriad issues, who knows? Maybe you can still win the title.)

Florentino Perez has rebuilt this team time and again. It may be time to do it once more if you want to give yourself the best possible way to get back to the top in the next few years.

Zlatan has left the building ...

We knew he was going to address the crowd and say farewell to Milan. We just did not know he was leaving for good.

And yet, really, we should have known that even the man who calls himself God, at 41 years of age and having logged just 145 minutes of football this season, was ready to pack it in.

It's a cliche to describe Zlatan Ibrahimovic as larger than life, but as often happens, there's plenty of truth in that trite phrase. He was a Paul Bunyan-esque folk hero who sometimes rubbed people the wrong way -- just ask Pep Guardiola -- but also could charm and entertain like few others. He often did this, especially once he reached his 30s, by adopting the Zlatan persona, sometimes making you wonder whether he was simply playing a character named Zlatan. And yet, somehow, that character felt more real and genuine than so many of his cliche-ridden colleagues.

Few men his size came anywhere near his ability on the ball. And while it's true that teams forcibly adapted to him rather than the other way around (what else are you going to do when you sign a guy with his unique skill set?), it's equally true that he won 14 league titles in a 24-year career, almost all of them as a front-and-center protagonist.

When Julien Laurens and I interviewed him last year for "Gab & Juls Meets ..." we asked what the next chapter would be and he told us he was "a little bit panicking." That's understandable, after three decades of an athlete's daily routine, but given his personality, I wonder how long before he tells us that others are the ones who will soon be panicking as he embarks on the next phase of his life.

An appropriate end to PSG's nightmare season: A home loss and Neymar, Messi booed

Paris Saint-Germain's home defeat to Clermont Foot on the final day of the Ligue 1 season was a fitting metaphor for their campaign. They went 2-0 up only to lose 3-2, sort of mirroring the excitement of what a Kylian Mbappe-Neymar-Lionel Messi strike force may achieve and the subsequent letdown. Neymar, injured in the stands, was booed during the postgame celebration, as was Messi and coach Christophe Galtier.

Nine NFL teams are scheduled to open their mandatory three-day minicamps this week, and 21 more will follow next week.

As the rookies and the veterans come together, it will not be uncommon to see some familiar faces in new uniforms, with this week seeing the mandatory debuts of defensive tackle Javon Hargrave with the San Francisco 49ers and cornerback Jalen Ramsey with the Miami Dolphins. This whirlwind of an offseason also included ownership changes and record-setting contracts. With minicamps underway, teams are beginning to get a taste of what this coming season could bring.

What do you need to know about this week's activities? We asked our NFL Nation reporters to preview this week's minicamps and tell us the biggest storylines they are watching.

Jump to:
CLE | DAL | DET | LV | MIA
SF | SEA | TEN | WSH

Cleveland Browns

Storyline to watch: Quarterback Deshaun Watson's sharpness

How will Watson look through his second offseason in Cleveland? Watson struggled in six games last season coming off a 700-day layoff from football, including an 11-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy by committing sexual assault, as defined by the league, on massage therapists. Watson now has had this entire offseason to settle into coach Kevin Stefanski's offensive scheme and build chemistry with teammates. How that translates this fall -- and whether Watson can regain his 2020 form -- will ultimately determine Cleveland's fate in 2023. Minicamp will provide a glimpse. -- Jake Trotter

Dallas Cowboys

Storyline to watch: Two-minute drill

The Cowboys have been careful with their contact and pace during organized team activities after coach Mike McCarthy was fined each of the past two offseasons. That will continue to some degree in minicamp, but McCarthy indicated the plan is to have some full-team, two-minute work, which will raise the level of competitiveness. It will also help McCarthy and Dak Prescott continue to work on their communication as playcaller and quarterback in as close to live play as a team can get in the offseason. -- Todd Archer

Detroit Lions

Storylines to watch: Running back Jahmyr Gibbs' progression

The Lions' front office gave offensive coordinator Ben Johnson a gift by drafting Gibbs at No. 12. It'll be interesting to see how they use the rookie running back going forward, especially after holding him out of rookie minicamp after he tweaked an ankle. However, he was able to display his route-running skills during OTAs. As proof of its confidence in the rookie, Detroit completely reconstructed its backfield this offseason by letting go of D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams, then adding former Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery to pair with Gibbs. Although Gibbs is listed as a running back, the Lions see him as a dual option who is equally talented at catching and running. He'll have a chance to showcase his talent. -- Eric Woodyard

Las Vegas Raiders

Storyline to watch: Who's playing quarterback?

With quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo sidelined as he recovers from surgery to his left foot that took place after he signed with Las Vegas in March, Raider Nation turns its eyes to Brian Hoyer, Aidan O'Connell and Chase Garbers. While Las Vegas bet on Garoppolo being ready for training camp, there remains a possibility that he'll never play for the Raiders, meaning minicamp will give the 14-year vet (Hoyer), the fourth-round draft pick (O'Connell) or the second-year pro who has yet to take an NFL snap (Garbers) a leg up on the competition. -- Paul Gutierrez

Miami Dolphins

Storyline to watch: The battle for WR3

Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are the obvious 1a and 1b in the Dolphins' passing offense, but the team has several options for its third starting receiver. Miami signed Braxton Berrios and Robbie Chosen this offseason, and the latter was a standout during OTAs. Erik Ezukanma, Cedrick Wilson Jr. and River Cracraft are also in the fold, but this is a position battle that should last well into training camp. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

San Francisco 49ers

Storyline to watch: The quarterback quandary continues

Brock Purdy remains the presumptive starter, but he's still in the early stages of the throwing program that goes with his recovery from right elbow surgery. Which means Trey Lance and Sam Darnold will continue to get the bulk of the reps. They've taken turns with the starting unit during OTAs in what passing game coordinator Klint Kubiak calls a "pretty fierce" competition. Nothing about the quarterback pecking order will be decided during this minicamp, but it will set the stage for what figures to be an interesting training camp at the most important position. -- Nick Wagoner

Seattle Seahawks

Storyline to watch: The status of the top two draft picks

Unlike last offseason, the Seahawks don't have a quarterback battle or an unresolved contract situation with a star player. But there is a question of how much cornerback Devon Witherspoon (fifth overall) and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (20th overall) will participate in minicamp after both were somewhat limited during rookie minicamp and the first few OTAs. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Witherspoon, who has yet to sign his rookie contract, is coming back from a minor hamstring injury. Smith-Njigba missed most of his final college season because of a hamstring injury. Both have been limited in full-speed 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills so far. -- Brady Henderson

Tennessee Titans

Storyline to watch: The secondary

Veteran safety Kevin Byard did not attend voluntary OTAs, which is unusual for the four-time team captain. The timing of Byard's absence is interesting given how he was asked to take a pay cut, resulting in unsubstantiated rumors that he asked to be released. Byard's presence at minicamp would put everything to rest. Conversely, his absence would be cause for concern. The Titans rotated nickel cornerback Elijah Molden to the back end of the defense while Byard was away. Starting cornerback Kristian Fulton tried something different this year by working out on his own in Miami instead of attending voluntary OTAs. Fulton's return to minicamp is something to monitor, given that he's in a contract year and the team signed free agent defensive back Sean Murphy-Bunting. -- Turron Davenport

Washington Commanders

Storyline to watch: Quarterback Sam Howell's progress

Coach Ron Rivera has made it clear: Howell is the starting quarterback for now but still must earn the job over Jacoby Brissett. While there's optimism surrounding Howell, he started only one game last season. But Washington's coaches like Howell's progression -- from his quick decision-making to his command of the huddle and accuracy. But he hasn't been perfect. The Commanders have a good roster surrounding Howell, so if he plays well, it could lead to a strong season -- and an end to the multi-decade search for a long-term solution at the position. It would also buy the staff job security with a new owner. -- John Keim

ATLANTA -- Braves right-hander Michael Soroka, who posted an 8.38 ERA in two starts in his comeback from two right Achilles tendon tears, was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday.

The move came after Soroka allowed five runs and seven hits in 3⅔ innings in Atlanta's 8-5 win at Arizona on Sunday. All of Soroka's runs allowed came with two outs. After the game, he said: "That's not quite me."

Soroka, an All-Star as a rookie in 2019, was Atlanta's Opening Day starter in 2020 before suffering his first Achilles tendon tear early in the season. He needed a follow-up procedure before suffering a second tear in 2021.

The Braves didn't immediately announce who will replace Soroka in the rotation. An option could be rookie AJ Smith-Shawver, who threw 2⅓ scoreless innings in relief in his debut Sunday.

The Braves on Monday also claimed infielder Lucas Williams off waivers from the Los Angeles Dodgers and optioned Williams to Gwinnett. To make room on the 40-man roster, left-hander Max Fried was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

The Anaheim Ducks hired Greg Cronin to be their next head coach, the team announced Monday.

Cronin, who coached the Colorado Avalanche's AHL affiliate, will be an NHL head coach for the first time. The 60-year-old Cronin spent five years with the Colorado Eagles and guided the team to the playoffs four times. Previously, he coached the New York Islanders' AHL affiliate in Bridgeport.

He replaces Dallas Eakins, who was dismissed after four seasons. In Eakins' final campaign the Ducks finished with a 23-47-12 record, worst in the NHL.

"While we did cast a wide net in searching for the next head coach, it became clear to me that Greg would be the ideal fit for the position," Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said in a statement. "Being a young team, I felt we needed a teacher of the finer points of the game, and someone who has worked extensively over time with talented young players, helping them develop into successful NHL players. Greg has done all that and more, and we are excited to name him head coach of the Anaheim Ducks."

Cronin, who was on the first coaching staff in the United States national team development program, is known for developing players. He has been a collegiate assistant coach at several schools and was a head coach at both the University of Maine and Northeastern. He was an assistant with the Islanders and the Toronto Maple Leafs in addition to his time in the AHL.

"I'm excited and honored to be named head coach of the Anaheim Ducks," Cronin said in a statement. "This team has a fantastic future ahead, and I'm very grateful to the Samueli family and Pat Verbeek for entrusting me with this amazing opportunity."

Cronin played an instrumental role within the Avalanche's organization. He was responsible in the development of players including Pavel Francouz, Logan O'Connor and Alex Newhook, and helped nearly 20 players make their NHL debuts with the Avs.

He takes over a team that despite missing the playoffs for a fifth straight season has used the draft to develop one of the NHL's strongest farm systems. The Ducks began tapping into some of their promise during 2021-22, when they were in the hunt for a wild-card spot only to fall short a with 31-37-14 record, before finishing this season at the bottom of the standings.

Still, the franchise features young talents such as Jamie Drysdale and Mason McTavish along with a pair of NHL All-Star Game selections in Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras. The Ducks' farm system this season became the first NHL organization to have its prospects win Defenseman of the Year honors in the OHL, the QMJHL and the WHL in the same year.

And with the Ducks having the No. 2 pick in the NHL draft, they could select University of Michigan center Adam Fantilli to become part of their future.

Spain and Brazil will play a friendly in March of 2024, a match organised by the football federations of both countries to combat racism under the theme: "We are all alike."

Spanish federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales and his CBF counterpart, Ednaldo Rodrigues, said they would reinforce their commitment against violence in football with the match, part of a friendly series that will see Brazil play against one other UEFA team.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

The RFEF and the CBF said in a joint statement that they hope the match can "intensify already good relations" between the two countries with a venue in Spain as yet to be determined.

Repeated racist abuse against Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior has unleashed a heated debate in Spain about tolerance for racism.

The Brazilian has been subjected to insults since he came to play in Spain five years ago.

A match at Mestalla between Real Madrid and Valencia earlier this season was stopped during the second half after the Brazil international identified a fan in the crowd behind the Valencia goal as having racially abused him.

In social media posts after that game, Vinícius said that "racism is normal in LaLiga" and claimed that "in Brazil, Spain is known as a country of racists."

LaLiga has filed complaints to authorities for racist insults or chants against Vinicius, with some of them being shelved by prosecutors.

Rubiales has publicly admitted that Spain has a problem with racism.

Spain last played against Brazil at the 2013 Confederations Cup and this would be the 10th time the two countries meet.

They are 5-2-2 in those previous nine meetings.

UEFA had previously floated a measure for CONMEBOL teams to join 2024-25 UEFA Nations League play, but the plan never materialised.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Tottenham are set to appoint Ange Postecoglou as their new head coach after agreeing a deal in principle with the 57-year-old, sources have told ESPN.

ESPN reported on Thursday that Spurs were expected to approach Celtic over a move for Postecoglou following Saturday's Scottish Cup final, and talks progressed quickly on Monday after he expressed a desire to manage in the Premier League.

- Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)

Although Spurs did not immediately respond when contacted by ESPN, sources have said Postecoglou has agreed terms on a two-year contract with an option of a third year and a formal announcement could come in the next few days.

Should Postecoglou's arrival be confirmed, it would bring a lengthy search to a close after Antonio Conte was sacked on March 27.

Chairman Daniel Levy initially appointed Conte's assistant Cristian Stellini as interim boss but he lasted just two matches with April's 6-1 thrashing at Newcastle United triggering another change with 31-year-old Ryan Mason placed in charge until the end of the season.

Although Mason publicly stated he was interested in taking the job on a permanent basis, Spurs focused their search on external candidates and held initial talks with Julian Nagelsmann.

However, Tottenham quickly distanced themselves from any serious interest in the former Bayern Munich coach and instead discussed the position with other candidates including former Spain and Barcelona boss Luis Enrique, as well as Feyenoord's Arne Slot.

Spurs were dealt a significant blow when both Slot rejected an approach from the north London club, opting instead to sign a new deal at Feyenoord just days after the club's general manager Dennis te Kloese told ESPN Netherlands' morning show "Goedemorgen Eredivisie" he had rejected an offer to become Tottenham's sporting director.

However, the club quickly turned their attention to Postecoglou, who secured Celtic's eighth domestic treble in its history with a 3-1 win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle in Saturday's final at Hampden Park.

Postecoglou has won five of the six trophies available since joining the club from Japanese side Yokohama F. Marinos in the summer of 2021.

Postecoglou, who was born in Greece but grew up in Australia where he later managed the Socceroos for four years, was on a 12-month rolling contract at Celtic and therefore free to move this summer without the Scottish club owed any compensation.

Celtic attempted to ward off Spurs' interest by offering an improved deal but their attempts appear to have been unsuccessful.