The Players Field

Tom Hamilton

Juventus have confirmed the signing of USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie on a permanent deal.

McKennie, 22, originally joined Serie A giants Juve on loan from Schalke 04 in September. The contract included "option rights," which meant Juve could then sign thThe transfer was confirmed Wednesday with the payments to Schalke split over three years. Juve also announced there could be €6.5m in additional payments should McKennie and Juve achieve several milestones. McKennie joins the Serie A champions on a deal through to June 2025.

McKennie has excelled in Turin this season, contributing four goals and two assists across 21 appearances in Serie A, while also playing for Juve in the Champions League and Coppa Italia. That included his memorable goal against Barcelona at Camp Nou in Juve's 3-0 win in December.

Since arriving from Schalke on loan, he has established himself as a key part of Juve's midfield, but there were other clubs interested in him last summer. Southampton, Leicester City and Liverpool were all monitoring McKennie, according to ESPN sources, but then Juve came in and tempted the USMNT midfielder to Serie A.

In a busy period, Juve boss Andrea Pirlo spoke earlier in the week about their wish to rest McKennie as he was playing through the pain of minor injuries, but such was his importance to the team that, Pirlo said, "we need him on the field."

With Juve sitting third in Serie A, seven points off Inter Milan at the top of the table, they face a critical group of fixtures to chase down the league leaders, with top-four hopefuls Lazio next up on Saturday (at 2:45 p.m. ET, live on ESPN+).

McKennie's form has also impressed USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter. Speaking in January, the national team coach said: "I know Weston very well.

"His style of play and his spirit are so important for a team. I was sure he would play an important role in a top team like Juve.

"He has room for improvement, he is still so young. Surely, he has been improving at Juventus. When you play every day with big champions like Cristiano Ronaldo, you can only improve if you really want it, and Weston wants to reach the top.

"I always watch Juve matches, and this role is perfect for him because of his intensity and his late runs into the box."e player on a permanent deal for €18.5 million.

Associated Press-

SAN DIEGO -- Former NFL player Kellen Winslow II was sentenced Wednesday to 14 years in prison for multiple **** and other sexual offenses against five women in Southern California, including one who was homeless when he attacked her in 2018.

The 37-year-old son of Chargers Hall of Fame receiver Kellen Winslow appeared via videoconference at the hearing in San Diego Superior Court in Vista, California.

Winslow declined to comment before his sentence, saying his lawyers had advised him not to speak.

San Diego County Superior Court Judge Blaine Bowman said Winslow can only be described with "two words, and that is sexual predator." Bowman said Winslow selected women who were vulnerable because of their age or their living situation with the idea that "hopefully he would get away with it in his mind."

Bowman called them "brazen" crimes, and he said Winslow continued to prey on women even after his first arrest. He performed a lewd act in front of a 77-year-old woman at a gym while hiding his GPS monitoring ankle bracelet with a towel. He also exposed himself to a 57-year-old neighbor who was gardening while having a bike app that gave his location at the time.

"The vulnerability of the victims was no accident," Bowman said. "It was the type of victim that you sought out yourself because you felt that perhaps they wouldn't report the crime" or "wouldn't be deemed credible by the jurors."

The 14-year-sentence was the maximum allowed under a plea deal. Winslow was convicted of forcible ****, **** of an unconscious person, assault with intent to commit ****, indecent exposure and lewd conduct in public.

The forcible **** involved a woman who was homeless in his hometown of Encinitas, a beach community north of San Diego. She was among four of the women who gave statements Wednesday, saying that since she was **** she has had trouble raising her head and walking and that she feels afraid constantly, checking under beds and in closets, and cannot be alone.

"It's affecting my life every day and every night," she said while calling into the hearing via videoconference from the San Diego County District Attorney's office, where she was watching the proceedings with another victim. "I don't ever feel safe inside or outside. You brought so much damage to my life."

All described suffering years after their attacks from fear and emotional trauma.

"This is somebody who has been allowed to utilize his financial privilege and celebrity to evade jail while awaiting trial, which is when he victimized me,'' the 77-year-old woman said Wednesday. "It shows this is a defendant who does not learn from his mistakes, who shows no respect to our laws.''

Winslow's attorney Marc Carlos said his client suffered from head trauma from the many blows to his head while playing football and suggested that was why he "went off the rails," going from a star athlete to a convicted sexual predator.

Carlos said his client has accepted responsibility and intends to get help.

Jurors also convicted Winslow of two misdemeanors -- indecent exposure and a lewd act in public -- involving two other women.

But that jury failed to agree on other charges, including the alleged 2018 **** of a 54-year-old hitchhiker and the 2003 **** of an unconscious 17-year-old high school senior who went to a party with him when he was 19.

Before he was to be retried on those charges, Winslow pleaded guilty to raping the teen and to sexual battery of the hitchhiker.

The father of two, whose wife filed for divorce after he was convicted, had faced up to 18 years in prison for all the charges. Last month, both sides agreed to reduce the sexual battery charge to assault with intent to commit ****. That reduced the maximum sentence to 14 years.

Winslow must also register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2004 and spent four seasons with the team, being named to the Pro Bowl in 2007. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots and New York Jets. He was once the highest-paid tight end in the league, and his last NFL season was in 2013.

Jenna Laine
ESPN Staff Writer-

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers landed in Charlotte, North Carolina, late Saturday night after a delay of more than seven hours brought on by mechanical issues with their plane, a team source told ESPN.

According to the original flight plan, the team was scheduled to depart Tampa International Airport at 2:25 p.m. ET Saturday and arrive in Charlotte at 3:55 p.m. ET. The team eventually boarded a new plane that took off just after 10 p.m. ET and landed at 11:27 p.m. ET.

Before switching planes, the Bucs were on the tarmac for more than five hours, the source said. They held team meetings at the airport and ate a meal there, but it was in an area of the airport for chartered planes with restricted access.

The team scattered about the building and went outdoors to accommodate social distancing.

Tampa Bay is set to play the Carolina Panthers at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.

NFL Network first reported that the team's flight was delayed.

Jeff CarlisleAustin Lindberg-

The Philadelphia Union could've lifted the Supporters' Shield on Sunday. They needed to beat Columbus, or at least a draw, and some help from Inter Miami -- and elsewhere. Alas, they fell to an 84th-minute defeat to the Crew, and to make matters worse, they didn't get any help from Miami, who lost to Toronto FC. And now, with the league announcing last week that the Shield and playoff places would be determined by points per game, as positive COVID-19 tests cause cancellations and postponements of games across the league, the Union and the Reds sit atop the standings: 22 games played and 2.00 points per game. Only goal differential separates the pair, so as long as Philly can match or better Toronto's Decision Day result, it will be crowned the league's regular-season champion after all.

With a smattering of midweek games and Decision Day on Sunday remaining, here's how the remainder of the league stacks up in the final edition of MLS Power Rankings for the 2020 season.

1. Philadelphia Union
Previous ranking: 1

Next MLS match: Sunday vs. New England, 3:30 p.m. ET

Sunday's loss to Columbus was just Philadelphia's second in its past eight games, but it cost the club dearly. Now the Union will need to better Toronto's result on Sunday when they host New England if they want to lift the Supporters' Shield that's had their name written on it for the past month. Oh, and they'll need to do it without star goalkeeper Andre Blake, who suffered a fractured hand in Wednesday's win over Chicago.


2. Toronto FC
Previous ranking: 2

Next MLS match: Sunday at Red Bulls, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

A second Supporters' Shield in four seasons could be Toronto's with a win at Red Bull Arena and some help from New England. Few would've predicted that a week ago when the Reds were coming off the back of a 5-0 hammering at the hands of league-leading Philadelphia.

- Stream FC Daily on ESPN+
- 2020 MLS Playoffs: Who's in, who's out, dates and more
- MLS on ESPN+: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only)



3. Sporting Kansas City
Previous ranking: 3

Next MLS match: Sunday at Salt Lake, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

While SKC's match with Minnesota was canceled following two members of the Loons' first team testing positive for COVID-19, a midweek win against FC Cincinnati clinched a spot in the postseason with Roger Espinoza the hero. Alan Pulido showed off his playmaking skills as well.



4. Portland Timbers
Previous ranking: 4

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Colorado, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Heading into 2020, the Timbers needed better wing play beyond that provided by Sebastian Blanco, and they've gotten it from Yimmi Chara, who has delivered with four goals and seven assists since mid-September. A pair of wins has Portland top of the West by a whisker.


5. Orlando City
Previous ranking: 6

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Columbus, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

This season marked the first time Orlando has qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs. This season also marked Orlando's first win over rivals Atlanta United following three years (nine contests) without a victory. The Lions got their second just two months later with Wednesday's 4-1 demolition of the Five Stripes. Oscar Pareja has instilled a sense of ferociousness and pride in Central Florida not seen in the club's previous five years of MLS existence.



6. Seattle Sounders
Previous ranking: 5

Next MLS match: Wednesday at LA Galaxy, 11 p.m. ET, ESPN+

With a chance to claim the top spot in the West at stake, Seattle delivered a subpar performance against Colorado on Sunday with almost its entire first-choice lineup. There's time to rescue the situation, but the Sounders will need some help.

7. New York City FC
Previous ranking: 8

Next MLS match: Sunday at Chicago, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

A pair of wins over Supporters' Shield-chasing Toronto and playoff-contending rivals Red Bulls have given NYCFC some breathing room, ensuring they'll be spared the Eastern Conference's play-in round pitting seeds 7 through 10 against one another for places in the playoffs proper.


8. LAFC
Previous ranking: 9

Next MLS match: Sunday vs. Portland, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The momentum LAFC generated by their win over Houston was slowed when their game against San Jose was postponed -- for now -- due to positive COVID-19 tests. Bob Bradley will be hoping that Carlos Vela can continue his return to form during the regular season's final week.



9. Columbus Crew
Previous ranking: 10

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Orlando, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Sunday's win over league-leading Philadelphia was just Columbus' second in its past eight games. Those three points keep the Crew in Columbus once the postseason gets underway -- at least for the first round.



10. New England Revolution
Previous ranking: 7

Next MLS match: Sunday at Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m. ET

After being shut out in a midweek defeat to the Red Bulls, the Revs eked out a 4-3 comeback win over D.C. United on Sunday -- a club whose points-per-game record is better than only Cincinnati's. It's decidedly midtable form for an outfit sitting 12th in the 26-team table.
11. Minnesota United
Previous ranking: 11

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Chicago, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Loons received a bit of good fortune against Colorado, with an own goal turning into a late winner, but another bout with COVID-19 saw Minnesota's game against Kansas City canceled. Osvaldo Alonso's latest injury is another big concern heading into the postseason.



12. Nashville SC
Previous ranking: 13

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Dallas, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Nashville became the fourth team in the expansion era to qualify for the MLS Cup playoffs in its inaugural season with last Tuesday's win over Montreal. With some help from league-leading Philadelphia, they could leapfrog New England and bypass the East's play-in round with positive results against Dallas and Orlando.


13. FC Dallas
Previous ranking: 14

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Nashville, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

A pair of wins over Miami and Houston were enough to put FCD in the postseason. Ryan Hollingshead has quietly put together a solid season at left-back, and grabbed the game-winner against Miami last Wednesday.



14. San Jose Earthquakes
Previous ranking: 15

Next MLS match: Sunday at Seattle, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Sunday's match with LAFC was postponed, but the Quakes did the critical work in midweek when they beat Real Salt Lake 2-0, putting them in solid position to make the playoffs. Chris Wondolowski remains a wonder after netting his fifth and sixth goals of the season.
15. New York Red Bulls
Previous ranking: 12

Next MLS match: Sunday vs. Toronto, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Wednesday's 1-0 win over New England has the Red Bulls in the postseason for the 11th straight year. They followed it up by getting blown out 5-2 by rivals NYCFC, though, and with two wins from their past eight, it's hard to imagine the New Jersey natives making much noise in the playoffs.


16. Colorado Rapids
Previous ranking: 16

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Portland, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Since returning from their COVID-induced hiatus, the Rapids have found the going difficult, but a 3-1 win over Seattle got Colorado back to winning ways, with the team's prowess from set pieces returning at the perfect time.



17. Chicago Fire
Previous ranking: 17

Next MLS match: Wednesday at Minnesota, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Taking one point from a week of games against Philadelphia and Nashville, Chicago occupies the East's final play-in place. Much can change on Decision Day, with five clubs contesting ninth and 10th place in the conference separated by just 0.10 points per game. A midweek trip to Minnesota and hosting NYCFC on Sunday will prove a tall order for the Fire, but for the time being they hold on to a postseason place.



18. Vancouver Whitecaps
Previous ranking: 18

Next MLS match: Sunday vs. LA Galaxy, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Caps put in a credible effort, but the Timbers just have more quality in key parts of the field. The playoff hopes are still alive, but only if San Jose makes up its game against LAFC.

19. Montreal Impact
Previous ranking: 19

Next MLS match: Sunday at D.C. United, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Montreal's in the same position as Chicago: in a playoff place, but with four other teams in range of laying claim to it. But having lost nine of 12 and not playing a game at Stade Saputo since Sept. 9, it's not difficult to envision the Impact falling short of the postseason in Thierry Henry's first season in charge of the club.


20. D.C. United
Previous ranking: 22

Next MLS match: Sunday vs. Montreal, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

D.C. deserves its rise in the rankings following its narrow win over contending Columbus and heartbreaking late defeat to New England, but that United still have the second-worst points-per-game ratio in the league despite going 3-1-2 since Ben Olsen's dismissal as manager demonstrates how large a hole the club had dug itself this year.


21. Atlanta United FC
Previous ranking: 23

Next MLS match: Sunday at Columbus, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Atlanta was humbled by rival Orlando on Wednesday, but rebounded for a 2-0 win over Cincinnati. The victory over the league's worst side was just the team's second in its past nine games, with the only other three points coming against hapless D.C. United.


22. LA Galaxy
Previous ranking: 25

Next MLS match: Wednesday vs. Seattle, 11 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Guillermo Barros Schelotto era ended with a whimper while the (latest) Dominic Kinnear era began with a win and -- surprise! -- a lot more defensive organization. The scant playoff hopes are still alive but, alas, Jonathan dos Santos is injured again.

23. Inter Miami CF
Previous ranking: 20

Next MLS match: Sunday vs. Cincinnati, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Goals from Designated Players Rodolfo Pizarro and Blaise Matuidi in the past week gave Miami some return on their sizable investment, but both goals came in losses to Dallas and Toronto. The third of Inter's high-priced DPs, Gonzalo Higuain, hasn't scored since Oct. 7, while fellow expansion outfit Nashville has quietly qualified for the playoffs without any of the glitz, glamour or corresponding expectation that's proven debilitating for Miami.


24. Real Salt Lake
Previous ranking: 21

Next MLS match: Sunday vs. Kansas City, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+


RSL has been trending downward all month, and on Sunday their faint playoff hopes were finally extinguished with a 2-1 loss to the Galaxy. And with Sam Johnson and the club parting ways, at least now the search for a new striker can officially begin.


25. Houston Dynamo
Previous ranking: 24

Next MLS match: Sunday vs. Colorado, 6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Dynamo's playoff hopes are officially done after a loss to Dallas, a match in which Houston lost far too many individual battles in the box. The Dynamo front office has a lot of work to do during the offseason to revamp the team's defense.



26. FC Cincinnati
Previous ranking: 26

Next MLS match: Sunday at Miami, 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Two games, two shutout defeats for Cincinnati. FCC will need to score four times in Miami to avoid the ignominious title of the lowest-scoring team in MLS history (held by 2013 D.C. United at 0.65 goals per game) with a goals-per-game average dipping to just 0.50 following their latest losses.

ESPN-

Arsenal scored twice in four minutes to win 2-1 at Rapid Vienna in the Europa League on Thursday and spare goalkeeper Bernd Leno's blushes after his blunder handed the Austrians a shock lead.

Taxiarchis Fountas capitalised on Leno's misfortune to put Rapid ahead in the 51st minute before David Luiz headed Arsenal level and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who started on the bench, gave them three points in the Group B match.

"We knew it was going to be a difficult match. We made it harder in the beginning with a few decisions that we made and obviously the goal we conceded, which if anything is obviously my fault because I demand we do those things," Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta said.

Arsenal gave a first start to new signing Thomas Partey whose €50 million fee is more than the transfer market value of Rapid's entire squad, which according to the specialist website Transfermarkt is around €34m.

"He looked really solid, really comfortable. He held midfield by himself in the second half when we were a little bit more open and starting to take more chances attacking certain places with some players," Arteta said of Partey's performance.

Rapid, backed by around 3,000 fans at the Weststadion, had the better of the first half and deservedly went ahead six minutes after the restart.

Leno received the ball from David Luiz but was dispossessed by Ercan Kara and Fountas turned in the loose ball.

David Luiz levelled with a simple goal in the 70th minute, outjumping the Rapid defence to head in from Nicolas Pepe's floated free kick.

Fountas just failed to capitalise on another Leno mistake, shooting wide from 30 metres after the German charged out of his area and fired the ball against David Luiz, before Arsenal won the game in the 74th minute.

Mohamed Elneny threaded a neat pass through to Hector Bellerin and he rolled the ball across for Aubameyang to tap into the net.