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Emre Can rips 'soft' Dortmund after Barça mauling

Borussia Dortmund captain Emre Can launched an angry tirade against his teammates after his side were thrashed 4-0 by Barcelona in their Champions League quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday.
Can was visibly frustrated after the match and told DAZN that it was a matter of attitude, rather than tactics or coaching decisions, that led to the defeat.
"It's not a question of system but rather of whether everyone is willing to give 100% and make the sacrifices required in games like this," Can said.
"Too many things went wrong in the game, we didn't play well today. We were soft. We weren't cohesive enough. And on top of that, we made simple mistakes.
"At this level, those types of mistakes are punished harshly. That's why we went down here today.
"We were playing against a great Barcelona team, they obviously have several good players, definitely, so the only way you can beat them is if you go out there as a team, something we didn't do," Can said.
"I think we could have done much better, even though they're so good, I know that. You have to go for it and we didn't, to be honest.
"Now we need to put in a good performance [in the second leg] and try to win the game. We owe it to our fans and we need to give it everything we've got."
Dortmund manager Niko Kovac was similarly critical of his side's performance.
"Deserved losers today," he told a news conference. "At this level we made too many errors which Barça took advantage of with their quality. Had problems in first 20 minutes, then we conceded a goal after a foul we should not have given away.
"What annoys me is we invited them to counterattack by losing the ball. It's going to be really difficult in the second leg, as you know.
"I said in the meeting with the team: If you let Barça play, with the players they have, without resistance ... you have problems. We know they have great quality. We didn't do what we needed to do."
Treble-chasing Barça will be full of confidence for Tuesday's return leg in Germany against struggling Dortmund who are eighth in the Bundesliga standings on 41 points, five from the qualification spots for next season's Champions League.
Information from Reuters and ESPN's Sam Marsden contributed to this report.

Paris Saint-Germain were made to sweat to secure a 3-1 win over Aston Villa in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal, coming from behind after a shock opener from the visitors on Wednesday.
Morgan Rogers stunned the home crowd by putting Unai Emery's side ahead in the first half but PSG swiftly turned the tide as teenager Désiré Doué, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Nuno Mendes struck to give the newly crowned Ligue 1 champions a well-deserved victory.
PSG's dominance on the ball was evident as they dictated the tempo with a blend of composed possession, technical precision and their trademark high pressing.
Villa, whose seven-game winning streak in all competitions came to an end, will need to show more in the return leg next Tuesday.
"By order of the Paris SG fans," a banner draped over the Auteuil Kop read -- a cheeky nod to the Peaky Blinders television series, which takes place in Birmingham.
Emiliano Martínez, ever the villain in France who was greeted by a barrage of boos, whistles and expletives, made his presence felt, blocking Vitinha's low shot and denying Ousmane Dembélé, whose venomous half-volley seemed destined to rattle the net.
Carl Recine/Getty Images
Two saves in quick succession, and the Villa keeper was proving his worth early on.
High up the pitch, PSG were suffocating Villa, swarming with intent. It was Villa, however, who converted first on their first clear chance.
A mistake from Mendes in midfield allowed John McGinn to pounce, nicking the ball and slipping it to Youri Tielemans. The Belgian looked up, saw the gap, and whipped a cross into the path of Rogers, who finished it off with an ice-cool tap-in.
Four minutes later, PSG levelled when Doué curled one in from the edge of the box, sending the ball sailing over the grounded Martinez and under the bar.
It was yet another superb display by the 19-year-old Doué, who scored the winning penalty in the shootout against Liverpool in the last 16.
The hosts continued to press following the break and after a superb combination in the midfield, Kvaratskhelia fired a shot that went in off the inside of the near post to make it 2-1.
Achraf Hakimi came close to adding another goal at the end of a sharp counter-attack, only for Martinez to fully stretch to tip away the ball.
PSG were denied a penalty claim and Hakimi had a goal disallowed for offside but Mendes netted two minutes into added time when he cut inside Ezri Konsa and slotted past Martínez, who left the pitch with his head down.

Barcelona thumped visitors Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in their Champions League quarterfinal first leg Wednesday after Robert Lewandowski scored two goals against his old club to earn the Catalans a sizable advantage.
Undefeated since late December, the treble-chasing Barça predictably dominated the opening stages and grabbed the lead following Raphinha's strike in the 25th minute. A string of saves from Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel frustrated Barça for the rest of the first half.
Barcelona emerged more determined after the break and it took only three minutes for them to score their second with Raphinha assisting Lewandowski, who nodded home from close range.
"I think we played very well, but we are not thinking about the semifinals yet, we must keep the same focus and mentality that have brought us here so far," Lewandowski told Movistar Plus. "It doesn't matter where we play and what game it is, we always want to play our football with the same commitment.
"Our mindset is always going for the win and that is how we will play at Dortmund. We have to go there and play as well as we did today or even better."
Barcelona have enjoyed an incredible 23-game unbeaten run across all competitions and are the only team in Europe's top five leagues yet to lose in 2025, while still in the running to win three titles.
On Wednesday, Dortmund keeper Kobel denied Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal from close range, but there was little he could do when Raphinha fired over the goal line in the 26th minute.
After the break, Yamal made an impressive run from the right wing before lifting a cross toward the back post for Raphinha to head back across goal, leaving an unmarked Lewandowski to nod over the line from inches out.
After that Dortmund succumbed to Barca's power and, following Fermín López stroke off the post, Lewandowski extended their lead with a bullet strike and Yamal rounded off the rout with a tidy finish from a quick counter.
Champions League as it happened: Barça, PSG take first legs with ease

Wednesday marks the second day of the quarterfinal first legs for the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League season. Europe's premier club competition has whittled down to eight teams as the semifinals await the winners.
Enjoy the play-by-play from Wednesday's games: Barcelona against Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain against Aston Villa.
Lawrence on 'pitch count'; Jags optimistic on QB

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence will be limited in the spring as he continues to recover from surgery to repair the AC joint in his left shoulder and is on schedule to be fully cleared by the time training camp begins.
Jaguars coach Liam Coen said that there isn't yet a set plan for how much throwing Lawrence will do but that Lawrence is being monitored by vice president of player health and performance Jeff Ferguson and Will Wynkoop, his personal strength coach, as the offseason program progresses.
"As we lead in, we're optimistic that we'll get there in terms of where we need to go," Coen said Wednesday. "He'll be on a pitch count for those things. In terms of the where he has to get to, because he has little touch points he needs to reach before he can obviously get out onto the grass and do it full speed, everything's moving forward. He feels really good right now, so excited about that."
Lawrence had surgery Dec. 17 and was in a sling until late January. He said Wednesday that he has no deadline in mind for when he wants to be completely cleared.
"We don't play a game until this fall, so obviously I'm going to be ready sooner than that, so I'm very optimistic I'll be perfectly good for the season," he said. "... I'm throwing, and obviously I'm kind of progressing and working my way up further distance, more throws, just trying to be smart and not just jump off into the deep end right away. Just trying to work up to it."
Lawrence injured his shoulder against Philadelphia on Nov. 3, sat out the next two games, and returned to start the Dec. 1 game against Houston. He suffered a concussion in that game and didn't play again in 2024. He had to clear concussion protocol, which he did Dec. 15, before he was able to have surgery.
Lawrence had surgery on the same shoulder in February 2021 to repair a labrum injury and was limited in his participation at the Jaguars' rookie minicamp and OTAs.
The lighter throwing load will allow Lawrence to work on his footwork, which is something Coen said needed to improve in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio during the NFL league meeting.
On Wednesday, the second day of the team's offseason workout program, Coen said he wouldn't describe Lawrence's footwork as needing significant changes, just more of a tweaking.
"If you can have core fundamentals and footwork that you believe in and that you trust in those times of crisis, you have something to actually fall back on and play with a quieted mind," Coen said. "And so this is a great opportunity now that he is a little limited from a throwing standpoint that we can dive into the footwork, he can dive into it on his own time and really work at this thing. So he's committed to it. It's something that we feel strongly about that can help him continue to get better. And ultimately on Sundays, we hope that shows up.
"... He's extremely talented, and he's made some unbelievable plays at critical moments and led some huge comebacks. He's played hurt. He's done so many good things. Now it's just about, OK, how do we fine-tune it and just tighten it up a little bit to get him in a place where he is comfortable to cut the ball loose on time and in rhythm regardless of the circumstances."
Lawrence admitted that he has had some issues with his footwork and is glad to be addressing it this offseason, and it's something he can do on his own at home in addition to what he does at the facility.
"I think they've done a really good job of this [offensive] system of really thinking through how does it tie into a quarterback's feet," Lawrence said. "And that's what we've been talking about, and it takes some work and flipping my stance, just some little things like that that are small that many people wouldn't notice, but it is. I have so many banked reps of the other way, I've got to just get all these on my own and work so once camp comes around, I'm ready to go."
Police called after Dolphins' Hill, wife in dispute

SUNNY ISLES BEACH, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill and his wife were involved in a domestic dispute at their South Florida high-rise condominium, but no charges were filed, according to a police report.
Sunny Isles Beach officers responded to the home Monday following a call from Hill's mother-in-law, who began living with the couple in November, shortly after her granddaughter was born, according to the report.
The mother-in-law told responding officers that Hill, 31, was aggressive and impulsive and that she was afraid for her daughter, according to the report. She said Hill threw a laptop on the floor and grabbed his baby before walking toward the balcony.
Hill's agent didn't immediately respond to a telephone message seeking comment.
Hill's wife told police the two had been arguing recently and attending couple's therapy. She said therapy had not been working out and that she was in the process of filing for a divorce.
Hill told officers he had just returned from training and sat down to talk to his wife about their therapy. The discussion escalated after she told him he was not involved enough with their daughter.
Hill and his wife both stated the argument never turned physical, but officers reported a bruise on the woman's upper chest. She replied that it had probably happened accidentally when he grabbed the baby from her.
Officers observed that the baby was in good health. Hill's wife declined to write a statement. Hill left the home in the presence of police about 40 minutes after they arrived.
In February 2024, social media influencer Sophie Hall filed a lawsuit alleging that Hill fractured her right leg while shoving her during a football drill at his South Florida mansion the previous summer.
In 2019, the Chiefs suspended Hill following allegations that he had physically abused his son.
In 2015, he pleaded guilty to domestic assault and battery by strangulation after choking his then-pregnant fiancee. He received three years' probation.
In 2023, Hill was under investigation by Miami-Dade police after a man claimed the receiver hit him after a verbal altercation. No charges were filed.
Sixers officially rule Maxey (finger) out for season

Philadelphia star guard Tyrese Maxey will miss the remainder of the season after reinjuring his sprained right finger, causing pain and swelling, the 76ers announced Wednesday.
A recent MRI confirmed the extent of the injury, which occurred as Maxey was ramping up an attempt to return to play before the end of the season. He is expected to make a full recovery, the team said in Wednesday's statement.
The Sixers' announcement comes one week after Maxey's agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, told ESPN's Shams Charania that the injury was expected to end Maxey's season.
Maxey also had been dealing with a back issue and has not played since a March 3 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
The free-falling 76ers (23-56) also lost stars Joel Embiid and Paul George for the rest of the season en route to being eliminated from playoff contention. They have dropped 12 in a row and 27 of their last 30 games.
Maxey, 24, averaged a career-high 26.3 points to go with 6.1 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 52 games (all starts) this season. He made his first All-Star team and was named the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2023-24.
Field Level Media contributed to this report.
Grizzlies' Wells out of hospital after broken wrist

Memphis Grizzlies guard Jaylen Wells has been discharged from the hospital after suffering a broken wrist during his scary fall Tuesday night, agent Aman Dhesi told ESPN's Shams Charania on Wednesday.
Wells, a starter who is vying for an All-Rookie team selection while averaging 10.5 points and 3.4 rebounds in 79 games this season, will be sidelined for an extended period.
He caught an outlet pass from Ja Morant during Tuesday's 124-100 victory and had gone up to dunk the ball when the Hornets' KJ Simpson inadvertently undercut him after trying to catch up to the play. The contact caused Wells to lose his balance while in the air, and he landed awkwardly on his side as his head slammed against the court near the baseline.
Wells was down for eight minutes before being lifted by medical personnel onto a stretcher with his head immobilized. He was taken to a hospital, where he had movement in all of his extremities, interim coach Tuomas Iisalo said.
The game was delayed 23 minutes, including warmup time for both teams. After a replay review, officials called a flagrant foul 2 on Simpson for unnecessary contact, which comes with an automatic ejection. After the play, Simpson immediately bent down to check on Wells and was visibly distraught while Wells, a 2024 second-round draft pick out of Washington State, was being tended to in the silent arena.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
NBA rescinds 2nd tech Doncic received vs. OKC

The NBA rescinded the second technical foul Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic received during Tuesday night's loss to the Thunder.
The league made the announcement Wednesday, less than 24 hours after Doncic was ejected in the fourth quarter of the 136-120 loss in Oklahoma City.
Los Angeles led 108-107 with 7:40 left when Doncic was whistled for his second technical foul of the game by referee J.T. Orr. Doncic later said he was trash-talking with a courtside fan when Orr thought the Lakers star's ire was directed at him, leading to the ejection.
The Thunder finished the game on a 29-12 run to close out the win.
"I never got a fan ejected," Doncic said Tuesday night, explaining how he will often engage with opposing fans without asking arena security to intervene. "Never. But if [the fan is] going to talk, I'm going to talk back, like always. That had nothing to do with the ref. So I didn't really understand."
Orr also gave Doncic a tech in the third quarter, when Doncic argued that a foul call was missed when Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt was hit on the previous possession.
Crew chief Tony Brothers was asked about both technical fouls during a pool report after the game.
For the first, which came with 4:02 remaining in the third quarter, Brothers said Doncic "directed profanity at a game official." For the second, Brothers said Doncic "looked directly at an official and used vulgar language."
The fan, Jeremy Price, who referred to himself as "The Courtside Tattoo Dude," told ESPN that Doncic was shouting at him and not the referee.
"During the game within the game, I mentioned that he was short [on his shot] and he missed it, and he turned around and he shot an expletive back and J.T. happened to see it and, at that point, T'd him up," Price said Tuesday night.
Price, who said he also jawed with Doncic last year during the Thunder's playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks, said Orr "possibly" could have been mistaken as to whom Doncic was addressing.
"That's probably why he picked up that technical, to be quite honest," Price said.
The ejection changed the course of a competitive game between the Lakers, ranked No. 3 in the Western Conference, and Oklahoma City, which boasts the No. 1 overall record in the league at 65-14.
Doncic and the Lakers are back in action Wednesday night, when the star returns to Dallas to face the Mavericks for the first time since the February blockbuster trade between the teams.
Information from ESPN's Dave McMenamin was used in this report.

WASHINGTON -- Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday he anticipates first baseman Freddie Freeman will return to the lineup Friday when the team begins a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.
Freeman took live batting practice the last few days. He was placed on the injured list retroactive to March 31 after spraining his surgically repaired right ankle when he slipped in the shower at home.
"Just looking at his gait running yesterday, I would say that it's better than it was when he started the season," Roberts said. "I saw him do some lateral stuff, but that's probably a better question for Freddie."
Freeman is 3-for-12 with two homers and four RBI in three games this season. He missed the Dodgers' opening series in Tokyo against the Cubs with left rib discomfort, and then sat out last week's series against Atlanta before going on the IL.
He sprained the same ankle last September, then struggled in Los Angeles' first two playoff series before earning World Series MVP honors while hitting four home runs in five games against the New York Yankees. He underwent debridement surgery in December to remove loose bodies in the ankle.