ST. LOUIS -- Laila Anderson pointed the microphone at St. Louis Blues forward Alexander Steen. He had done plenty of interviews after winning the Western Conference championship on home ice that night, but this one was clearly the most meaningful.

"So tell me, Alex, what emotions are going through your head?" said the 11-year-old, her cherubic face beaming under a Blues snow cap.

"Good question," he said. "It's very special to do this in this town, and to have you here was even extra special."

"Thank you. I appreciate that," she said, before continuing the postgame interview on behalf of a local NBC affiliate. She asked Steen about facing former Blues captain David Backes, now a member of the Boston Bruins team awaiting them in the Stanley Cup Final.

"I understand you guys are friends," Anderson said, "but you gotta get aggressive out there."

Steen smiled. "But we got you. Our lucky charm."

Back in January, almost no one expected the St. Louis Blues to be playing for the Stanley Cup, as they had the fewest points of any team in the league. But even if they turned their season around, the odds felt insurmountable for her and her family that Laila Anderson would be healthy enough to watch one of their playoff games, given her condition.

Anderson is battling hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, or HLH, a life-threatening immune disease. Only 15 other children in the world have been diagnosed with it. In some ways, her battle with the disease -- diagnosis, treatment, surgery and recovery -- has run on a timeline parallel to the Blues' own comeback this season.

Their journeys intersected in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals, when Laila's doctors cleared her to attend the playoff game. You've probably seen the video of her mother, Heather, surprising her with the news, creating a moment of tearful elation that went viral. They would attend Games 4 and 6, as well, celebrating with the team after the Blues advanced to the Final with a win over San Jose.

"I was instantly bawling. I can't believe we're here. And I can already taste that Stanley Cup," Laila said on Fox Sports Midwest after Game 6. "They've inspired me so much. But to hear from the players' mouths that I'm their inspiration in the past two games ... it instantly makes me cry."

But she is an inspiration, according to defenseman Colton Parayko, who has developed a friendship with Laila over the past several months to the point that she wears a jean jacket with her name and his number to the games.

"We get to show up to the rink and be with the guys, do things like that. But you go to the hospital, and you speak with her, and you watch her go through all that stuff. I can't imagine what she's going through. What kinds of things they're putting in her body to try and help her recover," he said before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. "She continues to have a strong attitude. A positive attitude. It's so special. We might lose a hockey game, and we're frustrated or go home really upset. But there are people out there trying to battle for their lives."

He pauses for a moment.

"It gives me chills. I have chills right now thinking about it."

Parayko got to know Anderson at a Halloween event at St. Louis Children's Hospital last year, although he said he remembers the young Blues superfan before that. "Ever since I've been here, I remember her. When you walk through the tunnel and go to the rink, she'd be there giving you fist bumps and everything like that."

He took her around the hospital, trick-or-treating. She made him laugh. They formed an instant bond.

"He's all-in with her," Heather told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Ever since then, he's come to visit her in the hospital. Stayed a ridiculously long time. They actually communicate once or twice a week. He just checks on her. It's a genuine friendship."

Parayko said he receives text messages from Laila. "She always has something funny and witty to say," he said. "She has a little swagger."

He stayed in touch as Laila dealt with chemotherapy treatments that began in October, and through the brain biopsy she had that required 65 stitches on her head for the wound. He skated in a game against the Los Angeles Kings in November when the Blues set up a table in their arena so fans could register for a swab kit, to see whether any of them would be a bone marrow match for the transplant she needed. He shared in her joy when, in early December, it was revealed that she had, in fact, found a match. The Blues published a photo of Laila on their Instagram feed holding a sign that read: "A Perfect Match has been found, and they are excited to save my life."

She had a bone marrow transplant in January and had been isolated to her home and the hospital in the days after it. Which brings us to the video:

When the #stlblues>https://t.co/RNtsGKIaXX>pic.twitter.com/M2vVVwl10P - St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) May 14, 2019

Her mother said the doctor was willing to "ease up a little" on the travel restrictions, before asking her daughter to guess where she was going. Laila burst into tears, realizing it meant she was going to see the Blues.

The Blues played the video during the game. It was hard to discern whether there were more cheers or tears at that moment, but there was a significant amount of both.

Parayko knew how much it meant to her.

"I remember doing a signing my rookie year, and she came through. She's been here ever since I came into the league. She didn't just show up on the scene and become a Blues fan. That's the exciting part about her getting the chance to come to the games after being in isolation in six months," he said.

The Blues have many different motivations when it comes to chasing the Stanley Cup. They play for each other. They play for the decades of alumni, and for a franchise searching for its first championship, in its first Stanley Cup Final since 1970. They're playing for the fans.

And they're playing for Laila. That's what Patrick Maroon told her as he hugged her after Game 6. That she was always on their minds.

"Of course. One hundred percent. [She's] meant a lot," Parayko said. "It's hard to describe from my standpoint. She's taught me a lot from outside of hockey. Because there is so much more to life than hockey."

Even if, for many young fans like Laila, hockey is what keeps them going.

It's the tritest of sports fan clichés: That they "live and die with their teams." But it's that notion that overwhelms Parayko. That there are kids like Laila for whom the Blues are a reason to believe, or to keep fighting. That what he does means that much to them.

"We've had some parents tell us that they haven't seen their kid smile like that in six months. One of the kids that I visit was running for the first time in two years," he said.

During his time as a professional athlete, Parayko has grown to appreciate his time working with young fans who need support, especially after his interaction with Laila.

"This [is] the part I enjoy the most outside of hockey. Getting to go to children's hospitals. The kids are so strong. Just to be able to see them battle through it," he said. "We're not there being their doctor or anything. We're not going to cure them. But you just try to give them anything you can on your side. Give them some smiles."

Laila is scheduled to attend Game 3 on Saturday, the first Stanley Cup Final game in St. Louis since 1970.

"Look where we are now. After 49 years, we're here. We're so close to the Stanley Cup, why give up now?" she said after Game 6 last week.

During this run to the Stanley Cup Final, the Blues have prided themselves on that very thing: never giving up. Like when they were dominated in Game 1 against Boston, then rallied to win Game 2 on Carl Gunnarsson's goal in overtime.

"That's just the team we are. We come back like that. We never give up," Parayko said.

How can they, when someone like Laila Anderson is in their lives? When she's fighting as she fights? When her spirit and positive attitude are that overwhelming to everyone around her? When players like Parayko have learned more from her resilience than he thought he ever could?

"The thing that she taught me was to just be a warrior. And that's meant a lot, because she continues to battle," he said.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'Big Reveal' time at Portland's Providence Park

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

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

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

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

Bruce to debut in L.A.

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

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

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

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

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

Clean up in the capital

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

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

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