Pep Guardiola has revealed that Kyle Walker has asked to leave Manchester City.

The England defender was left out of the squad for the 8-0 win over League Two side Salford City in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Asked after the game about the reason behind Walker's omission, Guardiola explained that Walker asked City director of football Txiki Begiristain on Thursday to be allowed to move to "another country" in the January window.

"It's not easy for me to say because I should tell him, but he's not here, so two days ago Kyle asked to explore the options to play abroad at the end of his career," Guardiola told a news conference.

"He's been our right-back, giving us something we didn't have, but now in his mind he would like to explore to go to another country to play his last years for many reasons. For that reason, I prefer to play other players whose mind is here. He went to Txiki. He asked to explore, it doesn't mean it's going to happen because you never know the situation."

Walker came close to leaving the Etihad in 2023 when Bayern Munich offered him a two-year contract. He was convinced to stay after holding a private dinner with Guardiola and later signed a new three-year deal and was made club captain.

Interest from Saudi Arabia last summer came to nothing, but after a poor start to the season with City, the 34-year-old, who arrived from Tottenham in 2017, has lost his place as a regular starter.

"He asked [to leave] two years ago after the treble," Guardiola said. "Bayern wanted him but the offer was not good enough and the club [told] him how important he is. We cannot understand the success we had these years without Kyle. It's impossible.

"I respect a lot because I'm more than grateful since he has been [here] many years for us. His first season here, we started to win, win, win , win, win.

"He's been important for the national team and important for our team but he said that 'I want to explore, my mind and my heart and I want to explore it'. I don't know what's going to happen."

United States women's national team forward Jaedyn Shaw is set to be traded by the San Diego Wave to the North Carolina Courage for an undisclosed amount of allocation money, sources confirmed to ESPN.

The Equalizer was the first to report news of the deal.

The deal will come as a blow to San Diego head coach Jonas Eidevall, who was named to his post earlier this week. But Shaw, 20, had long been seeking a trade, with one source telling ESPN that the request dated back to a year ago.

The move should do plenty to bolster a North Carolina attack in need of more production compared to the top teams in the league, having tallied 34 times in 26 matches. With Brazilian attacker Kerolin returning from injury, and with Shaw's arrival, North Carolina figures to have a much more potent offense in 2025.

Shaw joined the Wave back in 2022 and went on to score 14 goals in 61 league and cup appearances. She was part of San Diego teams that claimed the NWSL Shield in 2023 and the NWSL Challenge Cup in 2024. Shaw was also named to the NWSL Best XI in 2023.

The Frisco, Tex. native has made considerable inroads at the international level as well, having scored eight goals in 21 matches following her debut in October of 2023. Shaw was part of the squad that claimed the gold medal at the 2024 Olympic games. She was named U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year in 2022.

Real Madrid eased past Mallorca and Barcelona comfortably beat Athletic Club to set up a Clásico showdown in the Spanish Supercopa final in Saudi Arabia on Sunday (2 p.m. ET, stream LIVE on ESPN+, U.S. only).

It's the third season in a row Madrid and Barça have met at this stage, with the previous winners going on to secure the LaLiga title -- Barça in 2023 and Madrid last year. Xavi Hernández, Barça's coach at the time two years ago, even spoke about the confidence which came from beating Madrid in the Supercopa.

Both teams have experienced up-and-down seasons, but they go into Sunday's game in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in relatively good shape with all their stars available in attack. For Madrid, there are signs that Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham are coming good. For Barça, Lamine Yamal is back from injury to partner with Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski. Dani Olmo is also available again after the registration fiasco which saw him miss the semifinal. -- Sam Marsden

Clásico all-time head-to-head

All competitions
Madrid 105, Barcelona 101, Draws 52

Finals
Madrid 5, Barcelona 4

-- ESPN Research

What happened in the last Clásico?

October's 4-0 humbling of Real Madrid at the Bernabéu was the peak of Barcelona's early-season form. It was a triumph for Hansi Flick's high-risk high line and a shock to Madrid's system, sparking a mini-crisis for Los Blancos. But it was also a game won -- despite the scoreline -- on razor-thin margins. If Madrid, and especially Kylian Mbappé, had been a bit more clinical and exploited Barça's defence with more precision, the result might have been very different.

Madrid had multiple chances to score, denied by either poor finishing or the offside flag, before Robert Lewandowski hit the target in the 54th minute. Two minutes later, Lewandowski grabbed a second goal, and it was effectively game over. By the time Lamine Yamal and Raphinha had chipped in late on, the scoreline suggested a rout, but that wasn't reflective of the balance of play over 90 minutes.

All that suggests that there's no guarantee of a repeat. And we've seen in recent years that big Clásico wins aren't necessarily predictive of the next meeting, or the season as a whole. As precedents go, Madrid would prefer to look to the last Supercopa, in January 2024, when Vinícius Júnior's hat trick inspired a comprehensive 4-1 Madrid victory. -- Alex Kirkland

How Real Madrid's and Barcelona's seasons have gone so far

Real Madrid: Carlo Ancelotti's side already have two trophies in the bag for 2024-25: the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup. They're looking to add a third in Jeddah, and that's with a team that is yet to truly find its rhythm.

Madrid started the season slowly -- draws at Mallorca and Las Palmas in August showed a concerning lack of cohesion -- and there have been some high-profile defeats along the way, notably to Lille, AC Milan and Liverpool in the Champions League, and that home thrashing from Barça. There's been criticism of Mbappé, and injuries, especially to Dani Carvajal, have weakened the team.

But overall, the trend is one of gradual improvement. Jude Bellingham has been the star -- his all-round game is now arguably even better than last season's heroics -- with Vinícius Júnior not far behind. Mbappé's rate of goal scoring has improved, even if he hasn't hit top form yet. The weak link is the defence, and especially the full-backs, with Lucas Vázquez struggling to replace Carvajal's defensive output. -- Kirkland

Barcelona: Barcelona's season can be broken down into two parts: before November and after November. Before November, they won 12 of 14 games, scoring four or more goals in seven of those matches, including in wins against Madrid and Bayern Munich. Since November, they have won seven out of 13 games and lost five, including shock home defeats against Las Palmas and Leganés.

Various reasons have been offered for their dip. Raphinha suggested there was some fatigue, Lewandowski has talked about the team's mentality in the "smaller" games and there was a period when they were without Yamal. Opposition players and coaches have also spoken about how they successfully targeted Barça's high defensive line, which yielded such devastating results for them earlier in the season.

Beating Madrid, after back-to-back wins at the start of 2025 against Barbastro and Athletic Club, will fuel the sensation they have turned the corner from what Flick dubbed a "s--- November." -- Marsden

Key clashes

Mbappé vs. the Barcelona defence: Mbappé was caught offside a career-high eight times -- six of them in the first half -- when the two teams met in October. And when he wasn't offside, his finishing was wayward. But that slump came in the midst of a dry spell of seven games with just one goal.

Since then, Mbappé has been scoring more regularly, finding the net in four consecutive games in December. He also netted in both of Madrid's finals so far in 2024-25, against Pachuca and Atalanta. A big performance against Barça on Sunday would be the highlight of his season so far, and the defining "I'm him" moment everybody has been waiting for. -- Kirkland

Yamal vs. Mendy. Yamal showed no sign of ill effects from an ankle injury as he returned by scoring the second goal in the semifinal win against Athletic on Wednesday. Ferland Mendy knows all about the threat the 17-year-old poses, having been dizzied by him at the Bernabéu in October. The battle between the two could decide this game.

Yamal's numbers might not be as impressive as Raphinha's and Lewandowski's -- although he's still scored seven goals and provided 12 assists this season -- but Barça are always better when he's on the pitch. He has started 20 games this season, and Barça have won 17 of them. He demands attention on the right and, if he doesn't score or assist, it creates more space for others. -- Marsden

Clásico predictions

Real Madrid 3-2 Barcelona. There will be goals. At both ends. Even against Mallorca in the semifinal, Madrid looked vulnerable at times, and Barcelona's defence isn't as strong as it was. It'll come down to which team is more clinical. Bellingham should star, again, and Vini Jr. will have a point to prove, after looking unhappy at being substituted towards the end of the Mallorca game. It'll be fun. -- Kirkland

Real Madrid 1-3 Barcelona. It's hard to disagree with Alex that there will be goals. The first one will be especially key. If Barça get it, it will force Madrid to be more open than they ordinarily might be. If Madrid get it, Barça have a habit of chasing games earlier than they need to. Therefore, I think this will mirror the last two finals between the teams, with whoever scores first eventually winning comfortably. I'm just not sure who. -- Marsden

Betting odds

Real Madrid -125, Barcelona -105 (at time of publication)

-- ESPN BET

HOUSTON -- After one of the worst games of his career in Saturday's 32-12 playoff loss to the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert took accountability for his struggles.

"I let the team down," he said. "... You can't turn the ball over like that and expect to win. ... I just have to be better."

It was an uncharacteristically lousy game from Herbert. He finished 14-of-32 passing (43.8%), the worst completion percentage in a playoff game by a Charger since Philip Rivers in 2006, and tied for third worst in franchise history (minimum 20 attempts). Herbert threw a league-low three interceptions during the regular season but had four against the Texans, making him the first player in NFL history to throw more picks in a playoff game than in the regular season (minimum 200 attempts).

Herbert's mistakes began in the second quarter. With 11:39 left and the Chargers leading 6-0 and in the red zone, he rolled to the right side of the field on play-action and threw the ball across his body to receiver Quentin Johnston on the left. But the pass was underthrown and intercepted by cornerback Kamari Lassiter.

Late in the third quarter, Herbert threw a ball too high for wide receiver Ladd McConkey that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by safety Eric Murray. It was Herbert's first pick-six since 2022.

His third interception came because of a drop by tight end Will Dissly, but his last later in the fourth quarter came on another underthrown ball to wide receiver DJ Chark, who had a step on cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.

"I thought the guys outside did a great job fighting and getting open, and it's on me as a quarterback to be able to deliver the ball," Herbert said.

Coach Jim Harbaugh was quick to defend Herbert postgame, saying his QB played "like he always does -- a complete beast." Harbaugh added that the offensive line didn't protect Herbert well enough and that the Texans' edge pressure was the best his team had seen this season. Herbert was sacked four times and pressured on 50% of his dropbacks, according to TruMedia.

"He's got to be able to finish a throwing motion," Harbaugh said. "Quarterback's got to be able to do that, and we didn't put him in the position to do that enough."

Teammates also rushed to defend Herbert's performance after the loss.

"He's a damn good football player," center Bradley Bozeman said. "One of the best quarterbacks in the league. I was proud for him to be our quarterback this year. I wouldn't want anybody else."

Added safety Alohi Gilman: "He's gonna get slack for it because people are going to say X, Y and Z, but we know he's a great quarterback. I wouldn't change a thing. ... That's my guy. That's our quarterback."

And said guard Zion Johnson: "We know the type of guy he is. We know the type of quarterback, the type of leader he is."

Herbert is now 0-2 in the playoffs. In his first playoff appearance, two seasons ago against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Chargers were on the wrong side of one of the most embarrassing losses in NFL history, blowing a 27-0 first-half lead in a 31-30 defeat.

Now, Herbert is on the wrong side of another humiliating loss.

"We'll just have to keep watching film and assess the play," he said when asked what it will take to have more postseason success. "Obviously, it was not good enough by any standards today, and I put the team into a jeopardy-type position with all the turnovers, so on me to get better and keep pushing forward."

DURHAM, N.C. -- Cooper Flagg cut across the court to catch an early kickout feed and knocked down a 3-pointer from the wing. Moments later, he was alone in the left corner and confidently had a catch-and-score for another 3.

No hesitation.

And no stopping until the 18-year-old accomplished something that no freshman had ever done in Atlantic Coast Conference history.

The 6-foot-9 Flagg scored 42 points to set a conference freshman single-game scoring record Saturday, helping fourth-ranked Duke beat Notre Dame 86-78. It was a performance that put the preseason Associated Press All-American alongside some prominent names in the history of the blue-blood program and its longtime league home.

"I was just out there playing," Flagg said as he sat at his locker afterward surrounded by reporters. "When I'm in the game, I don't really know what's going on. I'm just playing locked in."

Flagg had long been mentioned as a potential No. 1 NBA draft pick before leaving his home state of Maine and heading to Durham. His every move on the court had been dissected all season, from late-game turnovers in losses to No. 6 Kentucky and No. 11 Kansas to his strong play in a March-worthy matchup that handed No. 2 Auburn its only loss.

This week offered the perfect example. His coast-to-coast dunk in transition against Pittsburgh on Tuesday was a jaw-dropper and highlight-reel signature on an impressive win. This time, he was electric from start to finish, finishing with the highest scoring output by a Duke player at its famed Cameron Indoor Stadium home since 1976, and most by any Blue Devil since Danny Ferry's program-record 58 points at Miami in December 1988.

Before Saturday, Flagg's season high was 26 points.

"He's being himself," teammate Sion James said. "And that's the magic of Cooper Flagg, being himself. He's not forcing anything. He's just being a player, taking the looks as they come. He saw something he liked, and 42 points later, here we are."

Flagg made 11 of 14 shots in about 36 minutes, including 4 of 6 3-pointers to continue his recent improved long-range touch. He saw work as the primary ball handler and attacked the paint, taking advantage of mismatches to draw 13 fouls and get to the line 17 times (he made 16, a Duke freshman record) while Notre Dame had just 16 attempts as a team.

"It's a huge part of the game if you're able to get in the paint and get fouled," Flagg said, "so I was kind of able to get that going early and was kind of able to live in the paint tonight."

Flagg also had six rebounds and seven assists, including a high-low pass to 7-2 teammate Khaman Maluach for an alley-oop dunk on Duke's opening possession.

"They've got the right mix of guys with him," Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry said. "If they had him and they didn't have shooting or they had people that needed the ball and were ball-dominant, then it probably wouldn't work. But they've done a good job evaluating and finding the right people to put around him, so it makes him a really tough matchup."

Flagg called it one of his more aggressive offensive performances from the start, partly due to getting those early clean looks to find a quick flow. As he pressed on, the fouls and contact kept coming -- enough so that Duke coach Jon Scheyer had his own rare eruption, this one of demonstrative fury.

It came after Flagg was called for a first-half offensive foul for pushing off on a drive against Notre Dame's Matt Allocco. As Allocco hit the floor, Scheyer practically ran from the sideline to the edge of the midcourt circle yelling "No way!" and shouting that Allocco had grabbed Flagg before waving emphatically in disgust as associate head coach Chris Carrawell tried to guide him back to the bench.

It marked only the second technical foul of Scheyer's three-year head coaching career, though he was focused on making a larger point.

"People are going to do things to try to make it easier to guard him," Scheyer said of Flagg. "And grabbing and holding is going to be something that's there. So it wasn't just one play isolated for me. It's just understanding that he does get hit.

"Again ... I have a ton of respect for those three officials, the officiating in our league. But I'm also going to advocate for our guys when I feel like something isn't being called the right way or respected."

By Saturday's horn, Flagg had surpassed the previous ACC freshman record of 41 points from Boston College's Olivier Hanlan against Georgia Tech in the 2013 ACC tournament. Only two other freshmen in league history, both from North Carolina, have reached the 40-point mark: Tyler Hansbrough (40) in February 2006 and Harrison Barnes (40) in the 2011 ACC tournament.

Flagg hit the 40-point mark on two free throws with 25.7 seconds left as Duke clung to an 80-76 lead after squandering most of an 18-point cushion. He broke the ACC record with two more free throws with 4.9 seconds left, after the "Cameron Crazies" had chanted his name as he walked to the line.

So how does a teenage basketball prodigy celebrate history? His plans didn't sound nearly so memorable.

"Probably just going to hang out with my teammates, have a chill night," Flagg said. "There's a lot of good basketball games on tonight."