Sevilla defender Jules Kounde scored an extraordinary solo goal and Ivan Rakitic struck against his old side in a 2-0 win over Barcelona in a Copa del Rey semi-final first leg on Wednesday.

French centre back Kounde opened the scoring in the 25th minute, dribbling from his own area and playing a one-two with a teammate before bursting past four Barca players to confidently slot past Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

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The Barca keeper made a superb save to prevent Sergio Escudero doubling Sevilla's lead at the end of the first half but Croatia midfielder Rakitic made sure of the victory with a thumping finish into the roof of the net in the 85th minute.

Barca felt they should have been awarded a penalty at 1-0 down when Jordi Alba was tripped on the edge of the area but referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz gave a free kick without checking with the VAR whether the foul had taken place inside the box.

"Everyone has told me it was a penalty," said Barca coach Ronald Koeman.

"They made a lot of fouls but clever fouls and they defended very well. I think we deserved more, we played well and created a lot of chances. I think it's a harsh result for us given what we did on the pitch."

"We put in a complete performance and the clean sheet is thanks to the work of the whole team," said Sevilla's Kounde.

"We suffered a little more in the second half but everyone stuck to the coach's plan and it paid off."

Lionel Messi could have snatched a late away goal but was thwarted by Sevilla keeper Bono and Julen Lopetegui's side saw out the win without conceding to take a big advantage into the second leg at the Camp Nou on March 3 (live on ESPN+).

The Washington Football Team reached a settlement with its former cheerleaders, who appeared in lewd videos made without their knowledge during swimsuit calendar photo shoots in 2008 and 2010.

Attorneys for both sides confirmed the settlement, which, one source said, was actually reached in 2020, though they declined to say exactly when. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. The Washington Post first reported news of the settlement. There was no lawsuit filed.

There were two videos made from outtakes during those years in which some private parts were exposed. Certain props were used to shield those body parts and at times those props were insufficient.

The Washington Post detailed those shoots in August, with one former employee, Brad Baker, saying staffers were told to produce a video of this for owner Dan Snyder, who has denied that allegation. Baker worked in the franchise's broadcast department from 2007 to '09. The Post reported two other sources saying a similar video was produced at the behest of the team's former vice president and play-by-play announcer Larry Michael. He, too, has denied the allegation.

The NFL continues to investigate the organization's culture following a series of Washington Post reports last summer. The stories detailed sexual harassment allegations of 15 women against former team employees. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said last week that the investigation, headed by Beth Wilkinson is "nearing the completion."

"To me, the important thing in the context of this is that the Washington football club has made a lot of changes already," Goodell said. "Dan and Tanya [Snyder] are going to be done making those changes for the football club. It's good to see that. But I expect that Beth's recommendations will be something that will be added to that."

Meanwhile, the franchise also announced that it had paused its cheerleader program amid their rebranding as they change the name and the logo. The move is not tied to the investigation, per multiple sources. Also, multiple sources said they anticipate the cheer program returning in some capacity.

The franchise also informed the band, formed in 1937 when the franchise relocated from Boston, that it, too, would be paused. But the expectation, a source said, is that the band will return as well.

The team wants to first pick a name and design a logo, then see how it wants to rebrand its other traditions such as cheerleading and the band.

It also needs to hire a director of game-day operations, who will have a pivotal role in shaping the fan experience at FedEx Field. Because of COVID-19, neither the band nor the cheerleaders performed at the stadium this season.

In a statement, team president Jason Wright said, "The time is right to reimagine our entire game day experience, to reinvent it in a way that reflects our modern identity and aligns with what today's fan seeks."

The position of cheerleading director was eliminated. Jamilla Keene, who was in that role, is weighing whether to stay with the franchise in another capacity, according to a source.

The franchise retired its former name last summer. During the fall, Wright told ESPN that it could take up to a year to not only find a new name but also complete the branding. He said that even if a new name was picked this offseason, they would keep it quiet while finishing the branding process. He said Football Team, initially picked as a placeholder, is among the possibilities for a permanent name.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- A law enforcement officer in California who sued the president of the Toronto Raptors over a 2019 scuffle following the team's NBA Finals victory over the Golden State Warriors dropped his lawsuit Wednesday.

The Raptors had just won their first title at Oracle Arena in Oakland on June 13, 2019, when Raptors president Masai Ujiri went onto the court to join his celebrating team.

Alameda County sheriff's deputy Alan Strickland claimed in a federal lawsuit filed last February that he stopped Ujiri because he didn't provide the proper credential, leading to a shoving match that was partially captured on video. Strickland alleged Ujiri hit him "in the face and chest with both fists," tried to go around him and repeatedly ignored orders to stop.

The lawsuit claimed Strickland suffered "physical, mental, emotional, and economic injuries," including lost wages, lost opportunity for financial gain and future earning capacity. It also cited past and future medical care and expenses, and named his wife as a plaintiff. The lawsuit sought $75,000 in damages.

Attorneys for Strickland did not immediately respond to emails from The Associated Press seeking comment.

In August, Ujiri's attorneys filed a countersuit saying video footage showed Strickland was "undeniably the initial aggressor" in the confrontation and that the new evidence would vindicate Ujiri.

One of his attorneys, Tamarah Prevost, said Ujiri on Wednesday also dropped his lawsuit against Strickland, in which he alleged that Strickland used excessive force against him and pointed out that he never would have been treated with such disrespect if he had not been Black.

Prevost declined to comment further and referred all inquiries to the team.

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Raptors, said in a statement that Ujiri "has been completely vindicated."

"We are pleased the legal process has come to an end -- and especially pleased that the claims made against Masai and MLSE were dismissed entirely, free of any financial settlement," the company said. "We continue to be deeply troubled by the fact that Masai was put in this position in the first place, and believe he should never have had to defend himself. Masai is taking some time to process the ordeal, and intends to address it publicly at a later date."

The NBA is progressing on a plan to incorporate the slam dunk competition into halftime of the All-Star Game on March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, sources told ESPN.

A three-point shootout and skills competition are also expected to be part of the Sunday night event, sources said.

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association expect to have finalized details and a formal announcement on the All-Star Game format and health and safety protocols later this week, sources said.

The league and union have been working through the details of a scaled-down event that centers on transporting players in and out of Atlanta in a significantly shorter window of time than what would be required on a typically expanded All-Star Weekend. Players are expected to arrive in private planes on Saturday, stay in private accommodations away from hotel crowds and leave immediately after the game on Sunday night, sources said.

MINNEAPOLIS -- After re-upping with the Minnesota Twins for what will be his 17th major league season, Nelson Cruz clearly was not ready to entertain the idea of a farewell tour.

His bat surely hasn't shown any quit, either.

"To be able to go where we want to go, I have to do my best. I have to be my best. I have to be on top of my game. So retirement is not on my mind," the 40-year-old said. "My body feels great. My mind is still good, too. So there's no reason. I still love the game. I don't know what else to do. I have some plans after retirement, but I'm not ready yet."

The Twins finalized their $13 million, one-year contract on Wednesday with the designated hitter and most valuable player from the AL Central champion teams of the last two seasons. Uncertainty about whether the DH would be used in the NL this year contributed to the delay in reaching agreement as his market value was being assessed, but both Cruz and the Twins expressed a mutual desire for him to return all along.

Cruz, who agreed to the terms a week ago, said during a video conference call that his respect and admiration for team officials like general manager Thad Levine -- whom he previously played for with Texas -- sealed the deal.

"At the end of the day, we know that we love each other and we have a really good relationship," said Cruz, who has led the Twins in home runs in each of his two years with the team and ranked second and fourth among AL batters in OPS. The six-time All-Star won Silver Slugger awards in 2019 and 2020.

Cruz batted .303 with 16 homers and 33 RBI in 53 games during last year's pandemic-shortened schedule. He won the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award in 2020, an honor voted on by his peers for a player most respected for leadership on the field and in the community. Cruz won the team MVP and leadership awards in each of the past two seasons, as well.

"I think we all know what Nelson can do on the field. His power is prodigious. But what he does in our clubhouse and our community is equally as significant, and every single club is looking for that," Levine said. "I think we feel blessed that he came back to our team. He's such an important part. We've seen him elevate the level of play of people around him. To me, that's what a championship player is."

The first pitchers and catchers workout of spring training for the Twins is set for Feb. 19, and the first full-squad workout follows on Feb. 23 as the club tries to not only defend the division title but end that record 18-game postseason losing streak.

"I know what pieces we need to jump the hump," Cruz said, adding: "I trust the team that we have, and I trust the whole group of coaches and staff we have. I don't want to be any other place. I want to do it for the city and the whole organization."

BOSTON -- Billy Conigliaro, the first-ever Red Sox draft pick who started out in the Boston outfield with star-crossed brother Tony and later spent years taking care of him after a heart attack, died Wednesday. He was 73.

Conigliaro's family told the team he died at home in Beverly, Massachusetts.

Though he wound up winning a World Series ring with Oakland in 1973, Billy always remained a part of New England lore, forever connected by his local roots and the tragic events surrounding his older brother, powerful slugger Tony C.

Born less than 10 miles from Fenway Park in Revere, Billy C. was 19 when he was chosen fifth overall out of Swampscott High School in Major League Baseball's inaugural amateur draft in 1965.

Conigliaro made his big league debut as a pinch-runner in April 1969, the same month his brother returned from a beaning that quickly derailed his All-Star career.

Five days later, in his first start, Billy hit two home runs in Boston. He also connected the next day, but homered just once more that season.

His best season was in 1970, when he played 114 games and batted .271 with 18 home runs and 58 RBI. The following season, he added 26 doubles and 11 home runs in 101 games.

Overall, Conigliaro played 247 games for the Red Sox through 1971, was sent to Milwaukee in a 10-team trade and abruptly retired during the 1972 season. He returned in 1973 and played three games in the World Series as the A's beat the Mets.

A knee injury ended Conigliaro's career after that season. He hit a career .256 with 40 home runs and 128 RBI in 347 games.

Conigliaro played his first two big league seasons with his brother. Tony was an enormous star for a franchise that hadn't won the World Series since 1918 - local, popular and talented.

Tony Conigliaro debuted for Boston in 1964 at 19 and won the AL home run title the next year. A month after batting ahead of Red Sox great Carl Yastrzemski in the 1967 All-Star Game, and with Boston in the midst of its "Impossible Dream" season, Conigliaro was hit in the cheekbone by a fastball from the Angels' Jack Hamilton.

Conigliaro suffered extensive injuries, including permanent damage to his left eye.

Almost 20 months later, Conigliaro returned to the majors. Despite limited eyesight, he hit 20 homers in 1969 and put up 36 home runs and 116 RBI for the Red Sox in 1970 alongside his brother.

Tony C. played a half-season with the Angels in 1971. He was out of baseball for three years before trying a comeback with Boston in 1975, batting .123 in 21 games.

Tony was working a sportscaster in San Francisco when he auditioned for a job as a broadcaster with the Red Sox. By all indications, he was set to get the job when he suffered a heart attack while Billy was driving him to the airport in Boston.

Tony later had a stroke and was in a coma. Billy devoted much of his life to caring for him until his brother's death in 1990 at 45, then worked longer to preserve Tony C.'s legacy.

For the past 31 years, Billy had served on the committee for the Tony Conigliaro Award, given annually by the Red Sox to a major league player who "has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination, and courage that were trademarks of Tony C."

Billy Conigliaro is survived by his wife, Keisha.

The world and European 4x400m medallist has her sights set on Tokyo after a strong start to the year

The fate of the Tokyo Olympics may be hanging in the balance, but one thing that is certain is Zoey Clark’s unbridled ambition to obtain selection for the world’s biggest sporting event, should it belatedly go ahead later this year.

The 400m specialist has been a fulcrum of the GB 4x400m relay team over the past four years, having won medals at both the World and European Championships – not to mention two national titles of her own. But this is Clark’s first serious tilt at Olympic Games selection, with injury and illness having wrecked her season in the build-up to Rio in 2016.

Fast-forward an Olympic cycle to 2021, and Clark is already backing up her Olympic ambition with results. Last month, the Aberdeen and Thames Valley Harrier competed for the first time since the 2019 World Championships in Doha, which now seems a lifetime ago. A time of 7.58 in the 60m may have been modest by her standards, but a clocking of 52.40 in the 400m saw her record her fastest ever season opener in the event.

The following weekend, Clark moved up a gear. She improved upon her previous 60m performance by 0.1, before running a highly impressive 52.03 in the 400m against Scottish teammate Beth Dobbin. Not only is this an indoor personal best – it is a time which is comfortably faster than that she won the British Indoor Championships in two years ago. With the Olympic qualifying time set by UK Athletics sitting at 51.35, one senses Clark is on the right track.

With few competitive opportunities availing themselves throughout the 2020 season, however, Clark admits that these stellar performances have come as something of a surprise.

“I know I’ve been training well, but sometimes there’s a bit of a disconnect between training and competition. If you don’t actually have the competition there to back it up, you’re still a bit uncertain of how you’re actually doing,” she says.

“Those performances did come as a bit of a nice surprise to me because they’re good times. But it’s not just the fact that I haven’t been racing for a year. I would be really happy to open with these sorts of times in any indoor season.”

As with every athlete over the past 11 months, limited access to facilities and the absence of face-to-face interaction with coaches have seen training sessions become something a problem-solving exercise. Yet this is something of an apt challenge for Clark who, as a chemical engineering graduate from Aberdeen University, takes such tests in her stride.

“I quite enjoyed figuring out how to train [at the start of lockdown]. I didn’t so much enjoy running in a field when the weather wasn’t great, but I looked at where I could go to train, and what the best outcome was. [It was about] how I could adapt my sessions and what would put me in the best position.”

-7 degrees but Champions never stop. @SAL_Coaching @SALSueGyford @MaguireSal pic.twitter.com/xmFKd174Av

— Eddie mckenna (@EddieCMcKenna) January 9, 2021

Nonetheless, this style of adaptation seems to have served Clark well, as has – perhaps unexpectedly – the paucity of competitions last year.

“The last few competitive seasons I’ve had have been all over the place – I was running at times of year I would never normally be running in,” Clark explains, in reference to the Commonwealth Games in April 2018, and the World Championships in October the following year.

“This year has almost been like a hard reset. Obviously, I would like to have been racing. But this year, I felt like I was doing the right sessions at the right time of year. I wasn’t having to rush to prepare. I wasn’t trying to hold on to my fitness at the end of a long season.”

Nor has Clark had to endure long days of twiddling her thumbs whilst waiting for evening training sessions. Having been a full-time athlete since graduating from university in 2017, Clark landed a position at Wood Group as a graduate chemical engineer in September last year. But why trade all the recovery time?

“For me, I think having an intellectual outlet is really important,” she says. “I actually found that my breakthrough season in athletics in 2017 was the same year as my last year at university, which seems bizarre – you would think the stress would affect my performances.

“When I was a full-time athlete, there was a lot of downtime. It gave me too much time to think. If I didn’t have a good session, if that’s all I had going on, I’d worry about that a lot and waste energy on that.

“I actually do think that I train better when I’ve got work during the day. I almost feel like I’ve got a build-up of energy from doing the work, and when I come to training, I’m just very ready to do the session.”

And Clark is not the only athlete to have made a success of this method. She cites Jessie Knight, the British 400m hurdles champion, as an example of another athlete who is using full-time work to her advantage.

“I think the fact that Jessie Knight made a big breakthrough last year is really encouraging, because she was working – and still is working – as a teacher. When I saw her smashing her PBs and really just running amazingly, it did actually reassure me that it can be done.

“She’s managing to train and she’s managing to work and she’s managing to balance it. It totally can be done.”

And so Clark’s thoughts turn to the Olympic Games. She’s no stranger to competing at the highest level, of course, but given that the Olympic Games come around only every four years, competing for GB at Tokyo would rank as one of her biggest achievements.

“The World Championships feel like the highest level, but the Olympics is a step above. Because it’s a multi-sport competition, athletes come from all sports knowing this is the pinnacle of their career.

“It only comes around once every four years and World Championships are obviously more frequent than that. It’s something that’s harder to achieve, which is why the desire is there to make that team and perform.”

"What's it like being a man in 2020?"

According to data from the Office for National Statistics, suicide remains the biggest killer in men between 15 and 35 in the UK.

In a three-part series, Team GB sprinter James Ellington, Scottish footballer David Cox, Love Island star Josh Denzel and freestyle footballer Olumide Durojaiye open up about the issues they have faced and how they have dealt with them.

James broke his leg in a motorbike accident in 2017, forcing him to withdraw from Team GB. David, who plays as a striker for Cowdenbeath, has suffered with mental health issues throughout his career.

Olu was released at 18 by Tottenham Hotspur and has since played in Scotland as well as in the English non-league game - where he plays for Woking; he is now a football freestyler. Josh Denzel starred in series four of Love Island, coming third.

The episodes, hosted by Ben Zand, will be released throughout this week but, before you watch, here are five poignant takeaways from the series.

Crying

55% of men aged 18-24 feel as if crying makes them less masculine (YouGov 2018).

"You don't want to be weaker than the man next to you," says Olu. "I cover my emotions with laughter, joking around being a fool."

When Ben asks "Would you speak to your dad about how you're feeling?" each person at the table responds with a strong "no".

David says: "Approaching your dad with something like that - he's the person you want to look the strongest in front of."

Josh adds: "I'm sure if I went to my dad with a problem and I was emotional, he would have been fine with it but I'd just look at him and be like 'no way'."

James says: "Sometimes you can get stuck in a rut where you suppress your emotion for so long that it becomes hard to release. Showing emotion and crying is actually a strength."

Being the breadwinner

42% of men in heterosexual relationships think they should earn more than their partner (YouGov 2018).

"It makes me feel good to be able to provide," says Josh.

"I want to pay for the food, I want to be the alpha and be able to look after you."

Olu says: "I saw my dad being the main breadwinner, working day and night, travelling up and down the country and I needed to be that. I couldn't be the man that a woman looks at and thinks: 'He's a bum.'

"I needed to make money somehow because I needed to be that 'man' role that I thought my partner needed."

David adds: "It's more how people perceive you. What are they on the outside thinking, looking in?"

Social media gratification

How many times do you scroll through Instagram and start comparing yourself to the guy with a six pack standing on a beach in Bali with his Lamborghini in the background?

But is any of it real?

"I was in Monaco a few years ago for a competition and, although I had a really good time, most of it was spent in my room on my own," says James.

"I put an Instagram post out and everyone was commenting like 'woah, you must be having a great time'."

Social media can mask what a person is actually feeling.

According to the 2017-18 community life survey, men (27%) are more likely than women (20%) to say they never feel lonely.

As a social media influencer, Josh admits: "With the notoriety, there is a pressure to kind of live that lifestyle. I'm guilty of it massively. You end up doing things purely for gratification.

"I know for a fact that if the sun's over there with the beach over here and my abs are looking sick, I know when the likes start rolling in from certain people and you hit a certain number - that gives me gratification.

"That was before I had a big following. You get in your feelings about it, the more followers you have, the more people that judge and the more people that comment."

What should be expected of men?

"Just to be happy and have everyone around you happy - I think that should be the only expectation as a man," says Olu.

James says: "We should be expected to be a bit more open and free with our emotions and not be afraid that being in touch with our feelings is emasculating - it'll make society much better."

David adds: "I think what should be expected is that people shouldn't make you feel like you have to be masculine and can't talk about things.

"Look at the stats and look at what's happening. Men should be able to speak out."

Body image

This year's Mental Health Awareness Week is focused particularly on body image, with the Mental Health Foundation releasing these stark statistics:

Reality TV shows such as Love Island have been criticised for triggering body image issues in young people.

Josh, who came third last year, says: "I remember watching the first three seasons and everyone's in mad shape - the type you follow on Instagram. Then I get the call that I'm going into the villa in six weeks.

"I lived in the gym before I went in and even with that I remember looking in the mirror before I went in and, even though I was shredded, I still didn't want to go in.

"Even now, there's nothing worse than being on the beach, you can see a guy with an amazing six-pack walking along and you look down at yourself and feel so emasculated."

Even Olu, when he was training as a footballer, struggled with how he looked.

"I started to hate myself," he says.

"I heard a fan shout when I was playing a couple years ago 'Oi, fat boy, pull your socks up'.

"All I thought was 'flipping hell, I'm not good enough, my body's horrible' - I just hated it."

If you, or someone you know, have been affected by mental health issue, help and support is available: bbc.co.uk/actionline

As part of the Football Association and Duke of Cambridge's Heads Up campaign, former England defender Alex Scott and Watford captain Troy Deeney talk to each other about how therapy has helped them overcome their own mental health challenges.

This season's FA Cup final between Arsenal and Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday has been renamed the Heads Up FA Cup final.

WATCH MORE: Liverpool's Robertson & Klopp open up about mental health

Do you struggle to fit exercise into your routine? Maybe you don't have a routine, but you need more activity and don't know where to begin?

Getting your heart beating

Cardio (cardiovascular) exercise aims to get your heart rate up and increase blood circulation.

Whether you want to improve your heart condition (remember it's a muscle), lose weight, clear your mind or just improve your health, cardio exercise will help.

The NHS has a 10-minute home cardio workout to get you started until you are ready to move for longer.

Walking is a great way to get active. If you want to up the pace, Couch to 5K takes you from walking to a confident 30-minute run in nine weeks.

There are other ways to get going at home - grab that old skipping rope or put on some music and dance. Getting your groove on for 15 minutes not only works your heart, it will put a smile on your face. Or shut the curtains and try this belly dance routine.

Working on strength & supporting your muscles

Strength and resistance exercises can help strengthen your muscles and improve mobility.

They are generally done on the spot and may not leave you panting like cardio exercise but they definitely work the body to increase fitness and improve health.

Some of these types of exercise use tools like weights or resistance bands but that shouldn't stop you. Just take a look in your cupboard and put your tins of baked beans or bags of rice to good use.

You can follow any of these 10 workout videos, as Team GB Olympians guide you through easy-to-follow workouts which you can do at home.

The NHS has put together a 10-minute home toning workout for general all-over fitness, and also have workouts focusing on legs,bums and tums and one specifically for bingo wings.

The NHS also has a range of exercise routine videos in their Fitness Studio to work various parts of your body. Just click on the 'Strength and resistance' tab to choose your workout.

Flexibility, balance and mobility

No matter your age, reduce joint pain and prevent injury, add strength and flexibility to your routine. These workouts help balance, reducing the risk of falls, and strengthen muscles for mobility.

Yoga, pilates and tai chi are examples of flexibility exercises, try to incorporate simple exercises into your routine without taking a class.

The NHS has a Strength and Flexibility podcast with instructional videos that will increase your fitness levels in five weeks. For people who are less mobile, there is also a selection of sitting exercises that will keep you active without overdoing it.

Take a look at the routines on the 'Pilates and yoga' tab in the NHS fitness studio, or take a look at this collection of free yoga videos.

What's next?

There's loads information and apps for workout ideas, NHS Choices is a good place to start. Remember to consult your doctor first if you haven't exercised in a while or you have any pre-existing conditions.