Top of the table, sack your head coach, lose El Clasico, return to the top of the table.

It is hard to argue with where Barcelona stand as LaLIga s season pauses amid the coronavirus pandemic, although their means of staying on course for a ninth title in 12 seasons have often been unconvincing.

Here, we take a look back at the Opta numbers behind a campaign where Quique Setien has replaced Ernesto Valverde in the Camp Nou hot seat and many of the old certainties seem not to exist anymore.

Well, apart from one man s enduring brilliance.

by Leo Messi

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— FC Barcelona (from ) (@FCBarcelona)

WORST BARCA TEAM SINCE BEFORE GUARDIOLA

Barcelona s points haul of 58 from 27 games is enough for a two-point lead o…

Former England striker Michael Owen announced he would retire at the end of the season on this day in 2013.

Owen, then 33, had signed a one-year contract with Stoke after leaving Manchester United the previous summer but his time in the Potteries was hampered by a hamstring injury, contributing to his decision to call it a day.

Owen scored 40 goals in 89 England appearances – making him the fourth highest scorer for his country’s men’s team at the time – and played at the top level for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Manchester United.

“It is with an immense amount of pride that I am announcing my intention to retire,” Owen said on March 19, 2013.

“I have been very fortunate in that my career has taken me on a journey I could only have…

So, anything of note to talk about ahead of the game between the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead? 

Jordan Love’s Packers will head to Kansas City as 7.5-point NFL betting underdogs after the series of unfortunate events in Green Bay this week. While the line understandably moved even more in the home Chiefs’ direction, has it swung too far?

Here are our best free picks and predictions for Packers vs. Chiefs, with kickoff on November 7.

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Nothing hits quite like that first Sunday of a brand new NFL season, and the Baltimore Ravens’ trip to face the New York Jets at MetLife is one of the most interesting games on the early slate. There was hope that this was a new start for New York after a brilliant draft, but the injury to Zach Wilson has always curtailed that early enthusiasm.

Find out how much that injury will affect the outcome in our free NFL betting picks and predictions for the Ravens vs. Jets. 

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Miami will make the trek up I-95 on Saturday as the Dolphins play their final preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Miami has split their two preseason games thus far, and are coming in off a 28-3 victory at Houston a week ago. Tua Tagovailoa saw limited action and threw a pick in his two drives on the field. For the Jaguars, it’s been a perfect preseason so far, and a win on Saturday would give them just their second flawless preseason in franchise history and first in 26 years.

It’s the final preparation game for two teams with playoff aspirations, and we discuss how you should bet on the NFL odds in our Dolphins vs Jaguars NFL picks and predictions for Saturday, August 26. 

Dolphins vs Jaguars odds