Manchester City-bound Rayan Cherki stole the show in France’s clash with Spain on Thursday night.

The two heavyweight nations went head-to-head in the semi-finals of the UEFA Nations League, with the Spanish reaching the final with a 5-4 victory.

Les Bleus took a hammering in the contest, with the scoreline only looking respectable thanks to the introduction of Cherki.

Man City fans had an eye on the contest to see if the midfielder would come on as the Premier League club are closing in on signing Cherki, and what they saw left supporters of the Manchester outfit full of excitement as the Lyon star bagged a goal and an assist.

Cherki pretty much confirmed his move to Man City on French television after the contest, and the media in his home nation were full of praise for the 21-year-old after the full-time whistle.

Having only spent 27 minutes on the field, Cherki produced a goal and an assist, while creating three big chances, which left French media impressed with the Lyon star.

Le Parisien wrote: “The other bright spot came with the introduction of Rayan Cherki, who came onto the Stuttgart pitch in the 64th minute and scored fifteen minutes later, providing an assist in injury time. And what a goal! A gem in the doldrums, a golden breakthrough in a tunnel of sadness.

“Specifically, a half-volley with his left foot from the edge of the box on a pass from the French captain. The kind of first international that he and everyone else will remember for a long time, even their whole lives, and which leaves a trace of hope.

“The 21-year-old Lyonnais is a different player in the French team’s attacking lineup, adding to the senior side’s strength.

“His introduction, that of Bradley Barcola, and the Spanish side’s relaxation reinvigorated the French, who eventually came back to within a goal of La Roja. Randal Kolo Muani made extra time a fiery affair with a fourth goal, and the days to come more bearable. The defeat was less brutal.”

Footmercato would comment on Cherki’s performance by saying: “From the bench, Dembouz would, however, appreciate Cherki’s first flash in the tricolour jersey. Served by Mbappé at the edge of the box, the Lyonnais controlled and followed up with a splendid volley, leaving Simon unmoved.

“Carried by their substitutes, the Blues would even give themselves an additional reason to believe in it… Found by Cherki on the right side, Gusto crossed hard in front of the goal and forced Dani Vivian into a mistake

“The Juve striker would finally be rewarded with a perfectly delivered cross from Cherki, who made a spectacular entrance.”

Finally, RCM Sport would react by simply saying: “Replaced by Rayan Cherki in the 64th minute, author of a brilliant half-volley for 5-2 (79th), the cross that brought the own goal to 5-3 (84th) and an assist for Randal Kolo Muani for 5-4 (90th).”

Having watched this cameo, Man City fans will be eager to see their club’s pursuit of the midfielder get over the line, which should happen in the coming days.

Man City and Lyon continue to work on the transfer fee for Rayan Cherki

It was reported this week that Cherki’s transfer fee was the main issue between Man City and Lyon as the two clubs continue to negotiate for the 21-year-old.

Man City have already agreed personal terms with Cherki, and having reported this, Fabrizio Romano has now provided an update on the transfer, with the Italian journalist stating that negotiations are still ongoing as Lyon seek over £25m (€30m) for the 21-year-old.

Negotiations between Man City and OL for Rayan Cherki remain underway after agreement done with the player.

Cherki wants the move and the clubs are working on the financial package surely in excess of €30m. pic.twitter.com/fr0tdHiqTa

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 5, 2025

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It seems that it is only a matter of time before Cherki is confirmed as a Man City player as the Premier League club hope to have the French star as part of their squad for the FIFA Club World Cup.

Man City begin their campaign on June 18 against Wydad AC, and that contest may be the first time fans of the Manchester club get to see Cherki in a sky blue shirt.

Court: M.D. Florida

Case: 6:22-cv-00652

On April 1, 2022, $LGBCOIN shareholders filed a class action against LGBCoin Ltd. and its promoters, accusing them of falsely promoting a NASCAR-backed cryptocurrency and orchestrating a pump-and-dump scheme.

What is this lawsuit about?

On January 5, 2022, NASCAR publicly denied approving LGBCoin’s sponsorship of Brandon Brown’s racing team—contradicting LGBCoin’s earlier claims. This announcement followed weeks of celebrity-driven promotion and helped expose a broader scheme to inflate the token’s price.

Following this, $LGBCOIN plummeted, leaving investors with near-worthless tokens.

What can you do to recover your losses now?

We’re keeping track of all updates and will notify $LGBCOIN investors about potential recovery.

More than 600 companies are currently facing securities class action lawsuits, and over 100 are already paying settlements. Connect your brokerage account to automatically check which ones you may have missed.

NASCAR teamed up with Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports to field the Garage 56 special entry class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023. NASCAR CEO Jim France wanted to fund an entry operated by Chevrolet team Spire Motorsports for the July Cup Series race at Sonoma Raceway, again, leaving Toyota and Ford on the sidelines.

On the surface, it looks like the two manufacturers are getting the short end of the stick from NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on Tuesday’s “Dale Jr. Download” that he wouldn’t be surprised if they were upset about both of those occurrences.

“Toyota and Ford are always going to look for something to complain about,” Earnhardt said. “… You’re telling me that if Jim France had went to another Toyota team or another Ford team, they would have accepted that opportunity?”

Ultimately, France’s plan to financially support a Spire entry never came to pass. France was set to work with Spire to put Jack Aitken, a 29-year-old IMSA driver, in the race. Aitken races for a France-owned team in the sports car series. Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic reported that “backlash in the garage over the perception of another high-profile conflict of interest in motorsports ownership led him [France] to scrap the plans.”

NASCAR’s Jim France wanted to fund Cup Series entry at Sonoma

Gluck and Bianchi added that the original plan was to field a Hendrick car. However, the four-car limit prevents Hendrick from fielding a fifth car, even an open car. Spire has a Hendrick alliance and appeared to be the next best thing. Earnhardt is relieved that France decided to discontinue the plans.

“I wouldn’t necessarily think it’s a good thing,” Earnhardt said. “That’s the type of thing, for me, that needs to be grandfathered in. It’s like the four charters versus teams can only have three. Had Jim France and his family always owned cars for all of these decades of NASCAR, then you grandfather that in. And if that ever ended, you’d just be done with it. At this point, it just doesn’t feel like it’s very productive to do it now. Jim doesn’t need to do it. It’s not like a viable business proposition or opportunity that I think is necessary as a businessman to do it.

“It’s like a here’s a fun thing on the side, we’ll get a guy and he’ll race. Kind of one of those fun things you want to do with your buddies. But it’s not necessary because the dude owns the sport. So, what he might have could have done is shield his involvement. He probably still could have gotten Jack Aitken in a Spire car, still got him on the racetrack and shielded his involvement or his connection to Jack and the partners that would support this program.”

On3’s Jonathan Howard contributed to this report.

The 12th edition of the popular American SpeedFest at the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit roared to life on Friday with Free Practice for both NASCAR Euro Series divisions. Liam Hezemans topped the combined times in PRO with a strong performance for Rette Jones Racing, while PK Carsport’s Thomas Krasonis led the way in OPEN. The day was marred by a violent crash for Thomas Dombrowski, whose #24 Chevrolet Camaro suffered a technical issue and flipped three times after slamming into the tire barriers at Paddock Hill Bend. The Frenchman exited the car under his own power and, after an initial check at the track-side medical center, was sent to hospital for further evaluation of his leg.

NASCAR GP UK LINKS: INFO & TICKETS | SCHEDULE | ENTRY LIST | LIVE TIMING | WATCH LIVEPRO: Just a few centimeters

Liam Hezemans was the driver to beat on Friday at Brands Hatch, setting the pace in both free practice sessions at the legendary Indy Circuit. The Dutchman clocked a blistering lap of 48.901 seconds behind the wheel of his #30 Rette Jones Racing Ford Mustang, edging out Gianmarco Ercoli of Alumitec Racing by just 0.035 seconds. Ercoli, a former PRO winner at Brands Hatch in 2018, showed strong early pace on a track he knows well. Hezemans’ lap not only topped the combined timesheets but also secured him the fastest time in the Junior Trophy classification.

Thomas Krasonis also impressed for PK Carsport, finishing third and only 0.079 seconds off the top time. Sebastiaan Bleekemolen and Fabrizio Armetta followed in fourth and fifth, with just 0.140 seconds covering the top-5 positions in a tightly contested session. British fan favorite and 2024 OPEN race winner Jack Davidson used his home-track experience to slot into sixth place, just ahead of Martin Doubek and young gun Bruno Mulders. Mulders adapted quickly on his first weekend as a double duty competitor after his surprise PRO debut on Round 04 in Italy.

Max Lanza led the way in the Challenger Trophy in ninth, while Claudio Cappelli completed the top-10. Garrett Lowe ended the day in 11th, just ahead of reigning EuroNASCAR PRO champion Vittorio Ghirelli, who was sidelined for the second session following the heavy crash of his teammate Thomas Dombrowski in the OPEN division.

The day wasn’t without more drama. Paul Jouffreau suffered a major setback when the engine let go on his #3 RDV Competition Ford Mustang. With teammate Patrick Schober also missing valuable track time, the French squad faces a steep climb heading into Saturday. But in EuroNASCAR, anything is possible and the duo is hoping to turn their misfortune into the beginning of a remarkable comeback story.

OPEN: Race winners led the charge

Two drivers have won the races in OPEN in 2025 so far: Thomas Krasonis and Martin Doubek. After two practice sessions at Brands Hatch, both drivers became the leading pace setters heading to Saturday’s OPEN qualifying. Doubek was the early leader with his first lap time of 49.265, but the reigning champion was beaten by his new fierce rival Krasonis in the second Practice session. Krasonis clocked a quick lap of 49.030 that put the PK Carsport driver on top of the combined timesheets.

Mulders utilized the extra track time that he got by doing double duty to great effect in OPEN. The Team Bleekemolen driver was third fastest with only two tenths separating him from Krasonis. The young Dutchman was also the quickest in the Master Trophy. Thomas Toffel rebounded from his crash in Italy to become the fourth fastest pilot ahead of Melvin de Groot – the leader in the Legend Trophy class.

A fast American hotshot puts his name on the board with an impressive sixth place result. Jordan O’Brien quickly got up to speed and found himself faster than experienced veteran Claudio Cappelli and the returning Matthew Ellis. O’Brien and Ellis completed the top-3 positions in the Master Trophy, while Cappelli was second fastest in Legend Trophy behind his rival de Groot.

Valentino Gambarotto and Roberto Benedetti rounded out the top-10 results, with the latter trailing de Groot and Cappelli in the Legend Trophy battle. Michael Bleekemolen in 13th position returns to OPEN as a substitute for Gil Linster, who is absent due to health issues. Fellow debutants Davide Frulio and Mike Wise familiarized themselves with the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit and ended up 16th and 20th fastest respectively.

Thomas Dombrowski was involved in a violent crash at Paddock Hill Bend during the OPEN Free Practice 1 session. Technical issues forced him into the tire barriers and three flips. The Frenchman was able to leave the car under his own power. He was checked in the track-side medical center, released and sent to hospital for further evaluation of his leg. The driver is alert and in good spirits.

Saturday’s action begins with the traditional Qualifying sessions at 09:50 CEST, followed by the races from PRO and OPEN at 13:55 and 17:25 CEST respectively. With tens of thousands of fans expected to attend the event, the pressure is on for drivers and teams to maximize their results in front of the raucous British race fans. Tune in to the action from EuroNASCAR’s YouTube channel and TV channels all around the world.

NASCAR Euro Series PR

Fresh off a dominant performance at Shakedown XXII at M-Town at US 131 Motorsports Park, Jeff “The Sheriff” Rudolf joined The Wes Buck Show to reflect on the weekend, break down the key moments of his Pro Mod victory, and share plans to compete at the NHRA U.S. Nationals.

“I told you a couple years ago, Wes — there’s a new sheriff in town,” Rudolf joked, channeling his signature swagger after securing the $20,000 win at one of the biggest independent races of the year.

Rudolf rolled through a stacked field of 25 Pro Modified entries in the combined Mid-West Drag Racing Series and Radial Outlaws event, which was broadcast live on FloRacing. He was quick to credit his team’s consistency, the track crew’s prep efforts, and standout tuner Brandon Stroud.

“We made every single lap,” said Rudolf. “We shook the tire one time in Q3, and that was only because we tried to swing for the fence. We were already sitting fifth. Brandon’s like, ‘Listen, if it makes it five feet, we’re in good shape.’ It didn’t make it five feet.”

Despite the aggressive tune-up early on, Rudolf’s car came alive when it counted. In addition to taking the win, he recorded low ET of the event with a 3.596, top speed at 208.24 MPH, and best reaction time at .023.

“Round two, I think I had a .03 light,” he said. “I told Brandon to pull five out of the box. He pulled ten and didn’t tell me. That last round, we ran a .024 light. He goes, ‘That was actually a .014.’ We’ll still take it.”

The win marked a career highlight for Rudolf, but he made it clear he’s not done yet. He revealed that his team is building a new Precision Built Race Cars Camaro — “Ghetto Sleigh 2” — with intentions to debut it at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, just miles from his home.

“We’re building one, and the plan is to run it at the U.S. Nationals,” said Rudolf. “If it’s not done, we’ll be in someone else’s car. Either way, we’ll be there.”

As one of the more colorful characters in Pro Mod, Rudolf embraces the entertainment side of the sport. From his nickname “The Sheriff” to his viral front-end man, Shooter mimicking an aircraft carrier launch, he knows fans connect with personality as much as performance.

“You’ve always preached it’s the person, not the car,” said Rudolf to Buck, who won the second chance Pro Mod shootout at WSOPM in 2024. “I think it’s both. You gotta have a little of both.”

Looking ahead, Rudolf plans to continue with MWDRS while also maybe hitting PDRA events and possibly the Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod this winter. For now, his sights are firmly set on Indy — a bucket list race that’s been years in the making.

“It’s two miles from my house,” he said. “That’s a no-brainer.”

This story was originally published on June 5, 2025.