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Barcelona are set to hold high-level talks with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to resolve the feud over Lamine Yamal's injury. The move follows manager Hansi Flick's public criticism of Spain for playing the teenager while he was carrying an injury, which has now ruled him out of key club fixtures including this week's Champions League clash.

Barca to hold talks with RFEF over Yamal injury issue

Barcelona are moving to de-escalate the club-versus-country row with the RFEF over the handling of Yamal's fitness. According to , Blaugrana sporting director Deco is set to hold talks with the RFEF's technical director, Aitor Karanka, to improve communication protocols after Barca manager Hansi Flick publicly criticised the national team's management of the winger during the recent international break.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'That's not looking after the players': What Flick said about Yamal's Spain duty

The dispute erupted after Yamal, who had joined the Spain camp with a pre-existing groin issue, played significant minutes against both Bulgaria and Turkey. Flick did not hold back in his assessment of the situation, accusing Spain coach Luis de la Fuente of negligence. 

"Lamine already went to the national team in pain. He took painkillers and played with the national team in pain," Flick stated. "He had problems, and played 79 and 73 minutes. That's not looking after the players. The Spanish national team has the best players in the world, but we should be looking after the professionals. Also the young players."

Yamal ruled out of key fixtures with groin injury

The 18-year-old's pre-existing discomfort has since developed into a groin injury, causing direct consequences for his club. Yamal was ruled out of Barcelona's emphatic 6-0 La Liga victory over Valencia on Sunday and Mundo Deportivo says it will take "a miracle" for him to be fit for the Champions League opener against Newcastle after he was unable to train with his team-mates on Monday. The RFEF was reportedly aware of his condition, not least because a national team physiotherapist also works with Yamal at Barcelona.

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AFPWhat next as Barca and RFEF look to improve relations?

While both parties are now keen to consider the public controversy "settled," the focus has shifted to preventing future conflicts. The upcoming talks between Deco and Karanka are aimed at establishing clearer and more robust communication channels for managing players who report for international duty with minor ailments. The goal is to create a more collaborative approach to protect player welfare and avoid similar feuds, especially with a prodigious young talent like Yamal at the centre of the issue.

Wrexham roared back into Championship form as Josh Windass marked his comeback with a blistering brace in a 3-2 victory over a limp Norwich City. The win eased the heat on Phil Parkinson, whose rocky start to life in the second tier had sparked murmurs of discontent. Norwich, however, remain in meltdown. Four home games, four defeats, the Canaries are spiraling.

Getty Images SportWrexham get the job done

Parkinson rang the changes after last weekend’s 3-1 loss to QPR. Out went Conor Coady, James McClean, Matty James and Ryan Hardie. In came debutants Dominic Hyam and Issa Kabore, Ben Sheaf for his first full start, and the returning Windass, thrust back into the XI and given the captain’s armband for good measure. The tactical tweak was obvious. Lewis O’Brien and Windass pushed high, buzzing around Kieffer Moore as Parkinson looked to overwhelm Norwich with energy and width. From the first whistle, Wrexham’s intent was there.

Norwich were toothless for much of the half, but when their moment came in the 39th minute, they punished Wrexham ruthlessly. David Jurasek slid a neat ball through for Jack Stacey, who darted clear and coolly tucked past Arthur Okonkwo. Against the run of play, the hosts led 1-0.

Whatever Parkinson said at the interval could have peeled paint off the walls. Wrexham came out after the restart like a team possessed, and Norwich had no answers. Barely two minutes in, Windass was on the scoresheet. A sweeping diagonal ball released Kabore, whose low cross found the skipper lurking. One swing of the boot and it was 1-1. Minutes later, Windass almost turned provider, sliding O’Brien through, only for Vladan Kovacevic to save smartly.

By the 54th minute, Wrexham had flipped the game on its head. Ben Sheaf worked the ball out wide to Kabore, whose delivery was precise. Ryan Longman pounced, firing into the net to make it 2-1. Norwich were reeling, their defence all over the shop, and Wrexham smelt blood. Just before the hour, the killer blow arrived. Tylor Cleworth’s cross evaded everyone in the middle, but not Windass. The captain shaped, curled, and delivered a beauty into the far corner to make it 3-1. In a devastating 15-minute spell, the Red Dragons had torched the Canaries. Although the hosts pulled one back deep inside stoppage time, it was too little too late to salvage a point at home for Norwich.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMVP: Windass' brilliant brace

Back from injury and wearing the armband, Windass was sensational. His brace, plus a hand in every key attacking moment, made him the undisputed MVP. After frustration on the sidelines, the forward looked reborn, driving Wrexham forward with pace and precision. 

The big losers: Norwich's dismal backline

If Windass was the hero, Norwich’s three centre-backs were the villains. Josh Cordoba, Harry Darling and Jakov Medic were statuesque as Windass ghosted through for his opener. The lack of awareness, the failure to track runs, and the absence of bite left them hopelessly exposed. Liam Manning's men looked brittle, nervous, and rudderless every time the ball came into their box.

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Where next for Wrexham?

With league pressure eased, attention now shifts to cup duty. Wrexham welcome Reading to the Racecourse Ground on Tuesday night for an EFL Cup third-round tie. Victory there could spark genuine momentum heading into the next Championship fixtures.

There’s been a newfound sense of excitement building at Leeds United in recent months, undoubtedly aided by their return to the Premier League for the 2025/26 season.

The opening day victory over Everton at Elland Road has certainly heightened the mood amongst the fanbase, with the hierarchy conducting excellent business in the market during the off-season.

Lukas Nmecha, who arrived on a free transfer from Wolfsburg, scored the winner against the Toffees, already making an immediate impact and catching the eye of the fanbase.

Other additions, such as Anton Stach and Gabriel Gudmundsson, have already cemented their place in the side, potentially playing a key role in Daniel Farke’s quest for survival come the end of May.

However, despite the previous work done by the hierarchy in recent months, other potential signings continue to be lined up before the transfer deadline on September 1st.

Leeds targeting move for further attacking options

In an effort to bolster the options in the forward line, Leeds have previously made a move for Inter Milan star Mehdi Taremi during the summer transfer window.

However, in the last few weeks, a move has gone quiet for the Iranian international, which has potentially seen the hierarchy move onto other targets as a result.

In recent days, the Whites have been conducting work to land Stuttgart talisman Ermedin Demirovic, according to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg.

His latest update claims that Farke’s side have made an approach to the Bundesliga outfit over a deal to land the 27-year-old, who scored 17 goals in all competitions last campaign.

Plettenberg also stated that Nottingham Forest are also in the race for the Bosnian’s signature, potentially leading to a £35m deal taking place before the summer deadline.

Why Leeds’ latest target would be a better signing than Okafor

Despite the efforts elsewhere, Leeds have already completed the £18m signing of Noah Okafor from Italian side AC Milan – handing needed depth to the side within the final third.

The Swiss international can operate in a central striker role, or even off the left-hand side, providing needed versatility in the club’s quest for top-flight survival.

Whilst he only registered one goal in the 2024/25 season, the 25-year-old has previously showcased his quality, notching 34 goals in his 110 appearances for RB Salzburg – but injuries have certainly halted his progress in recent seasons.

However, the deal has still brought about added excitement to the fanbase, understandably so given his experience in top divisions across Europe – plying his trade in Italy, Switzerland and Austria.

He’s not the only player the fans should be eager to see, with Demirovic also able to offer further quality, that’s if the hierarchy can complete a deal for the forward before the summer window slams shut.

Such a move would see the Whites land the big-money centre forward they’ve been craving, with the Bosnian able to massively transform the club’s fortunes in the final third.

When delving into his stats from the Bundesliga last campaign, the striker produced numerous impressive figures that rank him highly among other attackers in Europe.

Games played

34

Goals & assists

16

Goals per 90

0.73

Shots on target

1.3

Goals per shot on target

0.56

Aerials won

1.7

Touches in opposition box

6.1

Fouls won

1.3

Demirovic, who’s been labelled “incredible” by one analyst, ranked in the 90th percentile for goals per 90 (0.73) whilst also placing in the 86th percentile for goals per shot on target (0.56) – highlighting the clinical edge he possesses in front of goal.

He also won 1.7 aerials per 90 in the Bundesliga last campaign, offering a focal point and outlet for the Whites to play long ball football if they’re under pressure at the back.

The Stuttgart star also notched 6.1 touches in the opposition box per 90, ranking him in the 81st percentile – a skillset that would provide Farke’s side with a needed poacher in the final third.

Whilst his £35m asking price may seem a tad steep, it would hand the side an immediate top-level talisman in their attempts to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

Should he replicate his numbers from 2024/25 at Elland Road, he would undoubtedly be a more exciting addition than Okafor, with the supporters having the opportunity to adore a new talisman this season.

Their new Raphinha: Leeds could hijack late move to sign £32m "magician"

Leeds could pull off a last-minute hijack

1 ByJoe Nuttall Aug 22, 2025

India went to tea with strong hopes of drawing the Boxing Day Test, but Cummins and Co kept pegging away to seal a fantastic win at the MCG

Andrew McGlashan30-Dec-2024
Early in the final hour at the MCG, Australia won an epic Test that had been played in front of a record crowd to take a 2-1 lead in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, having snared seven wickets in the final session when it appeared India were on track to save the game. Yashasvi Jaiswal defied the home side for 208 deliveries before falling to the herculean Pat Cummins while hometown star Scott Boland made three key incisions to secure one of Australia’s most significant victories of recent history.Nathan Lyon claimed the final wicket, when he pinned Mohammed Siraj lbw, sparking wild celebrations for the home side: a margin of 184 runs did not do justice to the tension and drama of the final day and the importance of the result to this Australia team who have turned their fortunes around after the crushing opening defeat in Perth.Related

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Australia conjure up 'one of those great wins' to exorcise ghosts of the Gabba

All-time attendance record for a Test in Australia broken at the MCG

Jaiswal dismissed as third umpire sees 'conclusive evidence' to overturn not-out decision

After India had slid to 33 for 3, Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant added 88 in 32 overs to take India into the final session with seven wickets in hand, but Travis Head burgled the wicket of Pant and Australia seized their moment as India lost 7 for 34. The quick bowlers were immense, Mitchell Starc bowling in the mid-140kph region despite a back niggle, while Cummins and Boland added further chapters to previous MCG heroics. Cummins earned the Johnny Mullagh Medal as Player of the Match for an outstanding all-round Test in which he also contributed 90 runs alongside his six wickets.There was a dose of controversy, too, when Jaiswal’s rearguard was ended via the DRS after he gloved a pull down the leg side against Cummins. Snicko did not register anything, but third umpire Sharfuddoula ruled he had seen a clear a deflection, which matched what was shown on TV. Jaiswal appeared to know he had hit it but spoke with the umpires on the way off. It meant India’s lower order had 21 overs to survive and it proved too much.The defeat means India’s hopes of reaching the World Test Championship final are now out of their hands, but in terms of this series they can still retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with victory in Sydney. For Australia, a win in the final Test – and a 3-1 margin – would secure their spot in the WTC final alongside South Africa who qualified yesterday with their own gripping victory over Pakistan.The final day dawned with Australia nine down and they opted to continue batting which added just a further six runs but removed four overs from the day’s allocation. Lyon became the fifth wicket for Jasprit Bumrah, retaining his record of having the most Test runs without making a half-century. It all meant that India needed 340 in 92 overs and talk of the Gabba 2021 was never far away.Pat Cummins was awarded the Mullagh Medal after being named Player of the Match•Getty ImagesIndia were very cautious early on against some extremely testing new ball bowling; Rohit Sharma later said they set out wanting to lay a platform for a chase but it always looked a long shot. Australia were made to wait for their opening incisions before, as has so often been the case, it was Cummins who came to the fore. He had the struggling Rohit edging to gully, where Mitchell Marsh took a sharp catch, and five balls later squared up KL Rahul with a superb delivery which ended in the hands of first slip.In the final over before lunch, Starc was rewarded for battling through the pain barrier when he lured Virat Kohli into his latest drive outside off, the edge reaching Usman Khawaja. The wicket ended a controversial time in Melbourne for Kohli, and made it clear that there was no realistic chance of India chasing down the target.Jaiswal and Pant played very solidly through the afternoon to repel everything Australia threw at them. Jaiswal, who dropped three catches yesterday, including a vital chance off Marnus Labuschagne, survived a tight lbw appeal against Starc on 31 and brought up his second fifty of the match off 127 balls.Shortly after tea, India were 121 for 3. Head, who was used partly to improve Australia’s over rate which risked WTC points deductions, dropped a ball short outside off stump and Pant went for the pull, finding Marsh at long-on who took an excellent catch. It gave Australia an opening. And belief.Cummins quickly returned to Boland and he soon made a delivery jump at Ravindra Jadeja to take the shoulder of the bat through to Carey. In the next over from Lyon, India’s first-innings rescuer, Nitish Kumar Reddy, edged a delivery which went straight on and Steven Smith took a superb catch, low to his left at slip. Australia had taken 3 for 9 to crack the innings wide open.Steven Smith gets into position to take the catch that got Nitish Kumar Reddy•Getty ImagesJaiswal’s dismissal will likely be dissected in detail over the coming days and the DRS was called into action again to rule that Akash Deep had got a thin edge into his pad which went to short leg. By then, Australia were firm favourites, especially with a new ball soon to be available, but in the end that wasn’t even needed.Boland found Bumrah’s outside edge, with Smith taking another superb catch, and then Lyon cannoned one into Siraj’s front pad. Inevitably India reviewed but it was going nowhere but the stumps. When the decision was confirmed, Lyon did a jig of delight. Overall, the Test had been watched by 373,691 spectators, a new record for a Test match in Australia. It will go down as one of the more memorable.

While they haven’t gone quite as big as they have in windows prior, it’s been a good summer of business for Chelsea so far this year.

The Blues have made a massive amount of money selling players deemed no longer good enough and replaced them with a host of exciting talents like Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jorrel Hato.

However, it would probably be fair to say that some fans were left a little disappointed by the club not signing Xavi Simons last week, and instead opting for Alejandro Garnacho.

However, those supporters might soon forget all about the new Tottenham Hotspur star, as Chelsea appear to be closing in on someone who’d be a significant upgrade.

Chelsea target Simons upgrade

According to a recent report from Si Phillips, as relayed by Caught Offside, Chelsea remain incredibly keen to sign Fermin Lopez before the window shuts.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

More than that, though, Phillips has revealed that, in recent hours, the Blues have received encouragement from the player’s camp, which indicates he may well inform Barcelona that he wants to leave.

While that would undoubtedly help grease the wheels of any potential deal, the deal would still be a costly one, with other reports from today claiming that the Catalan giants would want a fee of up to €90m to sell, which is approximately £78m.

While that is an enormous sum of money, Lopez is an extraordinary talent and may well be worth it, especially as he’s an upgrade on Simons.

How Lopez compares to Simons

Simons and Lopez are both relatively young attacking talents who can play and thrive either on the wing or in attacking midfield, which makes comparing them a pretty straightforward affair.

If we start with their output, it quickly becomes very apparent that the young Spaniard is the more dangerous player.

In 46 appearances, totalling just 2039 minutes, the “creative” star, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored eight goals and provided ten assists.

That means he managed to average a goal involvement every 2.55 games, or every 113.27 minutes, which is undeniably impressive for someone his age.

On the other hand, the Flying Dutchman scored 11 goals and provided eight assists in 33 appearances, totalling 2763 minutes, for Leipzig.

Now, that does result in a better average of goal involvement every 1.73 games, but that was largely due to him making fewer appearances than the Barcelona star.

When you look at minutes played, his average shoots up to a far less impressive figure of a goal involvement every 145.42 minutes.

Things do not get much better for the Lilywhites’ new star when we examine their underlying numbers either.

Here, the “spectacular” Spaniard, as dubbed by former manager Xavi, comes out ahead in most relevant metrics such as expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, shots and shots on target, crosses into the penalty area, goal-creating actions, tackles won and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.71

0.47

Non-Penalty G+As

0.75

0.57

Progressive Passes

5.05

5.80

Progressive Passes Received

7.90

7.61

Progressive Carries

2.26

3.51

Shots

2.81

2.26

Shots on Target

1.14

0.92

Passing Accuracy

82.2%

78.1%

Key Passes

1.88

2.10

Passes into the Final Third

4.19

3.26

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.32

0.22

Goal-Creating Actions

0.54

0.51

Tackles Won

1.32

0.83

Blocks

1.02

0.87

Successful Take-Ons

1.72

1.45

Carries into the Penalty Area

0.97

0.80

In other words, the El Campillo-born maestro appears to be the more dangerous and creative outlet, while also being more willing and able to contribute to the defensive side of things.

Ultimately, Simons is certainly a talented player, but Lopez appears to be better in almost all metrics; therefore, Chelsea should do everything possible to sign him before the window closes.

Their own Gyokeres: Chelsea make late move to sign "aggressive" £69m star

Chelsea could snap up their very own Viktor Gyokeres with this late £69m swoop.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 1, 2025

Your ready reckoner for the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals, to be played in Pune, Nagpur, Kolkata and Rajkot from Saturday

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Feb-2025FixturesJammu & Kashmir vs Kerala in Pune, from 9.30am IST
Vidarbha vs Tamil Nadu in Nagpur, from 9.30am IST
Haryana vs Mumbai in Kolkata, from 9am IST
Saurashtra vs Gujarat in Rajkot, from 9.30am ISTJammu & Kashmir vs KeralaHow they got here: J&K topped Elite Group A with five wins in seven games, including one over Mumbai, the 42-time and defending champions. Kerala, meanwhile, finished second behind Haryana – by just a point, but a vastly superior net run-rate – in Elite Group C.Top performers
J&K
Shubham Khajuria – 663 runs in 12 innings at an average of 55.25 with a top score of 255
Auqib Nabi – 38 wickets in 13 innings at an average of 13.44 with a best of 6 for 54Kerala
Salman Nizar – 399 runs in eight innings at an average of 66.50 with a top score of 150
Jalaj Saxena – 33 wickets in 11 innings at an average of 14.81 with a best of 6 for 41Keep an eye on… The three J&K quicks, Auqib Nabi, Yudhvir Singh and Umar NazirRelated

J&K look at new frontiers, with a bit of luck and a lot of planning

How Saurashtra rewired their game to turn their season around

Vidarbha vs Tamil NaduHow they got here: Vidarbha was the standout team in the group stage, scoring 40 points – five clear of the next best, J&K – with six wins in seven games in Elite Group B. The one that got away was Gujarat, but that too could have gone their way with a bit more time. Tamil Nadu have the bonus points system to thank for their place in the knockouts. They won three of their seven games in Elite Group D, the same as group-toppers Saurashtra, but third-placed Chandigarh actually won four games. That said, Tamil Nadu lost just one game, while Chandigarh lost three.Top performers
Vidarbha
Yash Rathod – 603 runs in 12 innings at an average of 50.25 with a top score of 135
Akshay Wadkar – 556 runs in 12 innings at an average of 55.60 with a top score of 139
Harsh Dubey – 55 wickets in 14 innings at an average of 14.50 with a best of 6 for 36 (he is the top wicket-taker in the competition so far, 17 ahead of second-placed Nabi)Tamil Nadu
N Jagadeesan – 634 runs in 11 innings at an average of 63.40 with a top score of 118 not out
C Andre Siddarth – 532 runs in ten innings at an average of 76.00 with a top score of 106
Vijay Shankar – 449 runs in nine innings at an average of 64.14 with a top score of 150 not out
S Ajith Ram – 31 wickets in nine innings at an average of 17.12 with a best of 5 for 34Keep an eye on… The batters from either side – there’s a lot of firepower there – and Dubey, the 22-year-old left-arm spinner is clearly special. Not to forget Karun Nair, who has had a sensational List A season with Vidarbha and hasn’t been too shabby in the Ranji Trophy either.Haryana vs MumbaiHow they got here: Haryana did just about enough to top Elite Group C, with 29 points to second-placed Kerala’s 28, both teams winning three and drawing four. Mumbai, for a while, looked like they might not make the knockouts, but they had a party against Meghalaya in their final game, winning by an innings and 456 runs, to get past Baroda, who lost their last game to J&K.Top performers
Haryana
Himanshu Rana – 424 runs from 11 innings at an average of 42.40 with a top score of 114
Ankit Kumar – 427 runs from 12 innings at an average of 38.81 with a top score of 118
Anshul Kamboj – 29 wickets in ten innings at an average of 11.75 with a best of 10 for 49Mumbai
Siddhesh Lad – 518 runs from eight innings at an average of 86.33 with a top score of 169 not out
Ayush Mhatre – 413 runs from ten innings at an average of 41.30 with a top score of 176; Shardul Thakur – 381 runs from eight innings at an average of 47.62 with a top score of 119 and 24 wickets in 14 innings at an average of 23.95 with a best of 4 for 43
Shams Mulani – 34 wickets in 14 innings at an average of 23.00 with a best of 6 for 115Keep an eye on… Shardul Thakur – he could well be in the fray when India play Test cricket next, in England in JuneSaurashtra vs GujaratHow they got here: Saurashtra topped Elite Group D narrowly after the top three – Tamil Nadu and Chandigarh – were tied on points, while Gujarat finished a distant second to Vidarbha in Elite Group B after winning four and drawing three.Top performers
Saurashtra
Harvik Desai – 511 runs in ten innings at an average of 56.77 with a top score of 155
Chirag Jani – 486 runs in ten innings at an average of 54.00 with a top score of 198
Dharmendrasinh Jadeja – 35 wickets in 12 innings at an average of 20.40 with a best of 6 for 51Gujarat
Manan Hingrajia – 487 runs in 11 innings at an average of 44.27 with a top score of 181
Siddharth Desai – 33 wickets in 12 innings at an average of 23.06 with a best of 9. For 36Keep an eye on… If Cheteshwar Pujara is playing, it has to be him. But there’s a lot talent scattered across these two line-ups demanding attentionHow to followAll the four games are going to be streamed on JioCinema. You can get all the latest updates on ESPNcricinfo as usual, too. But if you are in Pune, Nagpur, Kolkata or Rajkot, why not hop across and watch it live, at least over the weekend?

Tyrique George saved Chelsea's blushes with a goal and an assist but goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen had a shocker in the absence of Robert Sanchez. The Blues came from a goal down to knock Lincoln City out of the Carabao Cup with a 2-1 third round win but the Club World Cup champions were given a real scare. There will be plenty to ponder for Enzo Maresca, especially after a wretched first half.

Chelsea appeared to have a hangover from their 2-1 loss to Manchester United at the weekend as Lincoln began in ferocious fashion. After Lewis Montsma's shot hit the post and the Blues survived a goalmouth scramble, the hosts deservedly took the lead in the 42nd minute when Rob Street pounced upon some shocking defending at the back.

The west London outfit looked down and out at the break, but George's piledriver from the edge of the box levelled the scores in the 48th minute, and then Facundo Buonanotte made it 2-1 after waltzing by some would-be defenders two minutes later. 

Maresca's team never looked secure with their lead, particularly as Jorgensen was having a shocker in the Chelsea goal. But in the end, they just about squeaked past the League One team on Tuesday night to progress to the next round. 

GOAL rates Chelsea's players from LNER Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Filip Jorgensen (3/10):

After Sanchez's clumsy red card at the weekend, this was a time for Chelsea's number two to stand up and be counted. But he looked very unconvincing in his own box and flapped at multiple crosses. Just not good enough and nearly took out his own team-mates.

Malo Gusto (4/10):

Seems to have gone backwards from last season. Doesn't seem secure in defence or attack.

Wesley Fofana (7/10):

The injury-prone defender looked like he had suffered a new blow early on but gamely carried on and did a decent job. 

Trevoh Chalobah (5/10):

Wasn't helped by Fernandez's cross-field pass for Lincoln's opener but he didn't react quick enough to the danger. Has gone off the boil of late.

Jorrel Hato (6/10):

The summer signing from Ajax didn't look comfortable in the first half but improved as the game wore on.

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Enzo Fernandez (4/10):

His oh-so-casual pass across the box led to Lincoln taking the lead. Seemed to get outmuscled in midfield and lost a few 50/50s. The captain didn't exactly lead by example.

Andrey Santos (5/10):

The Brazilian is a big step down from the combative Moises Caicedo in Chelsea's central midfield. Unlikely to become a starter anytime soon.

Facundo Buonanotte (6/10):

The game seemed to pass him by early on but the Brighton loanee somehow managed to grab a goal as he capitalised on some very soft defending.

Getty Images SportAttack

Jamie Gittens (5/10):

After dropping down the pecking order at the club, the ex-Borussia Dortmund winger needed to impress tonight. While he showed flashes of quality, he has to bring more in attack.

Tyrique George (7/10):

Took his goal in spectacular fashion to kickstart Chelsea's fightback and assisted Buonanotte soon after. The teenager nearly joined Fulham earlier this month but he is taking his chance now.

Alejandro Garnacho (5/10):

Was loudly booed every time he touched the ball, and it seemed his detractors got to him as he had little impact. The ex-United man was hooked before the hour mark.

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AFPSubs & Manager

Estevao Willian (5/10):

His tricks and flicks didn't have as much effect here as they have in the Premier League.

Shim Mheuka (5/10):

The 17-year-old didn't really get a chance to get on the ball and looked unsettled.

Marc Cucurella (7/10):

Instantly provided more quality and control when he came on.

Pedro Neto (7/10):

Troubled Lincoln's backline with his pace and directness. Chelsea's best winger on the night.

Reggie Walsh (N/A)

Came on with seconds to spare.

Enzo Maresca (6/10):

His team seemed shell-shocked early on as they barely weathered a Lincoln storm. He must have done a heck of a halftime team talk as his players looked unrecognisable after the break. Didn't match Lincoln's hunger for long periods and was fortunate to sneak through this one.

Sunderland were reportedly denied the opportunity to add to their huge amount of signings at the end of the summer transfer window.

Geertruida completes Sunderland overhaul

An unforgettable summer is now over for the Black Cats, with Regis Le Bris bringing in endless new signings, from Granit Xhaka to Lutsharel Geertruida. The latter proved to be Sunderland’s last addition of the window, coming in on a season-long loan from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, and he can’t wait to get started at the Stadium of Light.

“First of all, I want to thank God for this opportunity, and I also want to thank the Club for their trust in me. I’ve always wanted to play in the Premier League, and I’m so excited now that my opportunity is here.

“We are new to the league, so we need to fight, and I want to be a part of that. I’ve seen the recent games and think the group looks fresh and energetic. Now, I just want to be as important as possible for this Club. I’m ready, and I can’t wait to see the fans in the stadium.”

While Sunderland are now unable to sign players until January, barring free agents, a new update has now emerged regarding a potential late deal that almost happened.

Habib Diarra

Strasbourg

£27.1m

Brian Brobbey

Ajax

£21.6m

Simon Adingra

Brighton

£21m

Enzo Le Fee

Roma

£19.8m

Chemsdine Talbi

Club Brugge

£17.2m

Noah Sadiki

Union SG

£14.6m

Granit Xhaka

Bayer Leverkusen

£12.9m

Nordi Mukiele

Paris Saint-Germain

£10.3m

Omar Alderete

Getafe

£9.8m

Robin Roefs

NEC Nijmegen

£9m

Bertrand Traore

Ajax

£2.5m

Reinildo Mandava

Atletico Madrid

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Arthur Masuaku

Besiktas

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Sunderland denied chance to sign young prodigy

According to a fresh claim FiorentinaNews [via Sport Witness], Sunderland made “concrete moves” to sign Eddy Kouadio from Fiorentina before the transfer window slammed shut. The Serie A club prevented the move from going through, however, even pulling the plug on their move to sign Victor Lindelof from Manchester United to convince 19-year-old to stay put and be a key figure in Florence.

Not signing the 6 foot 3 Kouadio is a shame for Sunderland, considering the defender is a player with the potential to have a bright long-term future in the game.

The teenager has been capped by Italy at both Under-19 and Under-18 level, and while only one appearance in Serie A highlights that he is still raw, he could have grown into a key man at the Stadium of Light.

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Sunderland once had this superb star on loan, who is now worth way more than new recruit Brian Brobbey.

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Still, this has been a wonderful summer for Sunderland, with the new faces coming in giving them as good a chance as possible of remaining in the Premier League this season.

Having prioritised Test cricket last year, the batter hopes to get better and more consistent in T20 as Sunrisers eye another SA20 title

Firdose Moonda05-Feb-20252:34

Bedingham: ‘I don’t think I’ve found the sweet spot yet’

David Bedingham, intentionally or not, became the traditionalists’ hero last summer when he revealed he decided not to put his name in the SA20 draft so he could play Test cricket, specifically on South Africa’s tour to New Zealand. The SA20 was finishing as those Tests were starting and all South Africa’s first-choice players were contractually bound to stay behind for a T20 tournament still finding its feet. As expected, an under-strength Test side lost but Bedingham, with a defiant second innings century in the second Test, confirmed his reputation as a red-ball specialist.Fast-forward a few months, with schedule clashes out of the way and his spot in the Test side fairly secure, and Bedingham did enter the draft. He was picked up by defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape, for what has been one of the biggest tests of his career. “I’m still trying to learn my trade in T20. I don’t think I’ve found the sweet spot yet,” he told ESPNcricinfo from Johannesburg, where Sunrisers will play the Eliminator against Joburg Super Kings on Wednesday. “Hopefully, the more I play, the better I’ll get and the more consistent I’ll get.”Perhaps, his role will become more defined. Bedingham started the campaign batting at No. 7 for Sunrisers and was promoted to opening in their third game, It took another match before he started to show glimpses of what he is capable of with a 20-ball 39 against Durban’s Super Giants. He has since also recorded two scores in the 40s which suggests he is most comfortable at the top. Indeed, of the 80 T20s Bedingham has played, he has batted in the top three in 53 of them.Related

Batters find life tougher in the SA20, but is it all the pitches?

Almost half of his matches (38) have been for Durham, where he averages 21.47 and has a strike rate of 141.19. Those numbers probably best explain the struggles he has had between trying to make an impact and searching for consistency in the shortest format. “For me, it’s just trying to find the balance of attack and defence,” he said. “In this tournament, I’ve probably found it harder to attack, so that’s why I’ve probably leaned more to [have] a defensive mindset and then in previous tournaments, let’s say in the Blast or the CSA T20, I’ve probably attacked too much.”And that approach has earned him 200 runs from ten league games which put him second on Sunrisers’ run-getter’s list, behind Aiden Markram. That tells as much of a story about how much they have struggled as it does about who they have relied on in a campaign that started with three defeats and has since been revived despite the challenges.Playing for Sunrisers has been one of the biggest tests of David Bedingham’s career•SA20″I’ve found it quite tough. But I also feel that the bowlers that we played against have been quite good as well, so it’s probably a combination of both,” he said. “But speaking to the guys that played the first two seasons, they’ve definitely said that the wickets have played a bit tougher. I’ve spoken to Russ(ell Domingo, Sunrisers’ batting coach) and he said that in India, and England, those types of countries are probably a lot easier to bat in the first six overs, whereas in South Africa, you probably have to be a bit more circumspect. So especially in this tournament where the wickets have played quite tough, I think those first six overs have been crucial. And I think a lot of the teams, including us, have probably struggled in those first six overs.”All told, this edition of the SA20 has seen the lowest run-rate of the league phase with an average powerplay score of 45.6. Sunrisers have averaged 38.1 in their powerplay. Their opening pair has the lowest average of 15.60, and the second least number of runs, but they’re still working on their batting blueprint, particularly Bedingham.”I’ve basically tried to just play one-day cricket in those first three or four overs,” Bedingham said. “Obviously, if we have wickets in hand, then you can maybe push the tempo a bit but I’ve either been out in the first couple overs or we’ve three or four wickets in the first three overs, so it’s been quite tough to kick on and try and hit quick runs. But in saying that we’re in the Eliminator, so hopefully we can start off well and win that game.”Sunrisers are the only team to have won the SA20, and they’ve done it twice under the same coach Adi Birrell and captain Markram and seemed to have mastered the recipe for success. Now, it’s just about whether all the ingredients can come together to do it again.

Manager Javier Mascherano lamented Inter Miami’s missed opportunity to climb in the Eastern Conference standings after a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC on Saturday night, just 72 hours after facing NYCFC. While his side still hold games in hand, the dropped points complicated their pursuit of the Supporters’ Shield amid a congested schedule.

Getty Images SportInter Miami let chance slip away

Mascherano credited a strong performance from USMNT goalkeeper Sean Johnson as part of the reason why Miami dropped points Saturday. 

“I think we deserved to win – we had the clearest chances," the Argentine coach said. "We had 15 minutes of confusion in the second half, but the match was under control. I believe their goalkeeper was the man of the match.” 

AdvertisementChicago is next

The Herons now face a tight turnaround, hosting Chicago Fire Tuesday at Chase Stadium. 

“We have to keep going. We have four matches left and we’ll try to win them all to finish as high as possible," Mascherano said. "We’re focused on ending the regular season near the top. Maybe we missed an opportunity today, but we want home-field advantage in the playoffs. We’ll keep fighting for the Supporters’ Shield – we have that obligation."

Getty Images Sport'Not even 72 hours had passed'

The coach acknowledged the heavy workload his team has faced in recent weeks, especially after competing in the Club World Cup.

“It was always going to be a tricky game. Not even 72 hours had passed since the match in New York. It’s a huge physical toll, and we faced a team that hadn’t lost in its last five games,” he said.

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Getty Images SportSupporters’ Shield chances at risk

Inter Miami had controlled their own destiny in the Supporters’ Shield race. Following the draw with Toronto, the Herons will need help from other results – even if they win their remaining four games – to claim the trophy.