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Raphinha's brace sent Barcelona seven points clear at the top of La Liga with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Osasuna. Hansi Flick's team were toothless in front of goal for long periods but the former Leeds United star came up trumps just when his team needed him in the second half. The result widened the gap to rivals Real Madrid, with Xabi Alonso under increasing pressure to keep his job.

Barcelona made a bright start to the game, with Ferran Torres twice going close, while Marcus Rashford had a penalty appeal turned down. At the other end, Ante Budimir worked Barca goalkeeper Joan Garcia and the pacey Victor Munoz caused the home defence a number of problems. It looked like the hosts had taken the lead in the 24th minute when Ferran Torres headed in Rashford's pinpoint cross, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside in the build-up from the corner. 

Torres was a whisker away from breaking the deadlock with an overhead kick, while Munoz shot just wide on the counter-attack. Rashford brought out a good save from keeper Sergio Herrera from a free-kick, and then some desperate defence denied the 28-year-old soon after. Just when it looked like the away side would frustrate the league leaders, captain Raphinha produced something out of nothing when his 20-yard shot whipped into the corner in the 70th minute. 

Jorge Herrando tucked the ball in the net five minutes from time but the goal was ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Joan Garcia, and shortly after, Raphinha volleyed in from three yards to well and truly end Osasuna's stubborn resistance. The Blaugrana are now seven points clear but Madrid could cut that to four if they beat Alaves on Sunday night.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Camp Nou…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Joan Garcia (7/10):

Had to be alert to the dangers of Budimir and particularly Munoz and did a decent job in goal.

Jules Kounde (6/10):

Wasn't able to get forward in an attacking sense as much as usual as Osasuna's swift offence were a handful.

Pau Cubarsi (5/10):

The young centre-back didn't have a great night. He was sloppy at the back and found it difficult to keep a lid on Osasuna's attack.

Gerard Martin (6/10):

Struggled to handle the rapid Munoz but also showed good pace when getting back to clear the danger. 

Alejandro Balde (6/10):

Had some good races with Munoz, and sometimes came off second-best, but largely had a competent evening. 

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Eric Garcia (5/10):

Didn't add a great deal to Barcelona's midfield at a time when they needed more creativity to break down a stubborn away team. 

Pedri (7/10):

The Spaniard worked his socks off and kept chugging away when trying to unlock the away defence. He got an assist and is such a force for Barca.

Raphinha (8/10):

The Brazilian wasn't at his best on the whole but he took his first goal in brilliant fashion. Then was in the right place at the right time for his second.

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Lamine Yamal (7/10):

While the teenager was a threat, Osasuna's Abel Bretones did a decent job against the Spanish winger. Still showed off some lovely bits of skill, mind. 

Ferran Torres (6/10):

Was unlucky to have an excellent header ruled out but other than that, should have scored a couple. 

Marcus Rashford (7/10):

Continues to earn his place in Barcelona's starting XI, with his trickery and crossing ability a real bonus. After a lively first half he wasn't quite as good in the second, though.

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Fermin Lopez (7/10):

The attacking midfielder looked sharp off the bench.

Frenkie de Jong (6/10):

Was about to come on to turn the tide in Barca's favour but Raphinha did that so his impact wasn't really needed or felt.

Marc Casado (N/A):

Too little time to make an impact.

Andreas Christensen (N/A):

Came on with minutes to spare.

Roony Bardghji (N/A):

Barely touched the ball when brought on.

Hansi Flick (7/10):

His team created a hatful of chances and had the lion's share of possession but they weren't clinical in front of goal for the majority of the contest. Will be thankful he has Raphinha back fit again as he resisted going to his bench for a long time.

Inter’s perfect Champions League run came to a sudden halt as Atletico Madrid secured a dramatic 93rd-minute winner through Jose Maria Gimenez. Still bruised from their derby loss to AC Milan, Inter faded late and paid the price, with Cristian Chivu admitting fatigue, failed substitutions and a game plan that “didn’t work” in a night that exposed deeper problems for the Nerazzurri.

Atletico strike late to end Inter’s flawless run

Inter entered the Metropolitano still carrying the emotional and physical weight of their 1-0 derby defeat to Milan and it showed. Despite arriving with four wins from four in Europe and a near-flawless defensive record, the Serie A side lacked sharpness in key moments, allowing Atletico to grow into a game that became increasingly frantic.

The visitors did begin brightly. Federico Dimarco’s early free-kick forced Juan Musso into a save, while another driven shot skidded narrowly wide. The Nerazzurri controlled the rhythm during the first 20 minutes, yet Atleti stayed patient. The breakthrough came when Alex Baena’s accidental contact redirected the ball into the path of Julian Alvarez, who fired home his 10th Champions League goal in just 14 appearances. Inter responded well after half-time. Nicolo Barella hit the crossbar from close range, Dimarco was again denied by Musso, and the pressure eventually told when Ange-Yoan Bonny released Piotr Zielinski, who finished calmly to level the match. At that point, Inter looked the more likely winners.

But Los Rojiblancos's substitutes, especially Antoine Griezmann and Marc Pubill, swung the momentum back. Inter’s back line began to retreat deeper, counters became harder to contain, and set-piece defending grew increasingly unstable. That vulnerability proved decisive in the 93rd minute, when Gimenez rose above the pack to nod in the winning goal, handing Chivu's side their second consecutive defeat in all competitions.

AdvertisementAFPChivu admits failures in plan and substitutions

Chivu didn’t hide behind excuses and acknowledged that Inter were far from the level required in key phases. Before discussing tactical flaws, he highlighted the team’s improved intensity after the break but stressed that it wasn’t enough to manage the final moments.

“In the second half, we responded and were effective in attacking the depth,” Chivu said after the match. “We had a game plan, and it didn't work. We reacted with anger and quality, in my opinion, but we weren't able to defend the result until the end. This defeat can hurt; it's the second in a row. We haven't gained anything, but we're aware of everything. We need to be more aggressive and understand the moments of the game.”

He then pointed to the impact, or lack thereof from his bench, making it clear that the substitutions did not replicate Atletico’s energy. “We tried to plug the gap between the quality Atletico had. In the second half, new players came on, but despite that, we tried to get more. The new arrivals could have done a little more with the ball, added something more. We'll analyse everything. The derby sapped our energy. I can't fault them for anything.”

Issues grow for Inter as big-game struggles continue

The defeat fits a worrying pattern. the Nerazzurri's losses this season have almost all come against top-level opponents: Milan, Napoli and Juventus earlier in the campaign, and now Atletico. Each time, the team have created chances but failed to manage decisive moments. Chivu’s side have also shown repeated vulnerability to counter-attacks, with transitions from defence to midfield breaking down too easily.

This match only reinforced those concerns. Simeone's punished Inter’s hesitation in wide areas, exploited space during late transitions and dominated the final 15 minutes. Meanwhile, Inter’s substitutes, normally a key strength, failed to provide the push needed. The contrast with Atletico’s bench, who immediately raised tempo and aggression, was stark.

Despite the loss, Inter remain in a tightly packed group, level on 12 points with Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Atletico’s win takes them to nine points, keeping their hopes alive but still requiring a flawless finish. For Inter, the standings remain favourable but performance trends are becoming harder to ignore.

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Getty ImagesChivu must reset quickly as fixtures pile up

The Serie A giants now face a crucial stretch that will test their resilience. Their next league assignment sees them travel to Pisa on Sunday, where the priority will be stopping the losing streak before it spreads beyond Europe. Chivu needs fresh legs, sharper structure and immediate improvement in transition defence if Inter are to avoid slipping further.

Atletico, meanwhile, take significant momentum into their La Liga clash against Real Oviedo on November 29. Gimenez’s late winner has reignited belief that a knockout-stage push is still possible, even if the pathway remains narrow.

After day one of Pakistan’s home template went according to plan, the second day made sure it faithfully followed the same script. South Africa bravely resisted Pakistan’s spinners for exactly 50 overs, but that was all they could take. South Africa then lost 4 for 26 in 62 balls as Noman Ali scythed through South Africa’s middle order, upending a game that appeared to be heading towards a one-innings shootout.After a productive morning for Senuran Muthusamy, who took a six-wicket haul, saw Pakistan dismissed for 378, South Africa had done their best not to allow Pakistan’s spinners to blow them away early doors. Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickelton saw off the new ball, building a stable opening partnership that inched towards fifty by the 12th over. But Noman, and spin in general, was always a threat. Markram ensured an umpiring decision was overturned when Rod Tucker deemed him to have nicked off to Rizwan, but two balls later, Noman served up another flighted delivery that spun away, and on that occasion it took Markram’s outside edge with it.On Sunday, Simon Harmer spoke of the importance of not losing wickets in clusters, and with Rickelton, Mulder hung around to add 35 for the second wicket. But an expansive smear towards midwicket was uncalled for and with Noman finding turn away from the right-hander, the ball kissed the outside edge into Rizwan’s grateful hands.The incoming Tony de Zorzi’s innings could be split into two phases, one of extreme good fortunue following by superb temperament. Hasan Ali toyed with his outside edge the first over, though two of those deflections found their way through a gap in the slips to the boundary and set him on his way. From the other end, he nearly chipped one straight to Noman, and as tea neared, he looked especially vulnerable.Rickelton, though, showed a mix of patience and clinical efficiency. He found a way to be solid, if not comfortable, against the spin when they landed their lengths, while still squeezing out runs with regularity. Rickelton, whose last innings against Pakistan yielded 259 in Cape Town, has now seen 47% of his career Test runs come in his last two innings vs Pakistan. The tea break came and went as South Africa began to establish a position resembling parity, a gorgeous straight six and four off Noman after a quiet passage indicating Rickelton’s growing comfort.But with an hour of play left, South Africa remained vulnerable. A year ago in Multan, England had raced away to 211 for 2, only to be picked apart by Sajid Khan to finish the day at 226 for 6. In the 51st over, Salman Agha drew Rickelton’s outside edge, with Babar at first slip getting low to complete a stunning one-handed reflex catch to break the stand six short of 100.Pakistan then went on the prowl. Noman took Tristan Stubbs’ outside edge in near-identical circumstances to Markram’s dismissal earlier before a rattled Dewald Brevis chipped his first ball straight to short midwicket to give Sajid Khan his first wicket. South Africa were in damage control mode, but Noman found a way to inflict another hammer blow when Kyle Verreyenne tried to sweep a straight delivery, only to be caught dead in front.Senuran Muthusamy bagged career-best figures of 6 for 117•Associated Press

South Africa’s saving grace was de Zorzi had now moved from his tentative phase to one of extreme command. He had seen the disintegration from the other end without allowing himself to be discomfited by it, keeping the runs ticking along while reassuring Muthusamy, who looked deft enough to see off the dying overs. Off the penultimate ball of the day, de Zorzi saw one that was dragged short and whipped it through midwicket, still focused on putting the poor balls away.In the morning, Muthusamy had sliced through Pakistan’s lower order in the second half of the first session to wrap up the hosts’ innings for 378. The left-arm spinner took three wickets in an over, on his way to a career-best figures of 6 for 117, as Pakistan lost their last five wickets for 16 runs. But much of the job Pakistan were tasked with completing overnight was taken care of by Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Ali Agha, whose partnership stretched to 163 before the wickets began to fall. South Africa were left to face an awkward four overs before lunch, but they did so without harm.After being cautious, Agha got things running with a sweep for four behind square, before lifting Harmer over the sightscreen. With limited apparent danger from the spin, Pakistan looked set to march to and beyond 400, a mark both sides had appeared to consider as borderline impregnable on a surface that would deteriorate fast. By now, Harmer had been lifted by Agha for another six and Muthuswamy for four more as he motored towards three figures.But the wickets came all of a sudden. Extra turn and bounce kissed the shoulder of Rizwan’s bat as the wicketkeeper took a catch to finally break the sixth-wicket stand. The incoming Noman was cleaned up after Muthusamy bowled a delivery Noman himself would have been proud of, giving it air before it whistled past the outside edge and into off stump. For the second time in the innings, he would go two in two after Sajid was coaxed into a defensive prod that took the edge and towards Markram at slip.Agha and Shaheen Afridi dug in for the next half hour before the latter’s bellicose nature got the better of him. He danced down the track and hacked at the ball, only to see Muthusawmy make a mess of his stumps behind him. It left Agha in danger of being stranded a few runs from his century, and he tried to rush to the milestone, taking on Prenelan Subrayen. He smeared across the line to allow Muthusamy take a comfortable catch on the boundary, leaving him seven runs short, just as Imam-ul-Haq had been yesterday.The final 15 overs of the day, though, will reassure Pakistan they do not want for runs on this continually deteriorating surface.

Neither side able to force a result on final day of season at Emirates Old Trafford

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay18-Sep-2025Middlesex 211 (De Caires 52, Geddes 52, Aspinwall 4-62, Bailey 4-68) and 99 for 4 (Bailey 3-47) drew with Lancashire 375 for 5 dec (Bohannon 87, Hurst 67, Wells 62, Jennings 61)Josh Bohannon made a superb 87 and both Seb Morgan and Arav Shetty took their maiden first-class wickets on an eventful last day of the first-class season at Emirates Old Trafford but the Rothesay County Championship match between Lancashire and Middlesex ended in a draw.Replying to Middlesex’s 211, Lancashire’s batters went on the attack in the first half of the day, scoring 270 runs in 44 overs before declaring on 375 for 5 an hour after lunch. However, their imaginative attempt to conjure a victory was thwarted, not without the odd alarm, by Middlesex’s top-order and the game ended with the visitors on 99 for 4.The result ensures that Glamorgan will finish second in Division Two, although whether that means they will be promoted to Division One or one of the proposed conferences has yet to be decided.The morning had begun on a positive note for Middlesex when Luke Wells was lbw to Toby Roland-Jones for 62 in the third over of the day. But the session was dominated by the batting of Bohannon whose 69-ball 87 included 14 fours and two sixes, the latter off Henry Brookes and Zafar Gohar. Lancashire’s No. 3 scored 74 of the first hundred runs in his 113-run stand with Jennings and looked set for a very quick hundred before he was bowled by Roland-Jones when hitting across the line.Jennings had been completely overshadowed by his batting partner but he was dismissed for 61 two balls after Bohannon when he played all around a ball from Morgan and lost his leg stump. That gave 18-year-old Morgan his maiden first-class wicket on the ground where his 61 runs had been instrumental in Middlesex’s memorable one-wicket Metro Bank Cup victory back in August.Lancashire came into lunch on 239 for 3, giving them a lead of 28, but they lost George Bell in the third over of the afternoon session when he was leg before wicket to Higgins for 17. By then, though, Matty Hurst had hit the first of his four sixes, two of the maximums coming off Gohar, and Lancashire’s rapid progress was not slowed by the dismissal of Michael Jones, caught at deep point off Morgan, for 33. When the declaration was made, Hurst was 67 not out off 68 balls and Lancashire had scored 270 runs off 44 overs in the day’s play.Lancashire’s hopes of achieving an unlikely victory were given an immediate fillip when Josh De Caires was leg before wicket to Tom Bailey in the ninth over of the innings. That gave Bailey his 500th wicket in all formats for Lancashire and Middlesex came into tea on 26 for 1.On the resumption, Sam Robson and Luke Hollman coped reasonably easily with Lancashire’s seam attack but after the light had worsened and stand-in captain Bohannon was compelled to bowl his slow bowlers if the game was to continue, Robson fell to Bailey’s first offspinner when he was caught at short leg by Bell for 21. Shetty then took his maiden first-class wicket on debut when he bowled Leus du Plooy for 5 and Middlesex’s anxieties were increased three overs into the last hour when Bailey bowled Luke Hollman for 33.To their evident relief, though, the visitors lost no more wickets and were 99 for 4 with Higgins on 14 not out and Ben Geddes unbeaten on 1 when the players shook hands. Bailey finished with 3 for 47 from 17.5 overs.

A Kylian Mbappe-less France secured a comeback, 3-1 win over a plucky Azerbaijan to end their World Cup qualifying campaign on a high. Didier Deschamps made 11 changes from the team that thumped Ukraine 4-0 in midweek, and early on they appeared to miss their biggest stars.

On a night that was supposed to be a procession for the Group D winners, Azerbaijan had other ideas and took the lead in the fourth minute when Renat Dadashov swept in Rahman Dasdamirov's pass across the six-yard box following some slack marking. For 16 minutes, it was bedlam in Baku, but Crystal Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta powered in a close-range header from Malo Gusto's cross to level proceedings.

It looked like the Chelsea full-back had then put France ahead when his deflected shot nestled in the corner, only for the goal to be chalked off as the ball struck Christopher Nkunku's arm on the way in. It was 2-1 on the half-hour mark, though, when Maghnes Akliouche scored his first goal for his country as he tucked in Gusto's neat cutback following a lovely floated pass from Khephren Thuram.

Juventus midfielder Thuram thought he had opened his own goal-scoring account for France, only for his effort to be ruled out after Hugo Ekitike handled in the box. But the visitors got the breathing room they were seeking just before half-time when goalkeeper Sahruddin Mahammadaliyev, who was later taken off after being dazed from a collision, pushed the ball into his own net from Thuram's strike on goal.

If the first half was a rollercoaster ride, the second was anything but. Azerbaijan, ranked 123rd in the world, began to tire around the hour mark, and had it not been for substitute keeper Aydin Bayramov, it could have been more one-sided.

GOAL rates France's players from Tofiq Bakhramov Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Lucas Chevalier (6/10):

On his long-awaited debut, after 16 call-ups, his first action was to pick the ball out of the net following a well-worked goal from the hosts. Didn't have much to do otherwise, in truth.

Malo Gusto (8/10):

The Chelsea man was caught out by a lovely through ball and moments later France were 1-0 down. However, he made up for it with two assists and was a huge attacking threat. Was unlucky to have a goal of his own wiped out.

Ibrahima Konate (7/10):

Despite not having a particularly good season for Liverpool, the big defender looked calm and assured at the back.

Lucas Hernandez (7/10):

Very little seemed to fluster the defender, who linked up well with his younger brother. 

Theo Hernandez (7/10):

While he wasn't as adventurous or as effective in attack as fellow full-back Gusto, he still fired in some good crosses and was more defensively sound.

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Khéphren Thuram (8/10):

Was unlucky not to score any goals but got into some good positions to give himself a chance to do so. His pace and power were self-evident, and some of his passing was delightful, too.

Warren Zaire-Emery (7/10):

His quick feet and athleticism got his team out of a hole on a couple of occasions, but he didn't have the licence to roam.

Christopher Nkunku (6/10):

The former Chelsea man had a stop-start performance, sometimes showing off some real quality but he also made some bad decisions and got tackled frequently.

AFPAttack

Maghnes Akliouche (7/10):

The youngster had an encouraging outing, he beat defenders with regularity, and he got his goal as well. A good night for him.

Jean-Philippe Mateta (8/10):

Took his goal with aplomb, held the ball up well, brought others into play and had a very good all-round display. He could be heading to the World Cup at this rate.

Hugo Ekitike (5/10):

The Liverpool forward has been excellent so far for his new team but he seemed all at sea at times. Seems to be better when leading the line.

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AFPSubs & Manager

Rayan Cherki (5/10):

The Manchester City summer signing struggled to make an impact.

Florian Thauvin (6/10):

Tracked back well but didn't do a huge amount.

Bradley Barcola (6/10):

The Paris Saint-Germain attacker was repelled well by the Azerbaijan defence.

Didier Deschamps (7/10):

Fielded an experimental side without some of his heavy hitters, and while he would have been concerned with how they started the game, they slowly turned the screw before asserting their dominance. Some players shined, others did not. 

When you think of Newcastle United, you don’t first think of a full-flowing youth system.

While Alan Shearer began his youth in his home city, he did not play for Newcastle and signed an academy deal with Southampton before the Magpies could swoop. On the south coast, he was schooled and developed into the superstar the Toon would one day welcome home.

Newcastle have since sharpened their academy ranks, with the PIF investing in young talent to underlay Eddie Howe’s first-team squad. It is by supporting the seniors with promising up-and-comers that the chances of sustained success are raised, forging a closer bond with the city besides.

But Newcastle are still putting their emphasis on bringing over impactful additions to help Howe achieve his goals. However, one of these recent arrivals, Anthony Elanga, has struggled to get going so far, and a continuation of his woes could see a young prospect rise up and take his place.

Elanga's start to life at Newcastle

Let’s scale it back a bit. It’s transfer deadline day, August 2024. Newcastle need a right winger, need one badly.

And Elanga has been profiled as the man for the job, with Newcastle persistent after an initial £35m offer was rejected by Evangelos Marinakis. A second £50m bid arrives, proving the scale of Newcastle’s ambition, but Marinakis doesn’t want to play ball, and Tyneside do not welcome their man.

One year on, Elanga has signed for Newcastle in a £55m deal, and this tells us of a clear strategy for a player who has been scouted and analysed. He fits Howe’s vision and racked up 31 goal contributions across two Premier League terms with the Tricky Trees.

But he’s struggled thus far in the north east, having gone 12 matches in all competitions this term without a single direct goal involvement. Limited in attacking quality, Howe, and Elanga himself, will expect much more over the coming months.

The jury remains out, of course, but there’s a lot to be excited about, with Elanga’s fleet-footed pace and creative flair singled out by pundit Jamie Carragher as being perfect for Woltemade, who has suffered no such slowness in his start to life at SJP.

However, if Newcastle’s speedy signing fails to improve, he may fall quickly down the pecking order, with Jacob Murphy racking up an assist in midweek.

But it’s not just the 30-year-old stalwart who could threaten Elanga’s berth, with a Lamine Yamal-esque youngster looking to make headway on Tyneside after arriving from overseas this summer.

The Newcastle teen who's 'like Yamal"

Newcastle have a wave of youth talent incoming on Tyneside as has not been seen in many years. The likes of Elliot Anderson (sadly sold to Nottingham Forest) and Lewis Miley are among the brightest rising stars.

But that’s not all. An impetus has been placed on signing formative players and developing them. Seung-soo Park is a fine representation of this, having been dubbed ‘the Korean Lamine Yamal’ by one Asian football writer, who understands the teenager has been given his own locker at St. James’ Park, which tells much of Howe’s belief in the youngster’s potential.

Aged 18, Park joined the Magpies from K League 2 side Suwon Bluewings this summer, fee undisclosed. He had featured 18 times for the Suwon first team, scoring once and providing three assists.

Instantly among the senior fold, journalist Liam Kennedy marvelled at the “surprise package”, with the high regard he was held in clear from the off.

Like Elanga, Park is endowed with speed and power, and he’s versatile enough to play across the frontline. Across two matches in the EFL Trophy this term, he has shown much promise, combative in the challenge while being creative and enterprising on the ball.

Minutes played

62′

90′

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

1

Touches

26

49

Shots (on target)

0 (0)

2 (1)

Accurate passes

16/18 (89%)

23/28 (82%)

Chances created

1

3

Dribbles

2/3

3/3

Recoveries

2

3

Tackles won

0/0

0/1

Ground duels

3/4

5/7

Those ball-carrying statistics tell a tale. Park has the trappings of an elite dribbler, and in this, he could rival Elanga in the years to come at St. James’ Park.

The comparisons to Yamal are not without substance, and if the talent can develop his prolific edge in front of goal, he could topple Elanga and maybe even rival the likes of Anthony Gordon and Nick Woltemade for the talismanic crown among Howe’s star men.

After all, the evidence thus far shows a player whose creativity and flair on the ball is cut from a similar cloth to those at the highest step of the Newcastle pyramid. To put that another way, it’s only a matter of time.

Hailed as a “real find” by Toon correspondent Charlier Bennett, Park is billed for big things, all right, with the reporter going on to whether the versatile forward “should remain with the first team this season?”

He has now made eight appearances for the U21s, and while Park continues to search for his first goal in black and white, like Elanga, he is adapting to a wholly new environment and could find himself fast-tracked with a bit more match action.

The five-cap South Korean U20 international, with one goal to his name, is one of the most exciting young talents to emerge from Asia in recent years, and though he faces stiff competition for a place on the Newcastle flanks, he has a big fan in Howe, and boasts the ability to leapfrog Elanga down the line, should the Swedish winger fail to kick on at the senior level.

Newcastle's new "superstar" is going to end Joelinton's Toon career

Joelinton has struggled to find his best form for Newcastle this season.

1 ByMatt Dawson Oct 22, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Sampaio Corrêa encerrou um jejum de 11 jogos sem vencer na Série B do Brasileiro. A Bolívia Querida venceu a Chapecoense no último sábado por 2 a 0, no estádio Castelão, em São Luís, em jogo da 28ª rodada da competição. O meia Neto Paraíba, autor de um dos gols, comemorou o resultado e revelou que a fase já incomodava o grupo.

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– Sensação única essa vitória. A gente estava precisando demais. Acabamos com esse jejum que já nos incomodava. Nunca deixamos de trabalhar, de se entregar por essa camisa, mas os três pontos não estavam vindo. Ganhar diante da nossa torcida é ainda mais especial. Vamos buscar o quanto antes sair da situação que nos encontramos – comentou Neto Paraíba.

Além de superar a Chapecoense, o camisa 21 também teve um motivo extra para vibrar ao balançar as redes. Neto Paraíba vai ser pai outra vez e aproveitou para homenagear a esposa na comemoração. Ele já tem um filho chamado Miguel José, de sete anos.

+ Já pensou em ser um gestor de futebol? Participe da nossa Masterclass com Felipe Ximenes e descubra oportunidades

– Estava já buscando o gol há algum tempo. Graças a Deus saiu com uma vitória. É uma sensação única homenagear mais um filho ou filha que está chegando também. Vou ser pai outra vez e esse momento está sendo bem especial para a minha família – finalizou o meia, que chegou ao segundo gol na Série B do Brasileiro.

Tim Southee will link up with his former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum in time for England’s first Test of the summer, against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge next week, after being confirmed on a short-term deal as James Anderson’s replacement in their coaching staff across formats.Southee, 36, retired from Test cricket at the conclusion of England’s 2-1 series win in New Zealand in December, after a 16-year career that included a national-record 776 wickets across international formats.In that period, he played alongside McCullum on 170 occasions, including 78 under his leadership – while also sharing the field at Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL and Middlesex in the T20 Blast. McCullum presented Southee with a bottle of red wine signed by the England team at the conclusion of Southee’s 107th and final Test in Hamilton.His official title in the England set-up will be “Specialist Skills Consultant”, but his appointment is in effect a like-for-like replacement for Anderson, who took his own vast international experience straight into the back-room staff after his own 21-year Test career came to an end at Lord’s last July.This summer, however, Anderson is proritising a season-long deal to play for Lancashire, for whom he could make a first appearance of the season later this month after recuperating from a calf injury.Southee’s England deal includes the one-off Zimbabwe Test, beginning May 22, as well as the white-ball series against West Indies and the five Tests against India that get underway in June and July. His stint will conclude after the Oval Test on August 4, at which point he is due to resume his playing career with Birmingham Phoenix in the Men’s Hundred.In a press release, the ECB welcomed his involvement, saying: “With his vast experience of playing in a wide range of conditions around the world and across all formats, [Southee] brings valuable insight and knowledge to the players.”

يدرس أحد لاعبي فريق برشلونة الإسباني، الرحيل خلال سوق الانتقالات الشتوي في شهر يناير المقبل، تمهيدًا لضمان المشاركة مع منتخب بلاده في بطولة كأس العالم 2026.

وخاض برشلونة 9 مباريات في الدوري الإسباني هذا الموسم، ويحتل الوصافة خلف المتصدر ريال مدريد بفارق نقطتين.

ويخوض برشلونة مباراة الكلاسيكو غدًا الأحد أمام ريال مدريد على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” ضمن مباريات الجولة العاشرة للدوري الإسباني.

وذكرت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية، أن مستقبل حارس المرمى مارك تير شتيجن مع نادي برشلونة لا يزال موضع نقاش كبير.

ولم يعد من المستبعد رحيل تير شتيجن عن برشلونة في انتقالات يناير، خاصة مع تراجع دوره، في ظل وجود خوان جارسيا كحارس أساسي، وتشيزني كخيار ثانٍ، إلى جانب استمرار تعافيه من جراحة الظهر التي خضع لها.

اقرأ أيضًا | رافينها يدفع ثمن خطأ برشلونة قبل الكلاسيكو أمام ريال مدريد

ويوضح التقرير أن هناك اهتمامًا من جانب أندية الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وقد عُرض تير شتيجن على عدد من الأندية الإنجليزية، بما في ذلك تشيلسي ومانشستر يونايتد وتوتنهام ووست هام.

وبالنظر إلى راتب تير شتيجن المرتفع، وعودته من الإصابة، تُعتبر الإعارة الحل الأمثل لمغادرة برشلونة، مع احتمالية إدراج خيار الشراء في العقد.

وفي الوقت الحالي، يرى تير شتيجن أن الحل الأمثل هو الرحيل في يناير لضمان المشاركة من أجل التواجد مع منتخب ألمانيا في مونديال 2026.

Defending champions yet to name their captain with season starting on March 22

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-20251:24

Venkatesh: There’s no ambiguity if captaincy comes my way

India and Madhya Pradesh allrounder Venkatesh Iyer is “definitely ready” to captain Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in case the job is offered to him. The defending champions, who will play the first match of IPL 2025 on March 22 at Eden Gardens against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), are yet to appoint their new captain after releasing Shreyas Iyer, who has assumed the leadership position at Punjab Kings (PBKS).KKR have not yet made public who their new captain will be, but Iyer, who was bought back for a record sum of INR 23.75 crore (US$ 2.83 million approx.), is learned to be among the top contenders along with former India captain Ajinkya Rahane.Although Iyer, who is 30, has never led in competitive cricket, he is eager for the experience. “Definitely. Definitely, I’m ready,” he said in a chat with ESPNcricinfo recently. “Again, I’ve always said this: captaincy is just a tag. I believe in leadership. That is a bigger role to play, being a leader.Related

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“You don’t necessarily need the tag of a captain to be a leader in your dressing room. You need to set examples. You need to be a good role model, both on and off the field, which I am doing right now in MP. I’m not the captain of the MP team, but my opinions are respected and I really love to be in an atmosphere where every individual – again, new or experienced, 20 lakhs, 20 crore, whatever – you just need to have the freedom to voice your opinion. Or you just need to have the freedom to give opinions and give suggestions and them to be taken in the right spirit.”I’ve always wanted to be that person. And if captaincy comes my way, I would definitely want to do it. There’s no ambiguity surrounded to this. I’ll definitely do it, if it comes my way. There is no reason not to do it.”Iyer made his IPL debut in 2021 and was instrumental in turning around KKR’s fortunes that season. They began with four losses in six games, but recovered in dramatic fashion, putting up seven wins in nine games to make the final. Iyer’s installation at the top of the order played a part in the upswing but his role has since diversified. He shifted to No. 3 (and lower) last year and has also chipped in with the ball when needed. In total, Iyer has contributed 1326 runs in 51 matches for KKR with a strike rate of 137. It is the only franchise he has ever played for.One potential reason KKR haven’t announced the captain for IPL 2025 could be the busy Indian domestic schedule. At the time of the mega auction, which was held late November, Iyer was among several KKR players featuring in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy where Madhya Pradesh lost in the final to Mumbai. The second leg of the Ranji Trophy followed, with the final on February 26.Iyer said he was happy KKR did not want to bother the players while the domestic season was on. “It’s good that they’re giving players their space and letting them focus on domestic cricket. Whenever it comes, we’ll see about it.”