A fighting 79 from Campbell Kellaway in the face of two excellent four-wicket hauls by Jordan Buckingham and Henry Thornton kept Victoria’s Sheffield Shield final hopes alive against ladder leaders South Australia on a difficult day for batting at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.Kellaway’s innings was crucial as Victoria were bowled out for 285 on a green surface having been sent into bat. Scott Boland then removed both South Australia openers in an examining evening spell to leave the visitors under pressure on 40 for 2 at stumps on the opening day.Kellaway, who scored a maiden first-class century before the BBL, got excellent support from Blake Macdonald who was playing his first Shield match for Victoria having moved from New South Wales without a contract last winter. Macdonald had earned his place through twin Second XI centuries against Western Australia and continued that form with a steady 45.Their 122-run stand could prove vital in the context of the game and the season. Following a short rain delay to start the day, Victoria were hit by the early loss of Marcus Harris who edged a delivery from Buckingham that pitched well outside leg stump to third slip in the second over.Scott Boland was soon in the wickets•Getty Images

Kellaway and Macdonald then settled in under overcast skies and calmly guided Victoria to lunch. They went about it in different ways. Kellaway struck nine boundaries in his 79 while Macdonald cleared the rope twice off Thornton and Ben Manenti but only struck two other boundaries in his 45.Thornton got his revenge slightly fortuitously to break the partnership with the score at 126 for 1 when Macdonald gloved a hip-high short ball down the leg side trying to pull behind square.Buckingham made a decisive blow shortly after, castling Kellaway with a cracking yorker that sneaked under the bat and hit the base of off stump. That sparked a collapse as Victoria lost 3 for 0 in the space of nine balls. Harry Dixon was adjudged lbw to Buckingham for a second-ball duck, although replays suggested it may have both pitched and struck the pad outside the line of leg stump.Thornton picked up Peter Handscomb in the following over pushing away from his body to guide a catch to Nathan McSweeney in the gully.However, Victoria’s lower order salvaged the innings. Sam Harper blasted seven boundaries in a 33-ball 44 before he fell edging Buckingham to first slip in the first over after tea. Xavier Crone made 34 not out while Sam Elliott and Fergus O’Neill provided valuable contributions of 23 and 22 respectively before Thornton returned to clean up the tail.Boland then went to work in the final hour, nipping the ball both ways to cause South Australia’s top order no end of trouble. He breached the defence on Conor McInerney in the opening over, nipping one through the gate from around the wicket. He then found the outside edge of Henry Hunt who was neatly caught at second slip by Handscomb to leave the visitors 8 for 2.Boland also had close lbw shouts against both McSweeney and Jason Sangha turned down. But the pair fought through the new ball to remain unbeaten at stumps. Sangha was positive, striking three boundaries in his unbeaten 19, while McSweeney ground out 9 off 53 balls but will reset on the second morning.

Two weeks ahead of the Champions Trophy, both teams have an air of vulnerability

Karthik Krishnaswamy05-Feb-20250:52

What will India’s playing XI for the first ODI be?

Big picture: An air of vulnerability in both campsThere are two Indias.There’s the India of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, an India that is, for the moment, scarred and uncertain.There’s also, at the same time, another India, an India of an assuredly post-Rohit, post-Kohli era, an India that has flown to dizzying heights over recent months.There are two Indias, but there are three formats. So where exactly do they stand, as the awkward middle format gets this rare chance in the spotlight? India in ODIs are still the India of Rohit and Kohli, but what does that mean for India, Rohit, and Kohli? There are several questions hanging over India ahead of these three ODIs against England and the Champions Trophy that will follow, but this one, for now, seems the most urgent.Related

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Varun added to India's ODI squad for series against England

India last played ODIs in August, when they lost 2-0 to Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. It seemed like an anomalous result then, but events that followed it have cast it in a different light. As India return to the 50-over format, then, they find themselves in an odd position. They are still more or less the same team that looked like one of the greatest of all time during their run to the World Cup final in 2023. But even if the players are largely the same, they no longer play together day in and day out, so are they still the same team? And so many of them carry wounds from other battles, bringing to this group a distinct air of vulnerability.But airs of vulnerability – and invincibility – come and go depending on results. India – the other India, admittedly – are fresh off a 4-1 T20I series win, and should count themselves as heavy favourites against an England side that’s coming off that T20I result, and is still trying to find its feet in ODIs after a poor 2023 World Cup.And England, too, are fighting the awkwardness of this middle format. This is still the England of Jos Buttler and Joe Root, but neither played a single ODI in 2024.So here we are, then. The India of Rohit and Kohli versus the England of Buttler and Root, both unsure of where exactly they stand in ODIs, with a major ODI tournament starting in two weeks’ time.Form guideIndia LLTWL (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
England LWLLWJoe Root has been out of England’s ODI side since their league-stage exit from the 2023 World Cup•Michael Steele/Getty Images

In the spotlight: Hardik Pandya and Joe RootRohit and Kohli may be under more scrutiny at the moment, but arguably, no player is as important to India’s Champions Trophy hopes as Hardik Pandya is. Until his premature departure from the 2023 World Cup with an ankle injury, Hardik’s presence allowed India to have six bowling options, and gave them the luxury of playing a third frontline seamer or spinner depending on conditions. Hardik hasn’t played an ODI since that tournament, and as the next big one looms, India will hope his body can take a genuine allrounder’s workload once again.He has been out of England’s ODI side since their league-stage exit from the 2023 World Cup, but Joe Root is back, and will bat at No. 3. “He’s one of the great players of the game, in all the formats,” England’s captain Buttler said of Root in his pre-match press conference. “I’m excited to see him in this sort of phase of his career where I look at what he’s done in the Test stuff, where he’s not had the captaincy. He’s sort of back with that cheeky smile on his face, and really enjoying his cricket. I expect him to do exactly the same in this environment.” Apart from the smile, Root will also be expected to bring backbone to a line-up that has sometimes struggled to find the right tempo for 50-over cricket, as England have lost eight or more wickets in seven of their 11 ODIs since the World Cup.KL Rahul or Rishabh Pant? India have a choice to make against England•Getty Images

Team news: England rest Mark WoodIndia are expected to line up with their first-choice top six from the 2023 World Cup, with only the wicketkeeper’s slot under debate. Rishabh Pant could potentially come in ahead of KL Rahul thanks to his left-handedness. Meanwhile, Nagpur, with its large outfield and tendency for slow turners, is likely a three-spinner venue, which leaves India to choose two out of their three spin-bowling allrounders to partner Kuldeep Yadav, who returns for the first time since his hernia surgery.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul/Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 and 8 two of Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Mohammed ShamiEngland have named their XI for the series-opener, with Mark Wood rested and Saqib Mahmood partnering Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse in the pace attack. With only four frontline bowlers, part-time spinners Liam Livingstone, Root and Jacob Bethell are expected to shoulder a considerable bowling workload.England: 1 Ben Duckett, 2 Phil Salt (wk), 3 Joe Root, 4 Harry Brook, 5 Jos Buttler (capt), 6 Liam Livingstone, 7 Jacob Bethell, 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Saqib MahmoodPitch and conditionsA clear, sunny day is expected in Nagpur with daytime temperatures in the low 30s. The pitch at the VCA Stadium over recent years has tended to offer a good amount of help to spinners, who also appreciate the long boundaries at this ground. The last three ODIs in Nagpur were all India-Australia contests won by the hosts: a memorable chase of 351 in 2013 powered by one of Kohli’s great hundreds, followed by significantly lower-scoring matches in 2017 and 2019.Stats and trivia: Virat Kohli on cusp of 14,000 Both India (2-3) and England (4-7) have negative win-loss records in ODIs since the end of the 2023 World Cup. Kohli is 94 runs away from the 14,000-mark in ODIs. Only Sachin Tendulkar (18,426) and Kumar Sangakkara (14,234) have more runs in the format. Mohammed Shami is five wickets away from becoming the eighth India bowler to take 200 in ODIs. Since the last time they played together, which was at the 2023 World Cup, Buttler has played 23 games for England (three ODIs and 20 T20Is) and Root 17 (all Tests).Quotes”World Cup was one and a half years back, so clearly we need to regroup as a group now and think about what we need to do here […] It’s just about coming together now – because it’s been a while since we’ve played this format – it’s just about coming together and trying to [carry on from] where we left [off] during the World Cup. If it takes a little bit of time, so be it. It’s not easy to start what we did in the World Cup.”
“I look back on [the 2023] World Cup, and the two teams in the final were playing a really positive and aggressive brand of cricket. You think of the way Travis Head took that final on with the bat, you see it can be successful. This can be a great part of the world to play that fashion of cricket. Obviously Rohit [Sharma] takes a lot of credit for the way he’s come out and played himself as a captain and pushed India more towards that style of cricket. So, absolutely, we want to do exactly the same. We believe that’s the way that’ll give us the best chance of getting positive results.”

MatériaMais Notícias

A noite do Santos foi trágica pela derrota contra o Corinthians no clássico e pela reação da sua torcida. Com esse cenário em vista, o goleiro João Paulo não escondeu a frustração por não conseguir o resultado e lamentou todo episódio gerado após o clube embalar o 9º jogo seguido sem vencer.

– Tivemos reunião com a torcida, tivemos cobrança, nós sabíamos que tínhamos que fazer diferente. Nós tínhamos que buscar a vitória, resultados, derrotas, empates, vitórias, dentro do futebol é normal, acontece, mas o que pesa é a sequência que a gente vem tendo. A gente sabe da força que a gente tem dentro da Vila Belmiro e a gente está perdendo aos poucos essa força e isso vai complicando a nossa caminhada. Só pedir desculpa ao torcedor, infelizmente hoje é uma mancha na história do Santos – disse o capitão do Peixe.

+ Lista de jogadores mais valiosos do mundo tem novo líder: veja o top 25

O clube da Vila Belmiro não consegue uma vitória desde o triunfo diante do Vasco no dia 14 de maio. A sequência negativa incômoda também foi exposta pelo goleiro do Santos.

– É até difícil falar o que se passa na cabeça, passa tudo. Passa um filme, passa uma história. Primeiramente vou pedir desculpa ao torcedor, infelizmente hoje foi uma vergonha, não digo nem pelo resultado em si, pela forma que foi, pela sequência negativa que a gente vinha – concluiu João Paulo.

Para tentar a reconciliação com as vitórias, o Peixe volta para os gramados no próximo domingo para encarar o Flamengo, pela 12ª rodada do Brasileirão, às 18h30.

أثنى نبيل معلول المدير الفني لـ فريق القادسية الكويتي، على أداء ومستوى اللاعب المصري محمود كهربا منذ انضمامه إلى صفوف النادي خلال الانتقالات الصيفية الماضية.

وقال نبيل معلول في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة الأهلي: “اخترنا لاعبين أجانب منهم محمود كهربا، أحب أسلوب المهاجم الذي يكون محطة ويصنع أهدافا كثيرة، كنت أتابع كهربا منذ فترة طويلة سواء عندما كان في مصر بالأهلي أو عندما احترف في الخارج”.

وأكمل: “كهربا من اليوم له في القاسية تأقلم بشكل سريع ودخل في أجواء الفريق، وهو منضبط جدًا في التدريبات ويأتي مبكرًا ويرحل آخر لاعب”.

وواصل: “أنا شخصيًا تفاجأت بانضباطه وروحه الجديدة المتواجدة منذ بداية الموسم، هو يكتشف نفسه ولديه اصرار منذ بداية التحضير للموسم لكي يعود لمستواه كما هو في الأهلي وهو لاعب كبير”.

طالع.. فيديو | بهدف وأسيست.. كهربا يشارك في فوز القادسية على الفحيحيل بخماسية بـ الدوري الكويتي

وتابع: “عندما كان محمد علي بن رمضان متواجدا في الترجي التونسي نصحته بالانتقال للأهلي قبل ما يحترف في أوروبا، الأهلي أفضل من فرق عديدة في أوروبا”.

وزاد: “تدريب الأهلي ليس صعبا، يكون سهلا إذا كانت لديك خبرة وعزيمة كبيرة وقدرة أنك تتحمل على الضغط، طالما اخترت تدرب فريق الأهلي فكل مباراة كأنها نهائي كأس، أنت كمدرب للأهلي يجب أن تفوز بكل المباريات”.

وأردف: “الإدارة برئاسة محمود الخطيب تعمل في أشياء كبيرة جدًا وتتعاقد مع صفقات قوية جدًا”.

وأشار: “كانت هناك مفاوضات من القادسية للتعاقد مع أحمد عبد القادر وكان قاب قوسين أو أدنى لضمه وكانت توجد مفاوضات متقدمة، وأنا شخصيًا تحدثت معه، لكن هو كان يريد الاستمرار في الأهلي ولديه طموح المشاركة مع الأحمر”.

وأتم: “الأهلي يعطيك مكاسب أخرى كروية ويجعلك تلعب في الصدارة وعلى البطولات، ودائمًا متواجد في كأس العالم للأندية وجميع الأنظار كلها في العالم العربي نحو الأهلي مثل ما حدث مع علي معلول، بن رمضان ما زال أمامه الوقت ومسيرة كروية كبيرة”.

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor revealed an outrageous question she has been forced to answer that other clubs would "never ask" a man. Despite steering the Blues to a historic domestic treble last season, the Frenchwoman says people still question whether she can balance being a mother of four with leading one of the biggest clubs in women's football.

• Survey paints grim picture for women in football

  A damning new Women in Football report has exposed the scale of discrimination across the sport. The findings, released on Wednesday, showed that 78% of women working in football have faced discrimination, while nearly two-thirds admitted to experiencing sexist ‘banter’ or degrading jokes in the workplace. Perhaps even more alarming, 56% of those who reported gender-based discrimination said no action was ever taken.

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• Bombastor hit out at sexist double standards

  For Bompastor, none of it comes as a shock. "Guess what was almost the first question everyone is asking me when I want to become a head coach or a manager?" the 45-year-old said. "So I'm going to tell you – 'do you think it's possible to be a mum of four kids and being a manager for a high club?' I think if you have a man in front of the same people, they will never ask that question."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Chelsea have been different

  Bompastor was quick to stress that Chelsea themselves have not been guilty of such attitudes. "It wasn't the case in Chelsea," she added with a laugh.

  Still, the fact she continues to be asked whether she can juggle motherhood and management highlights how far football has to go. "We still have room for improvement in that area, and I'm glad the people are honest and they are brave enough to raise that," she said.

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• Arsenal boss agrees that fight is far from over

  Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers also weighed in, agreeing that football has taken steps forward but warning against complacency.

  "There is still a lot of work that needs to be done," Slegers said. "I think we need to stay critical, although there's been a lot of progress in that sense. It's not always in the big things; it can be in the small things as well. It's good to be aware of it."

Other Premier League sides did more business, but Chelsea still had a busy end to the summer transfer window.

The club finally got their hands on Alejandro Garnacho, opted against signing Fermin Lopez, and made a surprise move to bring in Facundo Buonanotte on a season-long loan – without an option or obligation to buy.

Additionally, the Blues decided to cancel Marc Guiu’s loan to Sunderland following the recent injury to Liam Delap.

However, that’s a decision they might not have needed to make, as they’ve already got an incredibly talented youngster who could’ve filled in.

Chelsea's striker situation

There is plenty of optimism around Chelsea and what they could achieve this season, and rightly so, but things are currently far from ideal in the striker department.

In the win over Fulham on Saturday, Liam Delap started up top, and while he looked lively in the opening exchanges, he had to come off in just the 14th minute with a hamstring injury, which will keep him out of the action for eight to ten weeks.

The sudden setback for the Englishman caused the club to momentarily stop Nicolas Jackson’s loan move to Bayern Munich, only for the Senegalese striker to make it quite clear he wanted to go.

Now, Maresca does still have a fit Joao Pedro to call on, but until Cole Palmer is fit enough to come back into the side, the Brazilian is likely to continue as the team’s ten or second striker.

So, with there being minimal options on the market, the West Londoners decided that the best route to take was to cancel Guiu’s loan to Sunderland.

After all, the young Spaniard did score six goals in 16 appearances for the side last season, and had already bagged one in three games for the Black Cats.

However, while that might serve Maresca in the short term, it could limit the 19-year-old’s long-term development, and it might not have even been necessary, as there is a youngster in the academy who deserves a chance to fill in.

The Chelsea youngster who should be in the squad

Few, if any, top academies can match Cobham for the sheer number of quality players it produces, and it looks like the next success of the production line could be Shumaira Mheuka.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

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It’s almost certain that fans outside of Chelsea have little to no idea who the 17-year-old gem is, but fans of the club would have seen him make several first-team appearances last season.

Maresca trusted the Birmingham-born gem to come off the bench four times in the Conference League and even once in the Premier League, at home to Southampton.

He might not have got onto the scoresheet in any of those cameos, but do not get it twisted, the youngster looks to be a lean, mean goalscoring machine.

For example, in 53 appearances for the West Londoners’ youth sides, the young ace, whom one analyst has dubbed one of the “brightest young strikers in England,” has scored 26 goals and provided six assists.

That comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.65 games, which is a more than encouraging rate of return.

It’s also better than Guiu managed in his youth team days, as in 25 games for Barcelona’s junior sides, he scored eight goals and provided four assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.08 games.

Mheuka vs Guiu at Youth Level

Players

Mheuka

Guiu

Appearances

53

25

Goals

26

8

Assists

6

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.60

0.56

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Now, it would be absurd to expect the youngster to come into the side and make loads of appearances, but he could certainly fulfil the role as a backup and someone who plays in the less important games.

After all, how is he going to take the next step unless he is exposed to more senior football, and with respected talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbing him “the future of Chelsea and English football,” Maresca might want to get him in the squad as soon as possible, in case another team comes along and offers him just that.

Ultimately, while it would have been something of a risk, the Blues should have let Guiu remain out on loan for his own development, and used Mheuka as the backup option – he deserves a shot.

Related Jamie Carragher has named the Chelsea summer signing he's "not a fan" of

The Sky Sports pundit is already skeptical about one of Enzo Maresca’s new additions.

Posts ByDominic Lund Sep 2, 2025

SRH handed an IPL debut to Sri Lankan spin allrounder Kamindu Mendis

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-2025Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bowl against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens.In an early indication that spin could be a factor tonight, KKR made one change: Moeen Ali replaced Spencer Johnson. Moeen took 2 for 23 on a spinning surface in Guwahati in his only IPL 2025 appearance. For SRH, Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis made his IPL debut, replacing Wiaan Mulder in the bowl-first XI while Travis Head was on the Impact Player bench.Cummins said SRH were outplayed by KKR in last season’s final and he wanted to change that. He also said the team spoke “a bit” about their batting issues in their previous two games but feels they are at their best when aggressive. He said the boys are not worried too much about it.Ajinkya Rahane said he was “really happy” with the pitch, and wanted to bowl first too. He said he hoped it would suit his spinners and will need to assess conditions quickly.SRH’s decision to bowl was interesting, since they have been a team who like to post a big total and then attempt to defend it.Both KKR and SRH have only one win from their first three games, with both those wins coming against Rajasthan Royals.KKR bat-first XI: 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Venkatesh Iyer, 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 4 Rinku Singh, 5 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Sunil Narine, 8 Andre Russell, 9 Ramandeep Singh, 10 Harshit Rana, 11 Varun ChakravarthySRH bowl-first XI: 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Ishan Kishan, 3 Nitish Reddy, 4 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 5 Aniket Verma, 6 Kamindu Mendis, 7 Simarjeet Singh, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Zeeshan Ansari

Tottenham Hotspur has been the home to numerous top-level talents over recent years, with the hierarchy nailing the club’s recruitment strategy.

Big money has undoubtedly been splashed to improve their squad as of late, but many of their additions have been worthwhile and have improved the options already in North London.

Eyebrows were raised when Brennan Johnson joined the Lilywhites, with the board forking out £47.5m to secure his services from fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest.

His early days were tricky to say the least, leading to abuse from sections of the fanbase, but he’s endured a magnificent rise that saw him end last season as the club’s top-scorer, even netting the winner in the Europa League final.

At just 24, he has bags of time to build on his impressive start to life in North London, potentially following in the footsteps of one of his compatriots at the club.

Gareth Bale’s time at Tottenham Hotspur

Winger Gareth Bale will go down as one of Spurs’ best-ever players after his impact during his time in the first team, starring for the Lilywhites on two separate occasions.

The Welsh international originally featured at left-back, before his hat-trick against Inter Milan in the Champions League catapulted him into a forward role – one that would change his career trajectory massively.

He registered 71 goals during his two stints in North London, with 26 of his efforts coming in the 2012/13 season, leading to his eventual £85m move to European giants Real Madrid.

However, he returned in the 2020/21 campaign on loan from the LaLiga side, scoring 16 times in his 34 appearances – being one of three players to register double figures that campaign.

The Welshman became renowned for his ability to cut inside onto his stronger left foot, often creating a moment of magic that allowed supporters to get off their seats.

Current boss Thomas Frank must wish he had a player of his quality currently at his disposal, potentially having just that had former chairman Daniel Levy kept hold of one talent.

The former Spurs player who could’ve been Frank’s own Bale

As previously mentioned, Spurs have shifted their attention to recruiting younger talents in recent months – a strategy that allows the club to have players to make an immediate and long-term impact in North London.

Ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, the Lilywhites first-team squad currently has an average age of 25.1 – the fourth youngest in the division – with Frank able to develop the players into the side he desires.

Their starting eleven against Bournemouth last weekend contained just one player over the age of 29, which hugely highlights the current recruitment operation in North London.

Such a focus has been evident in the past, when the hierarchy decided to fork out £25m for the signature of 18-year-old Ryan Sessegnon from Fulham back in 2019.

Despite his tender age, he racked up over 100 appearances for the Cottagers, scoring 25 times, leading to his big-money move to North London – similar to that of Bale from Southampton in 2007.

Both possessed a similar style of play, subsequently able to operate in any position down the left-hand side or even able to feature in any attacking position on the opposite flank.

Such a move generated huge excitement within the fanbase, but it’s safe to say that the move was slightly unsuccessful, with injuries massively plaguing his time at the club.

Games played

16

Goals & assists

6

Pass accuracy

82%

Chances created

1.9

Cross success

31%

Successful dribbles

1.3

Tackles won

2.1

Duels won

7.3

Sessegnon, who was labelled an “incredible” talent by Jacek Kulig, only made 57 appearances over a five-year spell at the Lilywhites, with numerous hamstring issues preventing him from making an impact.

The 25-year-old racked up three goals during such a time period, but was let go at the end of his contract in 2024, rejoining former side Fulham on a free transfer last summer.

Whilst there’s no denying he didn’t possess the same talent as Bale, his playstyle was similar to that of the Lilywhites legend – but ultimately struggled to demonstrate that on a regular basis.

It’s a shame such a move failed to work out, but Frank missed out on the opportunity to try and work with the Englishman, with Sessegnon forever remaining a case of what could’ve been in North London.

Sold for £28m: Levy hit gold axing Spurs flop now worth less than Bissouma

Tottenham Hotspur made the right call by allowing one player to leave the club in recent years.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 5, 2025

Tom Bischof is emerging as Bayern Munich’s breakout star this season, blending youthful energy with relentless ambition. The German midfielder, who calls himself a “mentality monster,” has quickly adapted to the rigors of Allianz Arena, thriving under Vincent Kompany and embracing Bayern’s winning mentality as he aims to make an immediate impact on both the domestic and European stage.

Bayern’s dominant season and Bischof’s bright start

Bayern continues to dominate the Bundesliga, securing their sixth consecutive victory defeating Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 and maintaining a perfect start to the campaign. The squad’s mix of seasoned stars and rising talent has created a formidable force on the pitch. Among the newcomers making waves is 20-year-old Bischof, who joined Bayern this summer from Hoffenheim. Bischof has adapted seamlessly to the team’s high standards, fitting into Kompany’s dynamic system and contributing meaningfully to the club’s ongoing success.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport“I’m a mentality monster,” says Bischof

In an interview with Bayern’s Sabener51 magazine, Bischof shared insights into his decision to join the club and the mindset he brings to the squad. He carefully considered the move, listening to advice from Kompany, Max Eberl, and Christoph Freund, while also studying Bayern’s style of play.

"I spent a long time thinking about what the right step would be for me. I didn’t just decide because we’re Bayern fans in my family. I also listened carefully to Vincent Kompany, Max Eberl, and Christoph Freund about what they wanted and expected of me. I watched a lot of Bayern. All of that played a role," Bischof said.

He further added: "“I think the kind of football Bayern plays suits me perfectly. Playing around the box, the high pressing, all of that suits me very well. And besides, I’m a bit of a ‘mental monster. I’m super ambitious, I want to win titles, I want to win every game, absolutely. And that’s FC Bayern’s identity."

Bischof's journey from Hoffenheim to Bayern

Bischof’s rise has been swift. A product of Hoffenheim’s youth academy, he impressed in his breakthrough 2024-25 season, scoring six goals and providing three assists across 42 appearances. His Bundesliga debut for Bayern has already seen him feature in four matches and record one assist, quickly proving his ability to compete at the highest level. Internationally, he has represented Germany at various youth levels and earned his senior debut during the 2024-25 Nations League against France, signaling a promising future for both club and country.

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Getty Images SportBayern's form is the result of collective strength

Bayern's current form is a testament to a squad firing on all cylinders. Harry Kane leads the Bundesliga scoring charts with 11 goals, while Luis Diaz tops the assists table with four, highlighting the potency of Bayern’s attacking and creative play. After the international break, Bayern will test their strength against rivals Borussia Dortmund on October 18.

Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian has revealed the words of encouragement his Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca gave him before he scored the winning goal in the Blues' pulsating 2-1 win over Liverpool. The 18-year-old was introduced as a second-half substitute, ppping up at the perfect moment to cap off a sweeping team move that earned the Blues all three points.

• Maresca tells Willian: "Play your own game"

  In a post-game interview with , the young winger expressed his delight at being part of the victory, and how much he is enjoying plying his trade in west London. Despite limited English, the 18-year-old spoke with excitement and passion with a beaming smile that did not need any translating. 

  "Oh wow," he said. "I'm just so, so happy. 

  "I’m grateful to God, to my family, to all my team-mates, to the coaching staff and to everyone else at the club who has helped me with my football here.

  "It’s an amazing feeling to score my first Premier League goal and in such a big game, I’m just so happy."

  Estevao, who joined the club this summer from Palmeiras in a fee worth up to £55 million ($74m), revealed his manager gave him the freedom to go out and impact the game, despite his relative inexperience. 

  "I feel great right now and it’s so good that the manager has so much confidence in me," Estevao added.

  "When I went on, he told me to just play my own game and to try and make an impact. He told me to try and score or create a goal and thankfully I managed to do that.

  "I’m so happy for him and for all the belief that the manager, Enzo Maresca, has in me."

  Estevao is clearly enjoying his football at the moment, and is showing little sign of the added pressure of Premier League football and a move to a new country. 

  "Things at Chelsea have gone a lot better so far than I maybe imagined," he stated. "I feel so good in training every day and I enjoy every moment.

  "I have fantastic team-mates and coaching staff around me that help me each day, and it’s very helpful that I have my family with me and they’ve helped me really settle into life in England and the Premier League.

  "I couldn’t be happier!"

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  Maresca shows faith in Estevao

  Chelsea's manager did not make any comments after the game, as he was dismissed for two yellow card offences. The first came after he showed dissent against the match officials, with the second coming after he joined with the raucous celebrations following Estevao's late winner. 

  It is likely the Italian would have heaped praise on the young Brazilian. Earlier this week, the former Leicester City boss compared Estevao to Chelsea's injured talisman Cole Palmer, suggesting he has the quality to play both as a winger and more centrally. 

• Estevao impresses during early days at Chelsea

  The young Brazilian has been managed carefully by Maresca so far, starting just four games and playing in roughly 40% of his available minutes. Even with limited playing time, he had shown flashes of brilliance despite limited output. Before Saturday, he had notched one goal contribution, an assist in the Blues 5-1 drubbing of West Ham in August. 

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  Is Estevao ready for a bigger role?

  The jubilation of his lat-minute winner will quickly subside, but it seems the 18-year-old wants to taste more and more success at Stamford Bridge. After he upcoming international break, the youngster will almost certainly feature in Chelsea's away trip to Nottingham Forest and their next Champions League tie against Ajax. Given Palmer's injury issues, as well as layoffs for Facundo Buonnanote and Liam Delap, it would not be a surprise to see the 18-year-old given an expanded role going forward.