Allrounder’s batting cameo at the death helps take home side beyond Gloucestershire’s reach

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay18-Jul-2025Ben Green conjured up an incisive performance with bat and ball as Somerset beat arch rivals Gloucestershire by 16 runs in a hard-fought Vitality Blast encounter beneath the Cooper Associates Ground floodlights.So often an unsung hero in the short format, Green top-scored with 36 not out from 22 balls with three sixes and dominated a crucial unbeaten stand of 42 for the eighth wicket with Craig Overton as Somerset posted 164 for 7 on a turning pitch after winning the toss.He then returned figures of 1 for 27 from four overs as Gloucestershire, buoyed by another half-century from overseas star D’Arcy Short, were restricted to 148 for 8, much to the delight of a sellout Taunton crowd.Gloucestershire skipper Jack Taylor claimed 3 for 19 with his offbreaks and his brother, Matt, 2 for 11 as the visitors made Somerset graft on a used surface. In the final analysis, Green’s heroics at the death made the difference in an uncharacteristically low-scoring contest.Short finished unbeaten on 71 from 52 balls with five fours and three sixes for Gloucestershire, while Jake Ball took 2 for 20 in four overs as Somerset, who had already secured a home quarter-final, finished their qualification campaign with 11 wins in 14 outings.Accustomed to scoring freely in powerplays at Taunton, Somerset did not have things entirely their own way against the nagging accuracy of Gloucestershire’s seamers. Tom Lammonby and Will Smeed came out breathing fire, only to fall to left-armer Matt Taylor as the home side were reduced to 46 for 2 in the sixth. Lammonby mustered a six and a four in raising 15, only to drill a length ball straight to midwicket, while Smeed plundered 20 off a Josh Shaw over before losing off stump to a Taylor inswinger and departing for 29.Tom Smith claimed 1 for 29 on his final outing as a professional•Getty ImagesMaking his final appearance for Gloucestershire before retirement, spinner Tom Smith lured James Rew into a trap, having the young left-hander held on the long-on boundary for 19 with the score 79 for 3 in the ninth. Trusting in pace off on a used pitch, the visitors introduced Ollie Price’s offbreaks at the River End in a bid to stifle Somerset’s renowned firepower. He struck in his first over, Tom Kohler-Cadmore feathering a catch behind and falling for 21 as the cider county reached halfway on 91 for 4.Bowling legspin, Jack Taylor then got in on the act, taking a looping return catch to remove Somerset skipper Lewis Gregory for 6 as the home side lurched to 105 for 5 in the 13th. Having scratched 14 runs, Sean Dickson then succumbed to Gloucestershire’s captain in his next over from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion end, playing across the line and missing a straight one with the score 114 for 6. On a roll by now, Taylor struck again in the 17th, persuading Lewis Goldsworthy to hit high to long-on as Somerset were further reduced to 122 for 7.When Green hoisted Jack Taylor over midwicket for six in the penultimate over, it was Somerset’s first boundary for nine overs. He twice repeated the feat against David Payne at the death, 22 runs coming from the final over as Green and Craig Overton raised a valuable unbeaten eighth wicket alliance of 42 in 21 balls.Overton opened up with a maiden over, but Short and Miles Hammond both helped themselves to sixes in the second, bowled by Gregory, as Gloucestershire’s reply received a welcome shot in the arm. Hammond then put Overton over the rope at deep midwicket, only to perish in the fourth over, bowled for 16 by a slower delivery from Ball. Debutant Tommy Boorman got off the mark with a pulled six at the expense of Overton, who immediately avenged himself, having the youngster superbly held by Gregory at cover as the visitors slipped to 36 for 2.Spinner Goldsworthy was called into the attack to bowl the eighth and Short lifted him for six over long-on as the over yielded 11 runs. Jack Leach did rather better when replacing him at the River End, persuading Ben Charlesworth to hole out to midwicket for 16, while Jack Taylor was run out next ball without scoring as Gloucestershire subsided to 66 for 4 at halfway.With the required rate rising to 11 for the first time, Gloucestershire were in need of a big over. It came in the 14th, Price taking Leach for a six and a four to keep his side in the hunt. But when Price offered Green a return catch in the next over, last season’s Blast champions were 102 for 5, requiring a further 63 from 35 balls. Short went to his fifth half-century in six innings from 42 balls, but Gregory returned to remove James Bracey as Somerset took a vice-like grip on proceedings.

Northamptonshire 261 (Zaib 82, Higgins 4-51) and 64 for 3 trail Middlesex 625 for 8 dec by 300 runsRyan Higgins moved to the top of Middlesex’s wicket-taking chart for the season as his side closed in on a Rothesay County Championship victory over Northamptonshire at Merchant Taylors’ School.Higgins finished with 4 for 51, with Noah Cornwell taking 3 for 48 as the visitors were made to follow on 364 behind – and the medium-pacer then grabbed two quick top-order wickets second time around to further improve his season’s tally to 32.Northamptonshire stumbled to 64 for 3 at stumps and their plight would have been deeper but for rain stoppages and Saif Zaib’s first-innings 82, which made him the county’s first player to register 1000 first-class runs in a season since Ben Duckett in 2016.Zaib was almost the fastest to that landmark across the Championship circuit, but the 27-year-old narrowly missed out to Surrey’s Dom Sibley, who got there just 15 minutes earlier at Scarborough.Middlesex rotated their seam quartet when the visitors resumed on 126 for 4, but their spin options were limited after Zafar Gohar, tumbling to deal with George Bartlett’s cover drive, landed awkwardly on his shoulder and had to leave the field.Bartlett, having steered Tom Helm neatly through gully for four, repeated the stroke later in the over and picked out the fielder this time, but Zaib continued to progress steadily as he built a partnership with Rob Keogh.Keogh, who had injured a finger while fielding on day one, did well to withstand a couple of Helm deliveries that rose sharply down the slope and helped Zaib to add 55 before Cornwell had him caught down the leg side.The left-hander went on to pass 50 for the ninth time in this season’s Championship, ushering Northamptonshire’s total beyond 200 before rain arrived to send the players off for an early lunch.Dom Leech provided spirited support, finding the boundary four times in his knock of 22 while Zaib capitalised on successive short balls from Leus du Plooy, pulling the slow left-armer for six and four. Higgins broke the seventh-wicket stand of 64 with two dismissals in as many deliveries, with Leech caught top-edging a hook before Ben Sanderson was lbw without scoring to leave the visitors eight down.A more persistent spell of rain held up play for the next hour and a half – but it took just three balls for Cornwell to wrap up Northamptonshire’s first innings, knocking out Zaib’s off stump with one that seamed back before cleaning up Yuzvendra Chahal with a yorker.After another weather-induced delay, Higgins reclaimed centre stage, winning what looked like a borderline lbw decision against Ricardo Vasconcelos and castling Aadi Sharma next ball to leave the visitors reeling at 10 for 2. James Sales began redressing the balance with a series of positive shots in his knock of 26, but he attempted one too many and lost his middle stump to Toby Roland-Jones.Stand-in skipper Lewis McManus remained defiant, punching Helm off the back foot to the fence to reach 21 not out before the light deteriorated sufficiently for the umpires to bring play to a close.

The government wanted the report to be confidential but the court said that there were no legal grounds for such confidentiality

Shashank Kishore15-Jul-2025

The Karnataka High Court has ordered the state government to publicly disclose its status report from the stampede incident on June 4 that marred Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL celebrations outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The tragedy led to the loss of 11 lives, with over 50 injured.The state government had requested the high court to keep the report confidential, but the court categorically stated on Monday, July 14, that there were no legal grounds for such confidentiality, and they were merely “facts as perceived” by the government.The court has also directed the government to furnish the report to other respondents in the case – RCB, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and DNA Entertainment Networks, the franchise’s event partners.Related

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The franchise, meanwhile, is awaiting the details of a thorough CID investigation. Members of RCB’s top brass as well as those from DNA have all submitted their testimonies over the past month. A set date for the judgment is yet to be made public.On July 1, the two-member bench of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), a quasi-judicial body that handles matters related to government and public servants, made a key observation regarding the crowd at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.The tribunal noted that RCB was responsible for drawing a crowd of approximately three to five lakh people outside the stadium to take part in the victory parade announced by the franchise on its social media channels, shortly after RCB won their first IPL title, on June 3.The CAT was tasked to investigate the matter after Vikash Kumar, Inspector General and Additional Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru (West), filed a complaint seeking redressal after being dismissed by chief minister Siddharamaiah in the aftermath of the stampede.Vikash and four other officials were dismissed for “substantial dereliction of duty” and not seeking “guidance” which led to the situation going “out of control.” The tribunal had said that RCB had “created nuisance” by going ahead with the IPL victory celebrations without seeking or getting necessary regulatory permissions. The remarks were part of the 29-page order that CAT issued.RCB, whose chief marketing officer Nikhil Sosale was arrested and then granted bail last month, is yet to issue any further statements since announcing an increased compensation to the family of the deceased, while also supporting those injured. They pledged to form a fund – RCB Cares – to help all the families affected by the tragedy. There has also been no update on their various social media channels since June 4, the day of the incident.

Celtic are on the lookout for a new manager this week after Brendan Rodgers officially resigned from his role with the Scottish Premiership champions on Monday night.

Martin O’Neill will take interim charge of the Hoops and will be in the dugout for their league clash with Falkirk at Parkhead on Wednesday night.

Football Insider have already reported that the club are planning to make contact with out-of-work former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou about a potential return to the club.

However, the Hoops are now reportedly looking at another potential replacement for Brendan Rodgers who could be their next version of Postecoglou.

Celtic eyeing move for Championship manager

Following Rodgers’ resignation on Monday night, the board will be compiling a list of possible managers before finalising a shortlist and deciding who they want as their next head coach.

Manager Focus

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According to The Scotsman, Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna is one of the people on the club’s list of potential targets to replace Rodgers in the coming days and weeks.

The report claims that the Hoops are considering a swoop to bring the Tractor Boys head coach to Parkhead, and that he is one of the early names under consideration at this moment in time.

It states that he has fans inside the boardroom at Celtic, hence the interest in his services, but it remains to be seen whether or not he would be interested in taking the job.

Why Kieran McKenna would be Celtic's next Ange Postecoglou

The Northern Irish coach, who typically deploys a 4-2-3-1 formation, would be Postecoglou 2.0 for Celtic because he is another excellent coach whose teams play beautiful football.

Gary Neville described Postecoglou’s style of play as “breathtaking” in the Premier League, whilst Hoops supporters saw how exciting it was to watch as their team won five trophies in two seasons with him in charge, per Transfermarkt.

McKenna has earned similar praise for the way that his Ipswich team has played in recent years. Former Barnsley boss Danny Wilson claimed that the Tractor Boys play “sublime football” under the ex-Manchester United coach.

The goal in the clip above provides a taste of the kind of football McKenna’s team can play, with brilliant combination play and movement off the ball to create chances whilst playing through the opposition.

25/26 Championship (11)

16

TBC

24/25 Premier League (38)

22

19th

23/24 Championship (46)

96

2nd

22/23 Championship (46)

98

2nd

21/22 League One(23)

41

11th

As you can see in the table above, the Celtic target took Ipswich from midtable in the Championship all the way to the Premier League, and they are now in the Championship again with an opportunity to get promoted back to the top-flight.

He has improved the Tractor Boys, clearly, during his time there and has been incredibly unlucky not to win two league titles, with 98 and 96 points somehow not being enough for a single title over two seasons.

In the view of his former skipper, Sam Morsy, McKenna’s “one of the best managers around”.

Like Postecoglou, he has a demonstrable style of play that could be exciting for Celtic supporters to watch week-in-week-out, and it is one that has proven to be successful, given the incredible points returns in his two promotion-winning seasons.

Of course, the concern may be that he has not won a league title or done anything of note in a top-flight, but that was also true of Rodgers, who had been sacked by Liverpool, when they first appointed him.

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Therefore, McKenna could be an interesting appointment for the Scottish giants and one that could get fans excited at Parkhead because of his lovely style of play, as Postecoglou did during his time at the club.

تحدث ياسر إبراهيم، مدافع النادي الأهلي، عن عدة قضايا تخص خط دفاع الفريق، وأداء المدير الفني الجديد ييس توروب، والحديث عن أزمة زميله أحمد سيد زيزو خلال نهائي السوبر أمام الزمالك.

وقال ياسر إبراهيم في تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب”، على قناة “mbc masr”: “لماذا الجميع ينتقد خط دفاع الأهلي؟ أنا لا أتابع وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي، أنا أركز في عملي، نحن خط الدفاع مركزون جدًا ونحاول أن نبذل أقصى ما عندنا”.

وتابع: “وأنا قلتها وسأظل أقولها: لاعب النادي الأهلي خاصة عندما يكون في هذا المركز ليس سهلًا، لأننا نلعب دائمًا، وتجد أننا نريد أن نكسب كل مباراة، أي مباراة مطالب بالفوز بها، فدائمًا يكون هناك اندفاع هجومي ضدك، وهذا يتطلب منك أن تكون مركزًا له مئة بالمئة، فنحن نحاول أن نعمل مع بعض على هذه النقطة، والحمد لله مباراة تلو الأخرى نتطور ونصبح أحسن”.

وأضاف: “ييس توروب يأخذ كل لاعب بعد وجبة الفطار، ويضع مثلًا أسماء 10 لاعبين وليس شرطًا الأساسيين، ويعمل محاضرة لكل لاعب لوحده 10 دقائق أو ربع ساعة، يعرض له مثلًا فيديوهات، ويقول له: هذه لقطة جيدة ونريد أن نطور من هذه، الرجل يعمل ويتعب بصراحة، ويعرفنا النقاط التي نحتاجها، هي أمور إيجابية وأثرت علينا كلاعبين”.

وأشار: “نادي الزمالك طبعًا فيه لاعبين مهمين جدًا في الخط الأمامي، عندهم لاعبين سريعين ومهاريين، فنحن نبقى متابعين ذلك ونجلس مع بعض، ونقول مثلًا هذا اللاعب سريع جدًا، هذا يصر على أنه يدخل للداخل، هذا يريد أن يخرج للخارج، فنحن نتفق مع بعض، يجب مثلًا عندما تكون الكرة مع هذا اللاعب، أنت تفعل كذا وأنا أفعل كذا، كل واحد يأخذ مكانه”.

وشدد: “أكون كاذبًا لو قلت أنني توقعت سيناريو المباراة، لكن كنت متوقع أننا سنلعب المباراة من أجل الفوز ونعود بالبطولة، مباراة الزمالك دائمًا تكون 50-50 على حسب حالة اللاعبين يوم المباراة، الحمد لله اللاعبون كلهم كانوا مركزين”.

طالع أيضًا | الأهلي يبدأ ميركاتو يناير.. 3 صفقات في مرحلة التفاوض وظهير أيسر في الطريق

وبسؤاله، ماذا دار بين اللاعبين وأحمد سيد زيزو أثناء المباراة: “زيزو من اللاعبين أصحاب عقلية مختلفة تمامًا، هو يعرف متى يفصل، متى يركز، نحن تكلمنا معه في الملعب وهو يتعرض للشتائم، هو كان عادي، وقال: أنا متوقع هذا يا جماعة، لم يتأثر لأنه عقلية مختلفة”.

وواصل: “خلال المباراة وأثناء سباب جماهير الزمالك له، كنا نتحدث معه ونقول له: “أنت ستكون سبب فوزنا”، وما حدث طبيعي، إن لاعب في الزمالك وينتقل للأهلي بالتأكيد الجمهور سيكون غاضبا منه، وما حدث كان متوقعًا”.

وبسؤاله، هل انزعجت من عدم انضمامك لمنتخب مصر؟، أجاب: “طبيعي انزعجت، أنا في النهاية بشر، لكن انزعجت لأنني كنت أتمنى أن أكون موجودا”.

وطلب منه الإعلامي مهيب عبد الهادي عدم نشر أي تعليق يخص عدم انضمامه للمنتخب عبر السوشيال ميديا، ليرد ياسر إبراهيم: “لا أنا لست بهذه العقلية”.

وبسؤاله، من من لاعبي الزمالك أرهقكم في مباراة السوبر؟ “جميعهم لاعبون جيدون، أنا كنت أركز مع الأجنحة والمهاجم، وبالتأكيد أرهقونا، وسيف الجزيري عندما شارك بديلًا أرهقنا بالتأكيد”.

وبسؤاله، من الخصم الذي كنت تتمنى مواجهته في نهائي السوبر بيراميدز أم الزمالك؟: “والله العظيم الفريقان قويان جدًا، ونحن كنا جالسين نشاهد المباراة ونشاهد الفريقين، المباراة انتهت بركلات الترجيح، نحن متوقعون أي فرقة ستأتي لنا لن يكون الأمر سهلا”.

واستكمل: “مباراة أهلي وزمالك طبعًا يكون لها طعم ثانٍ والجمهور طبعًا يجعل الملعب جميلًا، لكن أنا كياسر، (أنا كان نفسي في حاجة شخصية هي حاجة واحدة: أن أواجه بيراميدز وآخذ منهم البطولة بعد الخسارة التي تلقيناها منهم في الدوري)”.

واختتم: “نعم ذهبنا طبعًا بعد المباراة لكل لاعبي الزمالك وقلنا لهم حظ أوفر، هذه هي الروح الرياضية التي يجب أن نفهمها. كلنا أصحاب وإخوة، هذا هو الذي يجب أن يُفهم، (أنا على طول مع عمر جابر، كابتن الفريق منذ أن كنت لاعبًا في الزمالك)، بيننا كل حب واحترام، وكلنا نتقابل في المنتخب ونجلس سويًا ونتحدث ونمزح”.

Celtic went through a curious couple of days of speculation after it was reported that the club were set to sign central midfielder Bobby Clark for a fee of £6m.

It was claimed that the Hoops were on course to clinch a deal for the 20-year-old RB Salzburg starlet, who is currently on loan at Derby County, in the January transfer window.

However, Brendan Rodgers was quizzed about the link ahead of the clash with Dundee and said: “I wouldn’t normally say anything on anything, but I really don’t know where that has come from at all. Especially in October.”

Whilst it seems like the link to Clark was wide of the mark, it was not a total surprise to see a central midfield link, given that Reo Hatate’s form has tailed off this season.

Why Reo Hatate's form is a concern for Celtic

The Japan international was in influential presence in midfield last season with a return of ten goals and 14 ‘big chances’ created in 37 outings in the Scottish Premiership, per Sofascore.

Hatate provided a consistent threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals, but that has not been the case for him in the 2025/26 campaign so far.

The 27-year-old star has scored one goal, created one ‘big chance’, and failed to register any assists in six appearances in the Premiership, per Sofascore, as Celtic have failed to score in four of their last nine games in all competitions.

Rodgers needs more from his midfielders from an attacking perspective, because of Hatate’s concerning form, but signing Bobby Clark should not be the answer, as Paulo Bernardo is an even better option than him.

Why Celtic should unleash Paulo Bernardo

The Portugal U21 international has the quality to be the club’s next version of Hatate in the middle of the park, as a central midfielder who can score and create goals for the team.

Clark, meanwhile, has no goals and no assists in nine appearances for Derby in the Championship, per Sofascore, after a return of one goal and no assists in 17 matches in the Austrian Bundesliga for Salzburg in the 2024/25 campaign.

These statistics do not suggest that the English starlet would arrive at Parkhead to provide the goals and assists that the Hoops are currently lacking in midfield.

Paulo Bernardo (Premiership)

23/24

24/25

Starts

11

13

Goals

3

2

Conversion rate

10%

8%

Key passes

11

31

Big chances created

4

5

Assists

3

3

Stats via Sofascore

However, as you can see in the table above, Bernardo’s form in his first two full Premiership seasons with the club suggest that he has the potential to deliver quality in the final third.

The Portuguese whiz, who was hailed as “tenacious” by Rodgers, scored five goals and created nine ‘big chances’ in 24 Premiership starts in those two campaigns, which is a fairly impressive haul for a player who did not play week-in-week-out.

His statistics in the Premiership show that he is a better central midfield option than Clark, who has failed to make much of an impact at the top end of the pitch at Salzburg or Derby in the past 18 months, since leaving Liverpool in the summer of 2024.

Unfortunately, though, Rodgers has only handed Bernardo two appearances and one start in the Premiership this season, which means that he has not had many opportunities to showcase his quality in midfield.

Given Hatate’s drop-off in form, the Celtic manager should be looking to unleash the Portuguese talent in the coming weeks because he has the attacking potential to be the club’s next version of the Hatate that they had in the middle of the park last term.

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Toni Kroos has hit out at the decision to send off Luis Diaz during Bayern Munich’s win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, insisting that "it wasn't a red card”. The German and Real Madrid legend believes referee Maurizio Mariani was influenced by Achraf Hakimi’s injury rather than the tackle itself. Diaz, however later apologised publicly, while Bayern backed their forward.

Kroos weighs in after Diaz red card sparks controversy

Bayern’s statement 2-1 win away at PSG in the Champions League was overshadowed by a highly debated refereeing decision. Colombian international Diaz, who had scored both goals for Bayern in the first half, was shown a straight red card following a VAR intervention for a tackle on PSG full-back Hakimi. Initially given only a yellow, referee Maurizio Mariani changed his decision after reviewing the incident on the monitor, citing excessive force and danger to the opponent.

Hakimi, who left the field in clear pain and in tears, was later diagnosed with a syndesmosis tear and deltoid ligament damage expected to keep him sidelined for around eight weeks. 

The moment dramatically shifted the tone of the match, even as Bayern held on for a crucial away victory to extend their winning run under Vincent Kompany to 16 straight matches across competitions. The incident has since become the primary talking point across European football, with varying opinions from pundits, former officials and players, and one of the most vocal critics has been the German legend Kroos.

Advertisement'It wasn’t a red card' – Real Madrid legend questions referee’s judgement

Speaking on his podcast, Kroos was emphatic in his belief that the referee made the wrong call. “For me, it’s clear: it wasn’t a red card,” Kroos said, insisting that the referee “let Hakimi’s injury have too much of an influence on his assessment of the play.”

The German argued that the challenge itself, while forceful, did not indicate malicious intent from Diaz. “If Hakimi had gotten up after the challenge, nobody would have reviewed the play.”

Kroos also turned his attention toward the role of the VAR team, suggesting that replay slow-motion angles can distort reality, “In situations like these, the referee should judge the action itself, not the consequences.”

His position echoed the sentiment of several Bayern players, including Joshua Kimmich and Josip Stanisic, who suggested that the injury may have influenced the decision. However, Kimmich admitted upon reflection that “seeing the replay and how he catches him, you can understand the referee showing a red card.”

Getty Images SportRegret and support after a night of mixed emotions

Diaz addressed the incident after the match, posting a message on Instagram that said: “Football always reminds us that in 90 minutes, the best and the worst can happen… I wish Hakimi a quick return to the pitch.”

Bayern boss Kompany expressed sympathy for PSG and Hakimi, citing Bayern’s own past injury experiences with Jamal Musiala, while also defending the Colombian winger. 

“I hope Hakimi recovers soon, it’s terrible. We went through the same thing last year with Musiala. I don’t think Diaz meant any harm; it was just an unfortunate incident in a high-intensity match,” said the Belgian coach.

Despite the controversy, Diaz’s performance before the red card reinforced his growing importance under Kompany, decisive, direct, and ruthless in transition. Kroos then moved to tactical commentary, praising Bayern’s bravery in pressing PSG high and suggesting their superiority would likely have produced the same result, regardless of Hakimi or Diaz's presence. 

"Bayern were clearly superior and could have gone into halftime 3-0 or 4-0 up. I don't think PSG would have created any danger with eleven against eleven," he said.

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Getty Images SportBayern maintain momentum while PSG face injury concerns

Bayern sit top of the Champions League table and will turn their attention to domestic action, where they face Union Berlin next, a fixture Kompany warned could become a “trap game” after the emotional and physical intensity of Paris.

For PSG, the focus is now on recovery and rotation, and Hakimi’s absence adds further pressure on coach Luis Enrique, who is already dealing with Ousmane Dembele’s injury, who also left the pitch earlier in the game due to a calf injury. The French champions need solutions on the flanks, especially with decisive Champions League fixtures still ahead.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

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+ Calando os críticos? Aposte R$100 e ganhe R$700 com Neymar e o Brasil nas Eliminatórias

Moreno chega para a carência de um volante “camisa 5”, com o qual o elenco não conta desde a saída de Danilo para o Nottingham Forest-ING. O Verdão buscou opções para a função nas duas janelas de transferências de 2023, mas não encontrou uma possível. O próprio argentino chegou a ficar próximo, mas o Racing foi irredutível na pedida.

+ Você quer trabalhar no seu clube do coração? Matricule-se no curso Gestor de Futebol e entenda como!

Outra posição que será priorizada é a de um ponta. O movimento se dá pela lesão de Dudu, que voltará a jogar somente em meados de 2024. O desejo da direção palmeirense é Bruno Henrique, do Flamengo, mas o negócio é complicado. Apesar de sua renovação com os cariocas estar travada, a tendência é que ele fique por lá. Mesmo assim, o Alviverde não desiste e já mostrou interesse prometendo um grande proposta.

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+ Palmeiras se acerta com Aníbal Moreno e fica perto de contratar seu primeiro reforço para 2024

A função de centroavante também será observada com carinho no mercado para 2024. Depois de apostas frustradas como Flaco López e Merentiel, além da iminente saída de Endrick em julho, fazem com que a posição se torne carente. Como essa busca já foi complicada em 2022, a jornada também não deve ser fácil nesta próxima janela.

Não está descartada também uma investida em um meia, pois com a saída de Scarpa, Veiga acabou ficando sobrecarregado na função, sem deixar alternativas. Uma “sombra” para o camisa 23 também é julgada como importante a fim de não deixar o time tão dependente dele. Por se tratar de uma posição com exemplares raros e caros, é esperada dificuldade nessa busca.

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+ Artilheiro, garçom, quem mais jogou… Confira um balanço do elenco do Palmeiras em 2023

Caso Marcos Rocha, que tem contrato somente até dezembro de 2023, não prorrogue sua permanência, o Palmeiras deve ir ao mercado para contratar um lateral-direito.

Neste ano, o Verdão contratou apenas dois jogadores: Richard Ríos, do Guarani, e Artur, do Bragantino. Ao mesmo tempo, dez jogadores deixaram o clube ao longo da temporada.

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Palmeiras

Arsenal cruised to a 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, leading Paul Merson to fire a warning to the rest of the teams in the competition.

In what was billed as a battle of defensive, tactical football between two managers who pride themselves on being tough to beat, Mikel Arteta made a mockery of the pre-match predictions as his side demolished Diego Simeone’s men in an enthralling second-half at the Emirates.

Viktor Gyokeres ended a seven-match goal drought with a quickfire brace to round off the scoring, taking Gyokeres’ tally for his new club to five following his £58million transfer from Sporting Lisbon, where he scored 97 times in 102 appearances.

Speaking after the thumping win, Arteta challenged Gyokeres to keep the goals coming, with the north Londoners back in domestic action against Crystal Palace at the Emirates on Sunday.

And Gyokeres, 27, said: “I’m more hungry now. You always want to contribute with work rate and other stuff, but when you score goals as well, it’s a bit special. So that’s something I always want to do.

“The group we have and the spirit is something different and something very special.

“When you win games and you do these performances, it builds confidence in the team. The belief has to always be there, but of course this helps to boost it. We just want to keep going like this.”

Arsenal's message to the rest of Europe

Gyokeres was not the only man receiving plaudits, as Merson was full of praise for Bukayo Saka during his commentary on Sky Sports, claiming he had Atletico stars like Koke “on toast”.

Not Gyokeres: Paul Merson says "outstanding" Arsenal star had Atletico Madrid "on toast"

The Gunners legend was very impressed by his performance.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 21, 2025

And the former Gunners star believes his old team sent out a warning to the rest of Europe after accomplishing something that “no one” does.

Arsenal have won their three games in Europe so far with as many clean sheets. Remarkably, Arteta’s men have conceded just three times – away at Liverpool and Newcastle and at home to Manchester City, with just one of those coming from open play – in their first 12 fixtures.

Goalkeeper David Raya, who has recorded five consecutive shutouts, said: “I give clean sheets the same credit as goals.

“If we’re keeping clean sheets, it’s going to make games easier to win. It’s really, really important for the whole team, not giving away that many chances and being very, very solid.

“The depth of the squad is incredible. We have a lot of players who can play in two, three or four positions.

“(Mikel) Merino came on as a striker (against Atletico), but he can play as a number six, eight, or as a number 10, and that is the variety that the boss has and he is using it to our advantage.

“It gives us an extra level in training and in games, because if you are not at it you can lose your spot and everybody is on board with that.”

Arsenal will head into this weekend’s round of league fixtures with a three-point cushion over second-placed Manchester City. Defending champions Liverpool are a further point off the pace.

Former Premier League star Troy Deeney believes Bournemouth sensation Antoine Semenyo has what it takes to reach the very top — even suggesting the Ghanaian forward could one day line up for Real Madrid. The Watford legend hailed the 25-year-old as one of the Premier League’s most underrated stars and challenged him to maintain his stunning early-season form to fulfil his world-class potential.

• Semenyo starts off 2025/26 with a bang for Bournemouth

  Former Watford striker Deeney has joined the growing list of admirers praising Bournemouth forward Semenyo, who has been one of the standout performers in the Premier League this season. The Ghana international’s explosive form has fired the Cherries to second place in the table, just four points behind leaders Arsenal, as he continues to shine under Andoni Iraola’s management.

  Semenyo’s numbers speak for themselves: six goals and three assists in his opening nine league matches, a tally bettered only by Manchester City’s Erling Haaland. The 25-year-old’s pace and precision in the final third have made him one of the league’s most dangerous attackers, helping Bournemouth maintain their strong start despite selling over £200 million worth of players in the summer.

  With major departures such as Milos Kerkez to Liverpool and Dean Huijsen’s £50m move to Real Madrid, the Cherries have relied heavily on Semenyo’s individual brilliance. His relentless performances have not only inspired Bournemouth’s rise but also attracted attention from top clubs across Europe — and Deeney believes that, if he keeps it up through the season, he could very well follow Huijsen to the Santiago Bernabeu.

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  Deeney set challenge for Semenyo and predicts Real Madrid move

  Speaking to talkSPORT, Troy Deeney described Semenyo as one of the Premier League’s “unsung heroes” this season and predicted a bright future for the Ghanaian star. “I just don’t know if Semenyo can keep it up — do you know what I mean?” Deeney said. “If he does, then my God — he’ll probably end up playing for Real Madrid. But I think he’s very good, very powerful, very direct. I just don’t know whether he’ll keep it up.” 

  When asked whether he considered Semenyo among the top performers in the league, Deeney replied: “Yeah — he’s a good shout, Semenyo.”

  Deeney’s comments come amid mounting excitement around the Bournemouth attacker’s development and his growing influence on Iraola’s team.

• Several Premier League heavyweights linked with Semenyo

  Since joining Bournemouth from Bristol City, the Ghanaian has become an indispensable part of Iraola’s system. His technical growth, particularly in decision-making and finishing, has seen him evolve from a promising talent into one of the most consistent forwards in England’s top flight.

  Semenyo’s form this season has reignited transfer speculation, with several elite clubs monitoring his progress earlier this year. Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur all reportedly explored potential deals in previous windows, while Real Madrid and Chelsea are now said to be keeping tabs on his performances. Bournemouth’s refusal to entertain offers reaching £50 million underlines just how valuable he has become to their project.

  The Ghanaian signed a new deal in July 2025, extending his stay until 2030, but reports suggest the contract includes a confidential release clause. While the exact figure remains undisclosed, it had previously been revealed that it’s lower than Bournemouth’s current £100m valuation. The club remains determined to keep their talisman, but should Europe’s heavyweights come knocking, Semenyo’s future could dominate the headlines.

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  Bidding war for Sememnyo in the summer of 2026

  For now, Semenyo’s focus remains firmly on Bournemouth and their unexpected title challenge under Iraola. His performances have made him the face of the Cherries’ new era, and with confidence soaring, he’ll be aiming to sustain his remarkable run deep into the campaign. Should his output continue, a bidding war could erupt by next summer, with Liverpool and Manchester United expected to reignite their interest depending on their attacking situations.

  For Bournemouth, keeping hold of Semenyo may prove increasingly difficult if the goals keep flowing. Additionally, with Ghana having secured their berth in the 2026 World Cup, a string of strong performances in North America could raise the demand for the Bournemouth forward even more.

  Deeney’s words may have been light-hearted, but they carry weight. The former Premier League striker has long been known for his straight-talking assessments, and his belief that Semenyo has the potential to play for one of football’s most prestigious clubs speaks volumes.