The top 12 goalscorers in the Champions League group stages

The Champions League is the biggest competition in club football. It is a chance for the world’s best to prove their calibre against the finest leagues and teams in Europe for the ultimate prize of ‘Old Big Ears’ come May or June every year.

As is the case with any competition, it is a marathon rather than a sprint, and Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for most Champions League goals, with 141 in 183 appearances.

However, the way a club starts can often foretell their chances of glory at the end. This came to pass in the first season of the brand new league phase in 2024/25, with three of the top four clubs reaching the semi-finals.

With this in mind, Football FanCast takes a look at the top 12 goalscorers in the Champions League group stage/league phase.

Stats correct as of 14th May 2025.

Rank

Player

Goals

Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

Robert Lewandowski

Karim Benzema

Raul

Ruud van Nistelrooy

Thierry Henry

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Mohamed Salah

Antoine Griezmann

Alessandro Del Piero

Erling Haaland

12 Erling Haaland 33 goals

The newest entrant to this list has wasted little time making a name for himself, with Erling Haaland racing into the record books thanks to his incredible knack for goals.

His first Champions League strikes came for RB Salzburg in the 2019/20 season, scoring a hat-trick on his group stage debut against Genk, before scoring five more in the four matches that followed.

Continuing his hot streak for Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City – with whom he won the competition in 2023 – Haaland has already become one of the competition’s best strikers, yet he’s barely 25. If there’s one challenger to the top scorers, it’s him.

11 Alessandro Del Piero 33 goals

Known as one of the great one-club legends, Alessandro Del Piero is another whose talent perhaps deserved more than the sole winners’ medal he earned in 1996. He always favoured loyalty over glory with Juventus, but his 33 goals in the group stages of the Champions League prove his devotion was bettered by his goal-getting instinct.

In the competition’s history, Del Piero is the highest-scoring Italian, with nine goals in the knockouts bringing his total to 42 on the continental stage.

10 Antoine Griezmann 34 goals

Antoine Griezmann may not have got his hands on the Champions League trophy, but his exploits for Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have ensured his place in the competition’s history.

The Frenchman came closest to the trophy in 2016, when his Atletico side were beaten on penalties by city rivals Real. Griezmann missed a penalty in normal time before Los Rojiblancos found an equaliser, though he made up for it somewhat by scoring in the shootout.

With a further nine goals outside of the group stage, he remains one of the best goalscorers that the Champions League has eluded in the modern era.

9 Mohamed Salah 35 goals

Mo Salah was pivotal to Liverpool’s sixth European triumph when his early penalty against Tottenham set Jurgen Klopp’s men on the way to victory in 2019.

On top of this, he has become the club’s top goalscorer in Europe, while across all UEFA club competitions, he holds the record for most goals scored for an English club, previously set by Thierry Henry in 2006.

In the Champions League, Salah has edged ahead of the likes of Sergio Aguero in the group stage, with his contributions for Basel, Roma and Liverpool making him a legend of the competition.

8 Zlatan Ibrahimovic 38 goals

Europe’s finest journeyman, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is known on and off the pitch for his confidence and distinctive maverick personality.

In front of goal, he was a monster, and from 38 group stage goals for seven different clubs, there weren’t too many that weren’t absolutely 10/10 spectacular.

Whether it be with his head, left foot, right foot, or through a volley, rocket, or a swerving, curling strike, Zlatan could score any type of goal from any angle or range.

7 Thierry Henry 38 goals

Also on 38 goals, Thierry Henry had a long and successful time playing in the Champions League.

Before Kylian Mbappe tore up the record books, the Arsenal Invincible was the youngest Frenchman to reach the 40-goal mark, while he remains the competition’s all-time second-highest goalscorer from France with half a century – second only to the marvellous Karim Benzema.

Henry crowned his fruit-bearing European adventure in 2009 when he lifted the trophy with Barcelona after brushing Manchester United aside in the final.

6 Ruud van Nistelrooy 50 goals

Former Manchester United forward Ruud van Nistelrooy.

50 goals in the Champions League group stage is quite the jump from 38, especially since there were only six such games each year. But perhaps even more surprising is the fact that Ruud van Nistelrooy is the only Dutchman to make the top 12.

Despite the Oranje boasting a successful bloodline of special footballers, it is the striking endeavours of the Eindhoven product turned Man United and Real Madrid superstar that stand at the very top.

The Ruud Devil, however, is another who never lifted the famous trophy. But in 2001/02, 2002/03 and 2004/05, he finished as the competition’s top goalscorer.

Remarkably, he only ever scored six goals in the knockouts, but everything adds up to an impressive overall tally of 60 Champions League goals.

5 Raúl González 53 goals

Raúl is the highest-ranking Spanish player to feature and is one of his nation’s most decorated footballers.

Raúl became the first player to score 50 Champions League goals when he scored in a 2-1 group stage win over Olympiacos in September 2005 and was also the first to make 100 appearances in the competition. He was also the first player to score in two Champions League finals since the competition’s rebrand, notching in the finals of 2000 and 2002.

It is no surprise, then, to learn that the Spaniard is the fifth-highest goalscorer in the competition’s history, while he is joint-fifth in terms of winning the famous trophy thanks to three triumphs with Real Madrid – the benchmark football club on the continent.

4 Karim Benzema 56 goals

Somewhat overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, in his own right, is one of the greatest out-and-out strikers of all time.

He is France’s top goalscorer in European competition with 90 goals in 140 games, and he is the first in this ranking to have won both the Champions League (five times!) and the Ballon d’Or (2022).

3 Robert Lewandowski 71 goals

Robert Lewandowski’s entire career has been enmeshed in near-misses when it comes to silverware. He should have won the Ballon d’Or in 2020, robbed by a pandemic. Yet, his record proves he’s one of the greatest number 9s ever.

Nowadays, he aims for more glory with Barcelona, even in his mid-thirties. The Poland international will hope to add to his tally group stage goals in 2025/26.

Across all stages of the Champions League, Lewandowski has 105 goals – third in the overall ranking once more.

155 touches, 100% dribbles: Celtic hero proved he's as undroppable as Maeda

The title is within reach….

Scottish champions Celtic closed in on yet another Premiership crown after recording a resounding 5-1 win over Kilmarnock on Saturday afternoon, with the Hoops responding in perfect fashion following last week’s disappointment at St Johnstone.

That 1-0 defeat at McDiarmid Park highlighted what has been a sticky spell for the Glasgow giants, with three defeats in six league outings, yet those woes were quickly forgotten this time around, as Brendan Rodgers’ men raced into a 4-0 lead inside 25 minutes.

Brendan Rodgers

Having put in a disappointing showing last week, Reo Hatate opened the scoring with a thunderous effort from range, before compatriot Daizen Maeda tapped home at the backpost for his 31st goal of the campaign.

Another stunning strike, this time from a surprise package in Cameron Carter-Vickers, was then followed by Hatate’s second of the day, with the Japanese playmaker calmly converting inside the penalty area.

Further gloss was then put on proceedings at the death – following a Killie consolation late in the first-half – as substitute Anthony Ralston lashed in from the angle to make it five. All eyes on Rangers now tomorrow…

Celtic's key performers vs Kilmarnock

It’s certainly worth giving another shout-out to that man Maeda, with the 27-year-old becoming the first player since Henrik Larsson to score in eight successive starts at Parkhead.

Daizen Maeda

That finish may rank among the simplest of 2024/25 thus far, although the same can’t be said of Hatate, with the diminutive midfielder bending home in expert fashion to open the scoring on the day.

The 25-year-old’s second was also further evidence of his class as he delightfully made space for himself inside the area, having also claimed an assist for Ralston’s strike with a delicate dink round the corner.

Elsewhere, it was another fine showing from young Arne Engels, who came close to scoring himself after rattling the crossbar, while Alistair Johnston was also a real outlet again at right-back, with the Canadian teeing up Hatate’s second, having earlier played the pass that led to Maeda’s tap-in.

The former Montreal man – who chalked up 109 touches and achieved a 94% pass accuracy – is among those in Rodgers’ ranks who are simply undroppable, even despite Ralston’s late heroics, with the same also true of another of his teammates.

The Celtic star who showed why he's undroppable

As the Old Firm side slipped to a narrow defeat in the derby, there was perhaps a clear reason for the limp nature of their first-half display, in particular – the absence of Callum McGregor.

It was perhaps no surprise that the league leaders endured an off day without their long-serving skipper in tow, with the academy graduate simply vital to everything that is good about Celtic.

As club legend Chris Sutton noted, the Hoops “missed his leadership” and “missed his quality” in that defeat to Rangers, with McGregor – who was replaced by Engels in that deep-lying role on the day – making “everything look so easy in that position”.

Touches

155

Pass accuracy

97%

Key passes

2

Successful dribbles

2/2

Long balls

2/2

Possession lost

5x

Fouls won

1

Aerial duels

1/3

Ground duels

5/5

Dribbled past

0

Such class was again on show on Saturday afternoon, with the experienced Scotsman quietly pulling the strings in his usual serene style. He may not have stolen the headlines, but the 31-year-old was again the man making everything tick.

Indeed, the one-time Notts County loanee racked up a mammoth total of 155 touches and achieved a stunning 97% pass accuracy rate, having lost possession on just five occasions despite that heavy involvement.

Callum McGregor

That impact in the centre of the park also saw McGregor complete 100% of his attempted dribbles and register two key passes, having also won all five of his ground duels, thus showcasing the steel to match the silk.

In truth, such a showing was a captain’s performance in every sense of the word, with the question remaining as to how Rodgers will manage to replace his leading figure in the years to come, amid the current lack of genuine alternatives in that number six berth.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

That is a problem for another day, however, with all focus now on just when it will be that a record-equalling 55th league title can be secured.

The new Aaron Mooy: Rodgers has struck gold on "tenacious" Celtic sensation

As Celtic continue their fight for yet another domestic treble, one unsung hero has so far been reminiscent of Aaron Mooy.

ByBen Gray Apr 10, 2025

Imran Tahir: 'It doesn't matter how good you are, you always learn about the game every single day'

At 46, the ageless wonder leggie still has what it takes in T20. He talks about his success with Guyana and what keeps him ticking

Interview by Deivarayan Muthu11-Aug-20252:53

‘I know how to respect my team members and that’s most important’

Imran Tahir turned 46 this March but continues his Benjamin Button act in T20 tournaments around the world. In 2023 he led Guyana Amazon Warriors to their maiden CPL title and two years later he captained them to their first Global Super League title. Since turning 40, he has bagged 266 wickets at an economy rate of 6.86 in T20s. Only Rashid Khan, Haris Rauf, Chris Jordan, Wanindu Hasaranga and Shaheen Afridi have taken more wickets than Tahir during this period. The T20 veteran spoke to us during the GSL this July about his cult status in Guyana, captaincy style, Amazon Warriors’ spin depth, and his ambitions for the upcoming CPL season.You have played for a whole lot of T20 teams around the world but you keep coming back to Guyana. You’re the only overseas player with more than 100 CPL wickets. What’s it like to be a cult hero in Guyana?
Look, it’s very special. The team gives me all the confidence and still believes in my ability. The people of Guyana really respect and give me a lot of love, and I think that’s where you want to be. With that kind of love you always want to come back and play for the same badge, and you just want to be here every year.I think I need to do a lot of extra gym work to be here every year (). But as long as I’m doing well for the team and what they require from me, if I justify it, then , I can keep coming back to Guyana.Related

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You turned 46 this year but you keep finding ways to take wickets and win games. How do you manage your body and mind in this fast-paced T20 world?
Yeah, look, it’s tough. But I’m a bit lucky now because I have more time to do training than [having to] keep playing. I think that gives me a bit more benefit – I look after myself well, eat well and try to sleep on time and just be loyal to my job. Then when I get to play, I know I can give my 100% to my team.You had a great GSL, where you led from the front. How has the build-up been, leading into CPL 2025?
Last year it was a bit of a rush. We jumped out of a flight and started playing GSL. So I felt like this year we should get together and have a camp and see how we can improve as a team. All of us, [including] guys coming from overseas, worked very hard and looked to improve on a few things and it paid off for us.Red and green spell go for Tahir: Guyana is home for him, the Pakistan-born leggie says•CPL T20/ Getty ImagesI hope we can carry this form into the CPL, where we also have a couple of youngsters who are not part of the GSL with us. But we picked them for the CPL, and they were there for the training camp, and I’m sure they’ve had a good experience with the senior players before they get to play the CPL. All in all, it was a good effort from the franchise to get everyone together and build this team for the GSL and CPL.In 2023, Warriors won their first CPL title under your leadership, and they came close to defending it successfully last season. How would you describe yourself as a captain?
Yeah, look, I’ve only been given one opportunity in my life as a captain. I just feel like I don’t have to prove anything to anyone about my captaincy or skills. I use my experience during captaincy, and I know how to respect my team-mates. I think that’s the most important thing in a team environment.When you’re happy for each other, play for each other and respect the team culture [success follows]. I’d rather be a player, but whether I play as a captain or player, I want everyone in the team to be happy and respected. That’s what I try to do in this team, and hopefully [as long as] I have this responsibility, I want to share my experience with the players and make sure the youngsters, if they want to learn something, I can try and help them through our senior players.Like we have some really good local players in our squad. Romario Shepherd, Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul have been with the franchise for a long time, and to have them around, I’m sure it’s a great learning experience for the youngsters. And like I said, if there’s any spinners, even batters or bowlers with whom I can share my experience, I want to help them. I feel that’s my job as a captain.Over the years you have been mentoring spinners in leagues around the world. Is that something you enjoy?
Yeah, I think so. I don’t do it for the camera. I just like to share my knowledge. I think not many shared their knowledge with me when I was younger, and that was a bit of a sad part. But if you want to be a professional cricketer and you want to achieve your dreams, then you have to work hard and keep learning and that’s what my belief is.Tahir and Gudakesh Motie celebrate a wicket in the 2023 CPL final, which gave Guyana Amazon Warriors their first title in the tournament•Ashley Allen/CPL T20/Getty ImagesI don’t want youngsters to go through [what I did]. I want them to know what a slider, googly and flipper is. I’d rather want them to know it at the age of 15. Then they can serve their country or franchise in a better way than I did because I came to international cricket very late and showed my skills late in my career. I’m still trying to improve.So from my point of view, wherever I go, I just want to share my knowledge and pass it on to the youngsters. I do like to talk about legspin bowling and see how the other spinners think about the game and how my thinking is. So it’s always nice to talk about the game and share my knowledge. When I do that, I feel good deep in my heart.You were a pioneer as a wristspinner in T20 cricket, bowling flat and quick and getting your googlies to zip. How do you think your bowling has changed as T20 has evolved?
You always want to keep learning. It doesn’t matter how good you are; you always learn about the game every single day, and that’s what the game has taught me throughout my career. Spinners play a big role in modern T20 cricket these days and you need to keep improving your skills.Apart from legspinners, even left-arm spinners and offspinners have high skill levels these days. You have to work hard to be successful in the international arena because you know the batsmen are waiting for any [mistake]. If you see a slow ball [flighted] in the air, they want to hit, and the batsmen have got so many shots these days. So, as a spinner, I always want to keep improving.The googly and the flipper have brought you a lot of wickets. Have you explored any new variations?
Yeah, there are a few, but you’ll only get to see it on TV. I’m not the kind of guy who would talk about it in interviews and put it [the thought] in people’s head (). But yes, I’m still working on a couple of things and hopefully I can be able to bowl those balls in the future.ESPNcricinfo LtdAmazon Warriors have almost every variety of spin in their attack. What do you make of the spin depth?
It’s a blessing for Guyana that we have so many spinners when we come up against left-right hand [batter pairs]. [Gudakesh] Motie is very good, and our local core is very good. We’ve also got Moeen [Ali].Motie has become a world-class spinner. Having these spinners helps. You see different batsmen coming with different plans and you can just throw the ball to any of these spinners who can challenge any batsman. Trying to get wickets as quick as we can is our plan, so we try to keep putting pressure on the opposition and make sure we demolish their batting plans – whatever they come up with.You touched upon Moeen, another senior figure in the side. You also played with him at the SA20. What does he bring to Amazon Warriors?
Moeen is another great spinner and batter, who brings a lot of experience. His record speaks for itself. To have someone like him in the team is only going to benefit you. He also shares his experience with youngsters and other team-mates. He’s really committed and we’re lucky to have him in our squad. We’re hoping he will have a good time again in Guyana.Does having a spin-friendly home pitch empower you to be more attacking as the lead spinner?
Look, the spinners we have, they have performed all over the world. If the ball turns for us, it’s also turning for the opposition. It just means we’re using the facility better than the others. So I don’t like it when people say, “Oh, Guyana turns” and stuff like that.Yes, it turns, but for both teams, and we need to use our variations. So we try and upgrade our skills. That’s what we do here in Guyana. Myself, Motie and Moeen – all of us have picked up wickets on some of the flattest decks in the world. The most important thing for us is the combination of the team and we try to break partnerships and batting plans with that combination. So far we’ve been successful and hopefully we can carry this form into the CPL.The bane of T20 batters everywhere: Tahir trots out his Victor Gyökeres celebration•GSL/Getty ImagesThe CPL is known for its funky celebrations. Your sprint is perhaps the OG one, but what’s the story behind doing Ronaldo’s “Siuuu” and Victor Gyökeres’ celebrations recently?
I have to because my son [who is travelling with Tahir], he asked me to do it (). The celebrations are purely for him. He just loves football. I actually don’t know the guy [Gyökeres’] who does this celebration, but I know he’s a footballer. But look, it’s nice, I want to put a smile on my son’s face and hopefully a smile on the faces of other people as well, if they like it.You’ve been there and done that in international cricket and every T20 league around the world. At 46, how do you remain so passionate about the game?
I’m the kind of guy who got [success] very late. And when you have a dream to be on the stage where I’m now, I think I just don’t feel like letting it go. I want to live the dream [as long as] I keep playing. If I’m playing, I want to give whatever I have to my team, and that obviously comes through passion. If you don’t have passion for anything, you won’t be successful in life.At the SA20 and even in the GSL, you were throwing yourself around in the field and there was a spectacular grab in the eliminator at the 2024 SA20. How proud are you of such fielding efforts?
I have to do extra work on my fielding and thanks to all the practice sessions with our coaches, the energy and the focus they gave… they gave me a lot of confidence. I take a lot of pride in my fielding, and I feel like if I can take one or two catches, I can change the game. That gives me bigger joy, but I think some people might have been more shocked than appreciative of my catches (). But no, generally a lot of people still appreciate such catches.What are your ambitions heading into CPL 2025?
Yeah, the team and the combination looks really good. It’s all about how we start the competition and that’s the most important thing. Going into the competition, the first few games are important and the GSL [success] will help a lot. We’ve been playing a good brand of cricket in the GSL and I believe that will set the standard for us in the CPL.We just need to stick together and before the tournament starts, we will have a camp for a few days. Things have been looking good so far. The only thing we can do is work hard and give it back to our fans in Guyana.

Rahane, Chawla, Mishra and others with surprise comebacks at IPL 2023

Five players who were almost forgotten but are now putting in match-winning performances

Deivarayan Muthu20-Apr-2023Ajinkya Rahane (Chennai Super Kings)He had struggled to keep pace with T20 cricket in the past. More recently, he was dropped from India’s Test team. But Ajinkya Rahane has scripted an unexpected turnaround in IPL 2023 – his strike rate of 222.22 in the powerplay is by far the best among those who have scored at least 100 runs during that phase in an IPL season.After a hamstring injury had curtailed his stint in IPL 2022, where he managed just 133 runs in seven innings at an average of 19.00 and strike rate of 103.90, he was bought by Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2023 auction for his base price of INR 50 lakh. Rahane didn’t start for Super Kings this IPL, but after Moeen Ali was sidelined with a stomach bug, he dashed out of the bench and regularly hit over the top against both pace and spin in the powerplay.ESPNcricinfo LtdSuper Kings would have expected Rahane to perform the role Robin Uthappa used to do before his retirement from international and Indian cricket. But, with his high intent and role clarity, Rahane has exceeded all expectations so far.Rahane hasn’t been fielding at slips – MS Dhoni has often posted Moeen in that position – but he has been manning the hotspots in the outfield. His spectacular leap right at the edge of the long-off boundary at the Chinnaswamy Stadium denied Glenn Maxwell a six and saved five runs for Super Kings. Royal Challengers ended up hitting one six fewer than Super Kings’ 17 and losing by eight runs.Sandeep Sharma (Rajasthan Royals)After having played every IPL season from 2013 to 2022, Sandeep Sharma went unsold in the most recent auction. However, after Prasidh Krishna was ruled out of the entire IPL 2023 with a stress fracture, Sandeep joined Rajasthan Royals as his replacement and has been a reliable bowler in both the powerplay and at the death.Sandeep Sharma nailed yorkers in the final over against MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja to seal a tense win at Chepauk•BCCITasked with defending 20 in the last over against Dhoni at Chepauk, Sandeep started the over with two wides and then conceded back-to-back sixes, but he held his nerve to stop Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja with back-to-back yorkers. Sandeep had also set up Royals’ defence of 175 by dismissing Ruturaj Gaikwad in the powerplay. After the game, Sandeep said that he had been nailing his yorkers at the nets and perhaps that’s why Sanju Samson backed him to bowl the final over to Dhoni ahead of Kuldeep Sen, who can generate extra pace and bounce.After Sandeep helped Royals breach CSK’s fortress, he took the key wickets of Shubhman Gill and David Miller to set the scene for another away win, this time against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad.Related

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Piyush Chawla (Mumbai Indians)Piyush Chawla was ignored at the mega auction in 2022. In the next auction, the 34-year-old was the last player to be bought by Mumbai Indians for his base price of 50 lakh before the start of the accelerated rounds. Chawla is currently Mumbai’s highest wicket-taker this season with seven strikes in five games at an economy rate of 7.15.He rolled back the years against Delhi Capitals , when he took 3 for 22, including the wickets of Rovman Powell and Manish Pandey, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Chawla also got his legbreaks and wrong’uns to rip against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium, where he sent their chase into a tailspin with the wickets of Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen.Piyush Chawla is currently the leading wicket-taker for Mumbai Indians•BCCIAmit Mishra (Lucknow Super Giants)Just like Chawla, Amit Mishra had gone unsold in the IPL 2022 mega auction. Just like Chawla, he got a gig this year and has proved once again there’s still room for old-school flight and dip in the age of fast legbreaks and mystery spin.Mishra, 40, was the oldest player at the auction, where Lucknow Super Giants snapped him up for his base price of INR 50 lakh. Super Giants unleashed him on Sunrisers on a black-soil turner at the Ekana stadium, where he came away with 2 for 23 from his four overs. He could be a regular feature for Super Giants at home, especially if they continue to use black-soil pitches. Plus, the introduction of the Impact Player rule means he doesn’t have to toil in the field like Rahane and can just put his feet up in the dressing room after finishing his bowling shift.Mohit Sharma (Gujarat Titans)Before IPL 2023, Mohit Sharma’s last season as an IPL regular was in 2018. Before that, he was the Purple Cap winner in 2014 and was part of the India team that reached the semi-final of the 2015 ODI World Cup.Injuries then ravaged his career, but a net-bowling stint in IPL 2022 with the eventual champions Gujarat Titans paved his way back. Ashish Nehra, the Titans coach who had also worked with Mohit at Super Kings, liked what he saw in the nets and Titans bought him at the IPL 2023 auction for his base price of INR 50 lakh. He was then brought into the XI ahead of Shivam Mavi and R Sai Kishore, after Yash Dayal was smashed for successive five sixes by Rinku Singh in the final over the match.Mohit marked his return, against Punjab Kings, with into-the-pitch offcutters and back-of-the-hand slower ones that had once impressed Dhoni at both CSK and India. He conceded only 18 runs in his four overs to go with the wickets of Jitesh Sharma and Sam Curran in a Player-of-the-Match-winning performance. Comebacks don’t get better than this.

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The innings included an audacious, stunning, reverse-shot over the slip cordon off James Anderson with the second new ball.

تشكيل الأهلي المتوقع أمام إنبي اليوم في كأس الرابطة.. بدلاء وناشئين

استقر الدنماركي ييس توروب، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، على التشكيل المقرر له مواجهة إنبي اليوم الجمعة، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية “كأس عاصمة مصر”.

وتقام المباراة بين الأهلي وإنبي على أرضية استاد السلام، في إطار لقاءات الجولة الأولى من مرحلة المجموعات لـ كأس الرابطة.

طالع.. قائمة الأهلي لمباراة إنبي في كأس الرابطة.. عناصر شابة بالجملة

ويغيب عن الأهلي في المباراة نجوم الأحمر الدوليين وعدد من الأساسيين، حيث ينوي الدفع بعدد من البدلاء لتجهيزهم للفترة المقلة.

ويقع الأهلي وإنبي، في المجموعة الأولى من البطولة والتي تضم أندية “سيراميكا كليوباترا وفاركو وطلائع الجيش وغزل المحلة والمقاولون العرب”.

ويشارك في بطولة كأس الرابطة هذا الموسم 21 فريقًا المتواجدين في بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز على رأسها الأهلي والزمالك، وتم تقسيم الأندية إلى 3 مجموعات، كل مجموعة تضم 7 فرق. تشكيل الأهلي المتوقع أمام إنبي

حراسة المرمى: محمد سيحا

خط الدفاع: محمد شكري – مصطفى العش – أحمد رمضان بيكهام – عمر كمال

خط الوسط: أليو ديانج – أحمد رضا – محمد عبد الله – حمزة عبد الكريم – طاهر محمد طاهر

الهجوم: جراديشار

Liverpool receive green light to make January move to sign "aggressive" Guehi alternative

Liverpool have now received the green light to make their move for a defensive reinforcement in the January transfer window, according to reports.

Slot: Teams "think they can get a result" against Liverpool

It wasn’t a disaster at Anfield as Liverpool came from behind to rescue a draw against Sunderland, but it was hardly an inspiring performance from the Premier League champions yet again.

Despite breaking their transfer record to sign Alexander Isak in the summer, the Swede was back to his subdued ways just days after netting his first Premier League goal for the club against West Ham United. And whilst Florian Wirtz at least played a part in the equaliser and looked bright throughout, Liverpool’s attack was a far cry from their scintillating best of past campaigns.

What should concern Arne Slot the most is his own admission that teams now believe they can “get a result” against his Liverpool side. That should never be the case at the home of the champions, but the Dutchman also denied that Anfield’s fear factor has evaporated this season.

He told reporters: “No, not Anfield. For sure. But it’s clear that teams that play us now think they can get a result. Not only think, because that has been shown this season.

“And even in the games we’ve won, they also fuelled the confidence for other teams like, ‘Hmm, something is possible’ because the wins we had at the beginning of the season weren’t easy ones as well.”

The only positive for Slot to take from the Sunderland game is that his side, whilst found wanting in attack, were harder to break down defensively. With fixtures coming thick and fast, that defensive foundation will be important but so will any depth that Liverpool add in that area in January, especially if they sign Joel Ordonez.

Liverpool receive green light to make Ordonez move

As reported by TeamTalk, Liverpool have received a green light to make their move for Ordonez after maintaining contact with the defender’s camp. Racing alongside Tottenham Hotspur in pursuit of the Club Brugge defender, the Reds could land an ideal alternative for Marc Guehi.

Fewer touches than Alisson & only 2 passes: Liverpool flop must be dropped

Arne Slot has a huge call to make about one player after his showing for Liverpool last night.

2 ByEthan Lamb Dec 4, 2025

Despite reportedly reopening talks to sign the Crystal Palace man, Liverpool may be forced to wait until next summer when his contract expires to secure his signature. If that does prove to be the case, then those at Anfield should turn to Ordonez.

Although Como scout Ben Mattinson aired caution around Ordonez’s “aggressive” nature last year, it’s the exact trait that Liverpool have been lacking this season. The Reds have been physically outmatched and the arrival of the 21-year-old would go a long way towards solving that problem.

Jamie Carragher slams £280k-p/w Liverpool star who had no "excuses" vs Sunderland

Worse than Yang: Nancy must bin 3/10 Celtic dud who once had “the X factor”

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy will have plenty of big decisions to make on Thursday night when Italian giants Roma come to Parkhead in the Europa League.

It will be the Frenchman’s second match in charge of the Hoops and his first ever game in a European competition, having only managed in the MLS previously.

The former Columbus Crew head coach implemented his 3-4-2-1 system in a 2-1 defeat to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday, and will have learned a lot about which of his players do and do not suit certain roles.

Ranking the worst Celtic performers against Hearts

Football FanCast have already suggested that the new manager should drop Arne Engels from the team, because he gave the ball away a staggering 23 times, per Sofascore.

The Belgian midfielder was hugely ineffective in the middle of the park, but he was not the only one, as Benjamin Nygren did not create a single chance for the team in 65 minutes on the pitch.

1

Arne Engels

2

Sebastian Tounekti

3

Daizen Maeda

4

Liam Scales

5

Benjamin Nygren

As you can see in the table above, we have ranked Daizen Maeda in third, despite missing two ‘big chances’ (Sofascore), because he did assist Kieran Tierney’s goal by winning a header.

Liam Scales was also among the worst performers on the day, losing 100% (1/1) of his ground duels, and losing possession 15 times as a centre-back, per Sofascore.

Sebastian Tounekti, meanwhile, was the second-worst performer after Engels. The Tunisia international was given a 3/10 player rating by 67HailHail, and he should be dropped against Roma, as Hyun-jun Yang has proven himself to be a better option.

Why Sebastian Tounekti should be dropped

The summer signing from Hammarby should be ruthlessly dropped by Nabcy because his performances have not been good enough of late for the Scottish giants.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

In the summer, journalist Anders Lindberg claimed that Tounekti has “the X Factor”. That was clear to see in his early outings for the club, as he completed five dribbles and created four chances, per Sofascore, on his debut against Kilmarnock.

Tounekti followed up on that promising debut with a goal against Partick Thistle in the League Cup in his second match for the Hoops, which only heightened the excitement around him at Parkhead.

Unfortunately, the 23-year-old forward has done very little since his first couple of appearances for Celtic. He is currently on a run of eight matches without a goal contribution, and has not assisted a goal in 18 matches for the club so far, per Sofascore.

Tounekti was subbed off after 59 minutes against Hearts so that Yang could switch over to the left side to play as the left wing-back, instead of on the right, and their recent performances suggest that he would be a better option there.

Goals

0

1

Key passes

2

1

Assists

0

0

Dribbles completed

3/13

6/10

Duels won

12/35

22/39

As you can see in the table above, the South Korean international has been significantly more effective in his physical duels and in his dribbles, which suggests that he is better suited to playing as a wing-back.

In this new role created by Nancy’s system, there is more of an onus on the player in that position to carry the ball up the pitch and to compete in more physical duels, which Yang is more equipped to do.

Tounekti, unfortunately, has failed to prove that he can be relied upon to be efficient in his duels or as an offensive threat, with his lack of goals and assists, as well as his struggles in physical contests with opposition defenders.

This is why he should be ruthlessly ditched from the starting line-up by Nancy for this clash with Roma on Thursday in the Europa League, with Yang moved over to the left.

Worse than Maeda: Nancy must drop Celtic flop who lost the ball 23 times

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy must drop this flop who was even worse than Daizen Maeda against Hearts.

ByDan Emery Dec 8, 2025

That would then open up a space on the right flank for another player to be brought in and given a chance to impress the new boss, who is still learning about his players.

Better than Saka: Arsenal plot record move for "best player in the world"

Mikel Arteta has built a truly world-class squad at Arsenal over the last few years.

From front to back, the likes of William Saliba, Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze would comfortably get into any side in the Premier League.

Yet, even though he’s not been at his very best this season, Bukayo Saka still stands as the club’s most important player.

The Hale Ender is their talisman, someone capable of winning games on his own, so fans should be delighted by reports linking Arsenal to someone even better than Saka.

Arsenal target a better player than Saka

Arsenal have already been linked with several truly brilliant players ahead of the winter window.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, Juventus’ Kenan Yıldız has been touted for a £88m move to the Emirates, as has Real Madrid’s Rodrygo.

However, while both of these wingers are sensational talents and would undoubtedly improve the Gunners’ squad, neither one is better than Saka.

Vinícius Júnior, on the other hand, just might be.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are now interested in the Madrid superstar.

The report has revealed that with talks over a new deal at the Bernabéu going poorly, the Gunners are now ‘pursuing the Brazilian.’

A potential price is not mentioned, but with Transfermarkt valuing the winger at €150m – about £132m – it would likely require a new British record transfer fee.

With that said, if Arsenal have the chance to sign Vini Jr, they should take it, not least because he’s one of the few attackers in the world better than Saka.

How Vini compares to Saka

Now, the first thing to make clear is that Saka is a genuinely world-class footballer, and not only that, but he has the chance to become a legend at Arsenal.

However, what is equally true is that Vini Jr might just be a marginally better player, but one who could form a devastating partnership with him on the opposite flank.

With that out of the way, which international superstar comes out on top when we look at their output this season?

Well, so far this year, the Gunners’ number seven has scored six goals in 15 appearances, totalling 1053 minutes, coming out to an average of a goal every 2.5 games, or every 175.5 minutes.

For his efforts, the former Flamengo gem has scored five goals and provided four assists in 17 appearances, totalling 1172 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.88 games, or every 130.22 minutes.

Which game-changing wideman comes out on top when taking a look under the hood, at their underlying numbers?

Well, perhaps a little surprisingly, the Brazilian dynamo doesn’t just come out better in most metrics, but practically every single relevant one.

Vini Jr vs Saka

Statistics per 90

Vini Jr

Saka

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.57

0.47

Progressive Passes

4.80

2.21

Progressive Carries

8.90

4.07

Shots

3.21

2.22

Shots on Target

1.40

1.05

Passing Accuracy

79.9%

72.4%

Key Passes

2.90

2.21

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.10

1.74

Shot-Creating Actions

6.92

4.55

Goal-Creating Actions

0.80

0.12

Tackles Won

0.80

0.58

Successful Take-Ons

3.00

1.98

All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 League Season

For example, these include metrics like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, shots on target, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Saka is an exceptional player, but as Ronaldo once pointed out, Vini Jr is arguably “the best player in the world”, and therefore, if Arsenal have even the slightest chance to sign him, they should go all out to do so.

Trossard upgrade: Arsenal hold talks to sign "one of the world's best wingers"

Despite his brilliant form, Arsenal could soon sign an upgrade on Leandro Trossard.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 25, 2025

Dodgers' Dave Roberts Addresses Possibility of Shohei Ohtani Pitching on Opening Day

Shohei Ohtani served exclusively as a designated hitter during his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, something that will change in year two when he's anticipated to return to the mound.

As for when he'll be ready to make his pitching debut for the reigning World Series champs, that much remains a bit unclear. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed Ohtani's return to the starting rotation on Monday, telling reporters at the winter meetings that it was "very unlikely" the 30-year-old would be ready to take the mound by Opening Day.

The Dodgers' Opening Day series for the 2025 season will be played in Japan and gets underway on March 18, a two-game series against the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo. While Roberts says Ohtani will likely not be ready to pitch, he’s confident that he’ll still be able to play in the games at DH.

“I expect Shohei to be ready to hit in Japan,” Roberts said. “I don’t think he’d have it any other way. That’s our expectation.”

Roberts added that Ohtani’s return to the mound was a tricky one, as the team doesn’t want to lose him as a hitter while he amps up his preparations as a pitcher.

“I think the question is when he starts pitching In major league games, and how we build him up prior to that,” Roberts said. “I don’t see it as a minor league rehab situation. We’ve got to kind of be nimble with that one.”

Ohtani last pitched in an MLB game on Aug. 23, 2023. He underwent elbow surgery that September, which kept him off the mound for all of the '24 campaign. He's made 86 pitching appearances in his career, recording a 3.01 ERA with 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings.

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