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Apertura 2025 came to an end for André Jardine’s América, as not even an Alejandro Zendejas goal could save them from a 90th-minute strike by Germán Berterame that sealed a premature Liguilla exit for the azulcremas. It’s the first time Jardine has been eliminated before the semifinals since taking over the Americanista bench.

Getty Images SportAmérica fall 3-2 on aggregateIn a match that once seemed firmly in América’s control, with goals from Alejandro Zendejas and Raúl Zúñiga in the 30th and 59th minutes, it ultimately wasn’t enough to push the azulcremas into the next round. What looked like a routine victory unraveled into a nightmare for the club and for the fans who packed Estadio Ciudad de los Deportes.AdvertisementGetty Images SportDisallowed goal shifted momentum

In the 73rd minute, Zúñiga scored what would have been the goal to put América up 3-0 and effectively seal a place in the semifinals, but it was disallowed for offside. The outlook still seemed overwhelmingly favorable – especially after the sending off of Jesús Rodríguez in the 84th minute, which left Rayados with 10 men.

However, neither the numerical advantage nor the control América showed throughout the match could prevent the final blow. In stoppage time, the Mexican international’s goal ended América’s tournament. América won the match 2-1, but the aggregate score finished 3-2 in Monterrey’s favor.

Getty Images Sport'Small details' cost América

Jardine was sent off in the final minutes, leaving his assistant Paulo Víctor to address the media after the elimination.

“We believe we had a good game plan, but small details were what knocked us out. We had the match under control up to a certain point, but in these kinds of games, where the margins are very tight, we ended up being eliminated,” the assistant said. 

He added that they have full support from the América board to continue the project heading into the Clausura 2026.

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next?

América are out, and Jardine has suffered the first major failure of his Liga MX tenure. Meanwhile, Rayados de Monterrey move on, with Sergio Ramos and Domenec Torrent’s team already in the next round.

There's been a lot of talk lately about the Premier League as a product. Is modern football actually boring? Are teams now too reliant on set pieces to score goals? Are the mavericks and the willing protagonists being silenced just to preserve their manager's tactics? Have we gone too far in pursuit of sporting perfection?

These are some of the questions we'll be attempting to answer today. Football, as the world's most beloved sport, is supposed to be entertaining. That's why millions and billions tune in. It's not just about glory, but the winding, loop-filled road to it.

That's perhaps even truer in the Premier League, the supposed best competition in the world, the actual incarnation of the failed European Super League. Yet fans, supporters and viewers seem as disinterested as ever.

That's why we at GOAL felt it was imperative to both a) name and shame some of these anti-footballing culprits, and b) praise those who actually seem committed to keeping our attention. We've ranked the 20 top-flight teams based on their style of play, how much fun it usually is to watch them as a neutral, the flair and enjoyability of their best players, and the jeopardy they are constantly battling. You'll understand that last point a little later…

Getty Images Sport20Wolves

Unsurprisingly, the team that is currently bottom of the real Premier League table is also bottom of these rankings. Unless you're a West Brom fan hungry for a delicious hate-watch, who on this planet is tuning into Wolves games thinking 'ooh yeah that should be a fun one'?

Maybe new manager Rob Edwards will work some magic and get the side he used to play for firing again. Maybe Jorgen Strand Larsen will rediscover his shooting boots. Maybe one of their many South Americans will turn into Pele reincarnated. Don't count on it, though.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport19Burnley

Heading into and out of the season's third international break, Burnley sit above the relegation zone. Yeah, go and double-check if you want, it's a little hard to believe, but it's true. Scott Parker has a recent history of his teams getting slaughtered at the top level, yet he's somehow made the Clarets a fairly respectable outfit again in the Premier League. They at least have a chance of survival, unlike the newly-promoted teams of the last few seasons.

Nevertheless, this has come at a cost. Unlike Vincent Kompany's side who tumbled to relegation in 2023-24, this version of Burnley are much more compact. They will earn more points in the real world than style points in this ranking.

AFP18Leeds United

From the outside looking in, it would be very easy to assume that Daniel Farke has stuck to his high-octane principles which have served him so well as a Championship manager. However, in an attempt to keep his job in the Premier League, he's had to revert to a much stodgier brand of football.

Elland Road is home to one of the most intimidating crowds in the country, though the team that plays there could do with some more on-ball quality if they are to rise back up this list akin to the days of Marcelo Bielsa.

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Getty Images Sport17Fulham

You have to feel for Marco Silva. He's worked wonders with Fulham but seldom seems to receive the backing he needs in the transfer market to ever take them to that next level.

His sides are largely perceived as defensive – which is quite funny given he was seen as a hopeless, forward-thinking romantic at Hull City, Watford and Everton – but they still do possess some trickery in the form of Alex Iwobi and youth product Josh King. The squad has gone a bit stale, though that's hardly his fault.

Miller’s involvement in the Hundred precluded him from being part of the ODI series, but he will join South Africa for the T20Is that follow

Matt Roller01-Sep-2025

David Miller last played for South Africa in the Champions Trophy in March•Associated Press

David Miller remains in contention for the 2027 World Cup despite his absence from South Africa’s squad for their ODI series in England, according to captain Temba Bavuma.Miller, 36, has not played international cricket since the Champions Trophy in March and signed a hybrid contract with Cricket South Africa earlier this year. He missed South Africa’s white-ball tour to Australia in August while playing for Northern Superchargers in the Hundred and will not feature in this week’s ODI series, but will return for the three T20Is that start on September 10.Bavuma said that Miller’s involvement in the Hundred – which ended on Saturday night in the Eliminator – effectively precluded him from selection for the ODI series, since he had missed South Africa’s build-up since arriving in Leeds last week. By contrast, five of England’s players only travelled to Headingley on Monday afternoon after playing in Sunday night’s final.Related

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“What I understand is that those communications were done during his contract times, in terms of him being available during this period for the Hundred,” Bavuma said. “Essentially, he wasn’t available for selection – but I stand by correction around that… David’s still within the mix in the ODI stuff, if that answers your question.”The Australia tour would’ve coincided with the Hundred. I guess any international commitments that occurred during the Hundred, David wasn’t available for. Unfortunately, the one-day [series], it clashes: he wasn’t part of our build-up. But then with the T20 stuff, the Hundred is done, he’ll fall back into the team.”While Miller will be 38 by the time of the 2027 World Cup, he has an exceptional ODI record as a middle-order batter, averaging 42.30 and striking at 103.68 after more than 150 innings in the format. He impressed during the Hundred too, scoring 133 runs in five innings and hitting 14 of the 71 balls that he faced for six – including four in 10 balls in Saturday’s Eliminator.South Africa’s squad is otherwise at full strength for the ODI series, although Matthew Breetzke and Kagiso Rabada miss out for Tuesday’s series-opener with niggles. They have also lost Heinrich Klaasen from the group that reached the Champions Trophy semi-finals, following his retirement from international cricket earlier this year.Bavuma said that the wider context for this week’s ODI series is for South Africa to continue their development as a 50-over side ahead of the 2027 World Cup – which they will co-host with Zimbabwe and Namibia: “That’s the bigger picture… But we’d like to bring ourselves back to here and what we need to do to be successful in England.”

Can Danny Röhl claim a win in his first Scottish Premiership match in charge of Rangers?

Amazingly, eight games into this league season, Rangers have still only won once.

Last weekend, with youth team coach Steven Smith at the helm, they required a late equaliser from James Tavernier to salvage a 2-2 draw with Dundee United at Ibrox.

This makes it the club’s worst start since 1978, excluding seasons they were outside the top-flight, and the Gers have not finished lower than third since 1985/86, which could be a genuine possibility right now.

The Light Blues are eight points behind fierce rivals Celtic but 13 adrift of current league leaders Hearts. The top two face each other at Tynecastle on Sunday, but Rangers are not involved in any title conversation, simply seeking to climb into the European places.

On Thursday night, Röhl did take charge of his new team for the first time, but one would not call it a dream start, given that they were demolished 3-0 by Brann in the Europa League.

In the next fortnight, the Light Blues face Kilmarnock, Hibs, Celtic, and then Roma, which certainly is not an easy set of fixtures, so which summer signing who looks completely “cooked”, so much so that he’s holding back teammates, should Röhl leave out of his team?

Nicolas Raskin's importance to Rangers

Last season, as Rangers endured a generally underwhelming campaign, Nicolas Raskin was named both the club’s Players’ Player of the Year award, as well as Supporters’ Player of the Year award last season, continually excellent even when the team was not.

Thus, one would assume that any new manager would make the Belgian one of the first names on the team sheet, but Russell Martin seemingly had other ideas.

Following a breakdown in the relationship between the pair, the short-lived boss decided to leave Raskin on the bench for crucial Champions League qualifiers against Viktoria Plzeň and Club Brugge, while he wasn’t in the squad at all for home games against Celtic and Hearts.

In the meantime, the 24-year-old has started each of Belgium’s last three outings, scoring against Kazakhstan in Brussels, thereby hoping to feature prominently at next summer’s World Cup, alongside Kevin De Bruyne, who isn’t bad, is he?

Back at club level, following that mini-exile, Raskin has started each of Rangers’ last seven matches, heading home the opener against Hibs in the League Cup quarter-finals, likely to be a central figure as Röhl looks to remould this underperforming team.

However, to truly get the best out of the Belgian, does the new boss need to move on from one of Rangers’ worst-performing summer signings?

The Rangers star who is holding Nicolas Raskin back

Fair to say, the Rangers support have not been won over by a large proportion of their summer signings.

Youssef Chermiti, Jayden Meghoma, Nasser Djiga, and Thelo Aasgaard, to name but a few, have so far certainly not impressed, but Joe Rothwell has been one of the most underwhelming additions.

When he arrived from Bournemouth in July, Kai Watson labelled him an “excellent passer” and “exactly what this Rangers midfield needs”, concluding he would be “a very smart signing”.

Well, so far, that has certainly not been the case, as the table below makes clear.

Total minutes

958

7th

Assists

1

2nd

Pass completion %

95.8%

1st

Accurate passes per 90

28.1

8th

Key passes per 90

0.9

6th

Progressive passes

4

13th

Passes into final 3rd

3

12th

Shot-creating actions

1

13th

Average rating

6.72

12th

As the table documents, while Rothwell may rank first in terms of pass completion percentage, he is simply not doing anything with this high volume of passes.

This is emphasised by the fact he’s recorded just 0.9 key passes per game in the Premiership and only four progressive passes in the Europa League, while seven players have notched more accurate passes on a per 90 basis, which isn’t ideal given that this is supposed to be his main attribute.

His lack of mobility in the middle of the park has also come under scrutiny.

Neil McCann, speaking on Sky Sports commentary during August’s 1-1 draw with St Mirren, asserted that he looked completely “cooked”, while Kenny Macintyre, speaking on BBC Sportsound, exclaimed that “Joe Rothwell… has looked knackered in every game”.

In short, the Englishman is offering very little either in or out of possession, which is hindering those around him, given that Raskin is putting in chaotic displays, feeling as though he has to do everything, with Brann’s third goal on Thursday underlining how easy this team are to play through.

So, ahead of a crucial run of games, Röhl will be desperate for Mohamed Diomandé to be fit enough to return, while any of Connor Barron, Lyall Cameron, or the aforementioned Aasgaard should complete the trio, as they’d all offer far more than Rothwell right now.

Röhl has plenty to ponder right now, it would have been a sobering flight back from Bergen this week, but one of his top priorities has to be getting the best out of Raskin, something Rothwell’s continued inclusion is certainly not doing.

Worse than Antman: Rohl must drop Rangers flop who's "nowhere near ready"

Glasgow Rangers manager Danny Rohl should drop this flop who was even worse than Oliver Antman.

ByDan Emery Oct 24, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

OBotafogo liga o sinal de alerta para encontrar uma nova rota rumo às vitórias. Como Bruno Lage terá tempo para treinos, nos próximos dias o técnico também tentará apontar onde a equipe vem se desajustando em campo.

O objetivo é deixar para trás o pior mês dos botafoguenses nesta edição do Campeonato Brasileiro. O Botafogo encerrou setembro colecionando derrotas nos três jogos (veja abaixo). Alguns fatores ajudam a mostrar onde os comandados de Lage patinaram.

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Di Plácido vinha em alta no decorrer do Brasileirão e vinha sendo uma válvula de escape ofensiva do Glorioso. Entretanto, no último mês atuou abaixo do esperado.

Contra o Flamengo, foi preterido para a entrada de JP Galvão. Nos demais jogos, se atrapalhou nos desarmes, deixou espaços e lidou com apuros. O gol de Paulinho na vitória do Atlético-MG foi por seu lado. No duelo com o Corinthians, perdeu tempo de bola e abriu caminho para Matheus Bidu fazer o cruzamento que culminou no gol de Gil.

TCHÊ TCHÊ SACRIFICADO

Por mais que Tchê Tchê seja um jogador abnegado e demonstre que está à disposição para atuar em qualquer setor, ainda é confusa a maneira como o treinador conta com o meio-campista. O camisa 6 foi articulador diante do Santos e, contra o Defensa y Justicia, pela Sul-Americana, foi ponta. No duelo com o Corinthians, a expulsão de Marçal levou o técnico Bruno Lage a fazer com que o jogador se desdobrasse.

Tchê Tchê atuou na sua posição de origem e, com a expulsão de Marçal, foi deslocado para a lateral esquerda. Com a saída de Di Plácido, tornou-se lateral-direito. O técnico também cogita escalá-lo ao lado de Gabriel Pires num 4-4-2.

CADÊ A CRIAÇÃO?

Os desempenhos ruins do Botafogo coincidem com a queda de rendimento de Eduardo. Além de ser marcado mais de perto jogo a jogo, o camisa 33 vem esbarrando em erros e na marcação adversária e não consegue ser incisivo.

Outro problema passa pela forma como Eduardo está isolado. Invariavelmente, o atleta recebe a bola e não tem um colega para tabelar e tentar uma investida mais clara. Em alguns momentos, Tiquinho Soares chegou a buscar a bola no meio de campo para tentar jogadas tanto contra o Galo quanto diante do Timão.

E A SOLUÇÃO DA DIREITA?

Passadas algumas rodadas, o Botafogo ainda tenta encontrar um atacante que dê mobilidade pelo lado direito. Luís Henrique foi lançado na partida contra o Corinthians, mas a expulsão contra o Corinthians acabou comprometendo as pretensões botafoguenses.

Júnior Santos entrou no decorrer do jogo e criou uma raríssima chance de perigo para a meta de Cássio. Porém, ainda é uma incógnita na titularidade. Matías Segovia também batalha por seu espaço.

O técnico Bruno Lage está ciente de que há situações a serem definidas.

– O sinal vermelho são as derrotas. Mas isso já tem vindo antecipar um pouco a equipe desde o início, quando eu cheguei. Quem está do outro lado, também estuda o nosso adversário. E não está a dar o espaço que nós criávamos. Nós temos que continuar a trabalhar e também jogar da maneira que é: ter o espaço para jogar, não ter espaço nas costas e, quando o adversário nos oferece o espaço, para construir – afirmou, após a derrota para o Corinthians.

O Botafogo volta a campo para encarar o Goiás no dia 2 de outubro, segunda-feira, no Nilton Santos. Com 51 pontos, a equipe tenta entrar em sintonia fina para se distanciar ainda mais na liderança do Brasileirão.

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MatériaMais Notícias

O Bahia anunciou, neste sábado (9), Rogério Ceni como novo técnico da equipe. O comandante tem contrato válido até dezembro de 2025 e substitui o português Renato Paiva, que teve saída polêmica do Esquadrão.

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A apresentação oficial de Ceni será na tarde de segunda-feira (11). O treinador chega a Salvador com o objetivo de livrar o Bahia do rebaixamento no Campeonato Brasileiro. A próxima partida do Tricolor de Aço é contra o Coritiba, na quinta-feira (14), às 20h (de Brasília), no Couto Pereira.

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Essa será a segunda passagem de Rogério Ceni pelo futebol nordestino. O técnico fez história no Fortaleza, onde conquistou a Série B, Copa do Nordeste e dois Campeonatos Cearenses. Ele também conseguiu títulos na passagem pelo Flamengo: Brasileirão, Supercopa do Brasil e Campeonato Carioca. O último trabalho de Ceni foi este ano no São Paulo.

In January 2023, when Anthony Gordon forced his way out and signed for Newcastle United in a £45m deal, Everton supporters were livid.

The Toffees were in the throes of a relegation battle, after all, and Gordon was one of their own, handed his big break after graduating from the academy and featuring 65 times in the Premier League for the club before buying a one-way ticket to Tyneside.

It was a blow, but Everton staved off relegation, and then, in 2024, welcomed Iliman Ndiaye to the fold from Marseille in a £15m deal, and that has certainly proved to add flair and potency to the flanks.

No player scored more goals than the Senegalese winger last season, whose combination of pace and skills quickly established him as a fan favourite. Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp marvelled that he brought a “dynamite” style to Goodison Park, while analyst Ben Mattinson noted that he “could play for any Premier League side”.

Everton Top Scorers 24/25 (all comps)

Player

Apps

Goals

Iliman Ndiaye

37

11

Beto

34

10

Dwight McNeil

24

5

Abdoulaye Doucoure

31

4

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

26

3

Michael Keane

31

3

Data via FBref

Any frustration around Gordon has long since passed, but this football club have a deep connection with their academy ranks, and might find a new homegrown hero, having welcomed a few to the senior stage over the years.

Everton's best academy graduates

Where else to start but with Wayne Rooney? One of the Premier League’s all-time greats, Rooney was handed his professional debut by Moyes during the manager’s iconic first tenure on Merseyside, starting with a bang and then signing for Manchester United for £30m when he was still only 18.

How the Toffees would like their next version of the Three Lions legend to join their ranks from Finch Farm.

There have been more, Leon Osman being a case in point. The 44-year-old was more of an unsung hero, a versatile midfielder, but he racked up 433 appearances for Everton and served dutifully for Moyes during his first term in office.

Ross Barkley was slated as Rooney’s natural successor, so impressive was his start to life at Goodison Park. Barkley came and went, and then Gordon did too, but Everton still seek their next big star from the youth ranks.

And though such talents are few and far between, Moyes might have a versatile attacking talent at his disposal who might even cause Jack Grealish to cast a glance over his shoulder.

Braiden Graham could be a star for Moyes

Grealish has made quite the start to his new career on Merseyside, having joined on loan from Manchester City this summer after falling from grace at the Etihad.

Four assists from as many matches and the Premier League Player of the Month award to boot emphasise just how impressive a start to this new chapter it has been for Grealish, so much so that he has moved Ndiaye out onto the right flank, a role he performed just once last season, and three times already in 2025/26.

It would take a special talent indeed to displace the silky Three Lions star, but Everton might just have such a player rising to the fore in 17-year-old Braiden Graham, who completed a move from Linfield in Ireland to Everton in July 2024, when he was only 16.

It would take only a couple of months for Graham to earn his first professional contract, proving to Everton his capacity to score and to assist across a number of attacking berths after ex-Linfield boss David Healy hailed his “incredible” potential.

Braiden Graham: Everton Stats by Position

Position

Apps

Goals (assists)

Attacking midfield

8

6 (1)

Centre-forward

5

2 (2)

Left winger

4

3 (1)

Right winger

2

1 (0)

Centre-midfield

2

0 (0)

Stats via Transfermarkt

He scored eight goals across only 12 matches in the U18 Premier League last season, assisting two goals too, thus earning a promotion to the Premier League 2, nestled right underneath the big time.

At 17, he wouldn’t have been expected to offer more than support as he cut his teeth among older hopefuls, but eight games later, the Irish talent had five goals and an assist to his name. All told, 13 goals in all competitions last year saw him rise above Ndiaye as Everton’s top goalscorer, albeit at a lower level.

The fanfare is real, and Moyes will no doubt be interested in handing him a senior shot this season, perhaps in a domestic cup against lesser opposition, should the opportunity arise.

The right-footed teenager is still working out his best position, but he seems at his most fluent and dangerous when coming off the left flank and into the danger area, fearless on the ball and endowed with natural strength and balance.

His physical development continues to be the biggest hurdle yet to be leapt over, but that’s only natural given his age. Praised as “a good finisher” by Everton U21 boss Paul Tait, that advantage in goalscoring could see him offer something excitingly different to Grealish, who has never really been clinical in front of goal.

Grealish appears to be the cream of the crop right now, but Everton have got a whole load of creative forces who weren’t there af few years back.

What still appears lacking is a range of goalscoring threats. Up top, Beto currently lacks the clinical edge that comes to him in bursts, and Thierno Barry is unrefined within the English game.

Graham is a player who has the lot: goals, assists, pace, power, smarts. Whether he can transfer his youthful flair to the senior stage remains to be seen, but there’s little question that if he keeps going from strength to strength, he will come knocking on the 29-year-old Grealish’s door, with sights set on claiming that left-sided spot and adding a new dimension to Everton’s frontline.

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Ruben Amorim has been brutally told that he "bluffed his way into a job" at Manchester United, with his gift of the gab allowing a prominent Premier League post to be secured. The Portuguese tactician, after impressing in his homeland with Sporting, was handed the reins at Old Trafford in November 2024. A baptism of fire in English football has been endured since then, leading to plenty of uncomfortable questions being asked.

• Man Utd stumbled out of the blocks in 2025-26

  Amorim is facing more of those at present, with United stumbling out of the blocks again in 2025-26. They could only muster a 15th-place finish last season, while also suffering defeat to Tottenham in the Europa League final and missing out on qualification for continental competition. Through six fixtures this term, the Red Devils have seven points to their name.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Humbling defeats & formation questions for Amorim

  Amorim has come in for criticism, having suffered a humbling Carabao Cup defeat at League Two side Grimsby, and refuses to change his ways when it comes to a 3-4-3 system that many believe United lack the players to fit. He has been backed in the transfer market, but little return is being seen on that investment. Red Devils legend Wayne Rooney is among those to have aired concerns regarding the direction in which 13-time Premier League champions are heading.

• Did Amorim talking himself into Man Utd job?

  Former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood, who won the English top-flight title as a player with Blackburn, shares that opinion. He has told of United’s struggles under Amorim: "It looks like they are emulating that season again. All of a sudden to be challenging for the title, that’s not going to happen. But we need to see gradual improvement. When I’m asked ‘Is he under pressure?’, I always said ‘no’. I feel like he should be, but I don’t think he is. I think they will give him this season, I really do.

  "He has already been in the job a year, we have seen no improvement. He keeps talking about the three at the back, we have talked about different personnel coming in, playing staff. He has had the windows to bring the players in. Perhaps he hasn’t got what he wants. How many more windows are we going to give him and when are we going to see an improvement – even gradual? We aren’t seeing anything.

  "What we are seeing is a man who sticks his chest out, certainly in the press conferences. When I see him on the touchline, he has got his head down, he was hiding in the dugout at Grimsby. But when I see him in front of the press, he fronts it up – he looks and he talks brilliantly. He has probably talked so well that he has bluffed his way into a job there at Man United because we’re not seeing anything.

  "He has done very well in Portugal, a lot of managers do very well in Portugal – it’s an inferior league to the Premier League. You can build sides on the job, you have three or four games in Portugal that are really competitive, the other times you can just play and experiment with different formations. You can’t do that in the Premier League. You do that in the Premier League, you come unstuck. And that is what he’s been doing. Since he has been at the football club, 34 points in 33 games, it’s not good enough, it’s relegation form."

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  International reset: One more game before next break

  Sherwood has previously accused Amorim’s United of looking "clueless", with questions being asked of what he is doing on the training ground to get his squad ready to deliver on a remit that has been in place for several months now.

  The Red Devils came unstuck at Brentford in their latest fixture, with club captain Bruno Fernandes missing a penalty in a demoralising 3-1 defeat. United have just one more game to take in before the next international break, during which another reset button could be hit, with Amorim and Co set to play host to newly-promoted Sunderland on Saturday.

“The difference between Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill is that Gill will take you right till the end,” Sanjay Manjrekar says

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Feb-20254:30

Manjrekar: There’s an air of dominance around Gill

Shubman Gill is a ” [one for the long haul]” and batting at just 60% is enough for him to score a century like he did in India’s Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh. This is the assessment of Sanjay Manjrekar, who also feels that Gill gives the impression of being someone who will be around for a further 10-15 years while Shreyas Iyer doesn’t.”He [Gill] is batting at the right position to make a huge impact. When he gets a hundred, like today, it seems like there is plenty left in the tank,” Manjrekar said on ESPNcricinfo Match Day. “It was like 60% of Shubman Gill is enough to get a hundred like this and he stays till the end. That is the difference between Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill that Gill will take you right till the end. He is somebody who you think is going to be around for 10-15 years. Shreyas Iyer, despite his obvious talent, doesn’t give you that impression.”Gill finished unbeaten on 101 against Bangladesh and guided India in their chase of 229 in Dubai. He faced 129 balls and hit nine fours and two sixes in his knock and ensured India got home with six wickets and 21 balls to spare. One of his two sixes – a front-foot pull off Tanzim Hasan in the ninth over – went into the second tier of the stands at deep-midwicket.Related

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“Some of the shots he played, the good-length ball he hit and it went into second tier… the big game is at his beck and call,” Manjrekar said. “Can he be better in 50-over cricket as a batter? I don’t think so, what can be better than this?”In the company of Rohit Sharma, Gill started off quickly and raced to 26 off just 23 balls with four fours and a six by the time the first powerplay ended. But he slowed down when Bangladesh employed spin on a slowish track and kept an in-and-out field. He scored his slowest ODI fifty, off 69 balls, and then got to his hundred in 125 balls, the slowest for an India batter in ODIs since the 2019 World Cup. His ability to change gears impressed Manjrekar.”He’s got the class to do it [change gears],” he said. India are blessed with [a top three] who are also Test batters, so they can play different gears. Yashasvi Jaiswal, when he comes in eventually, is also a Test batter. So if the ball is swinging around in overseas conditions, they have the ability to see the new ball through and then handle the various situations. Shubman Gill is that kind of a player, he is not one-dimensional, he has all the gears and we saw him do that today as well. He is a guy at the top of his 50-over-cricket prowess and he does it very calmly. There is an air of dominance and surety with the way he bats and finishes games.”Shubman Gill dug deep for his slowest ODI hundred•AFP / Getty ImagesFormer India legspinner Anil Kumble was impressed by the restraint Gill showed against spin. Bangladesh had offspinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz and legspinner Rishad Hossain, and Gill scored only 34 off the 56 balls he faces against them, hitting just the one four. But he took 28 singles that helped him tick along.”The other thing that was noticeable today was generally when he sees the offspinner he steps out and launches it over long-on, midwicket,” Kumble said. “He didn’t want to take the risk perhaps because of the pitch. He felt that that was the riskier option. Although Miraz is someone he would take on – we have seen it even in Test match cricket. He was constantly looking to just ease through and ensure he was there till the end. That was very noticeable even when the [required] run rate dropped a little bit.”Manjrekar agreed: “And also the ability to nick off singles, keep that scoreboard ticking. It is not that he plays the sweep shot a lot or the dab. He goes very traditional and loves to keep the bat straight. Even when he is playing the pull shot, the bat comes down very straight. A lot of his singles would be back-foot punches to long-on instead of playing just with soft hands. A guy who can get singles at will, can hit a six at will, has got a reasonably good defence for 50-over cricket, he’s the complete player at the moment.”2:30

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There would have been slight jitters in the Indian camp when they slipped from 112 for 1 to 144 for 4 in under eight overs but Gill kept his calm and saw the chase through, which earned plaudits from Kumble.”He’s been brilliant, especially in this format. The elegance and the ease with which he got that hundred on a difficult pitch,” he said. “I don’t think it was a true pitch where the ball was coming on nicely. It was on the slower side and you had to make adjustments, yet he was middling the ball and timing it so well.”The best part about Shubman Gill was he ensured he saw the game through. It was not like he wanted to get going, get runs [and get out], we have seen that before. That is the maturity he has brought into the game. Hope this is the start of a fantastic season for him and India, because when you play the first match in a tournament and you get a hundred not out and you are there till the end, it augurs well.”

أكد باو كوبارسي، مدافع نادي برشلونة، على أهمية الكلاسيكو المرتقب أمام ريال مدريد والذي تبقى عليه حوالي أسبوعين فقط، موضحًا أن هذه المباراة هي أعظم منافسة في كرة القدم.

ريال مدريد سوف يستضيف برشلونة يوم الأحد 26 أكتوبر المقبل على ملعب سانتياجو برنابيو، في قمة الجولة العاشرة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني.

وأجرى كوبارسي مقابلة مطولة مع صحيفة “آس”، وتحدث خلالها عن العديد من الأمور من بينها أنه سيكون قائدًا مستقبليًا لنادي برشلونة.

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وقال كوبارسي: ”الكلاسيكو هو أعظم منافسة في كرة القدم، كلنا نحلم بخوض هذه المباراة الحاسمة وغير المتوقعة سواءً كان أحد الفريقين أفضل من الآخر أو العكس”.

وأضاف: ”المباراة القادمة في الـ26 من الشهر، ستكون معقدة وصعبة، ورغم طول مدة الدوري الإسباني، إلا أن مباريات الكلاسيكو تحسم اللقب في أغلب الأحيان، ريال مدريد يمر بفترة جيدة لكنني أعتقد أن هذه الفترة ستكون جيدة لبرشلونة”.

وأوضح: ”نعم، كلنا نرغب في خوض الكلاسيكو، منذ أول مباراة لعبتها أدركت أنها مختلفة، والمباراة القادمة ستكون في البرنابيو الذي يتميز دائمًا بأجواء مميزة، وهو ملعب رائع للعب فيه وإذا فزنا، فسيكون ذلك أكثر متعة”.

وعن مستواه في نهائي كأس ملك إسبانيا الأخير بين برشلونة وريال مدريد: ”ربما تكون هذه واحدة من أفضل مبارياتي حتى الآن، ليس أنا فقط بل الفريق بأكمله أيضًا، لقد كانت مباراة نهائية رائعة، لأن ريال مدريد لعب بشكل جيد أيضًا، حسمت النتيجة في اللحظات الأخيرة وفزنا”.

وحول إمكانية أن يصبح قائدًا لبرشلونة في المستقبل: ”حسنًا، هناك المزيد من القادة المخضرمين الآن غير الكتالونيين، لكنهم يقدمون أداءً رائعًا كقادة، لا أفكر في ذلك الآن وأفكر في اللعب والفوز بالألقاب مع الفريق، لم أتحدث مع لابورتا عن هذا، ولكن إذا ما جعلوني قائدًا للفريق يومًا ما، فسأرتدي شارة القيادة بفخر”.

خسارة برشلونة الثقيلة ضد إشبيلية يوم الأحد الماضي بنتيجة 4-1: ”الخسارة دائمًا مؤلمة، ولكن عندما تكون بهذا القدر تكون أكثر إيلامًا، لكن علينا التركيز على الأخطاء التي نرتكبها في هذا النوع من المباريات لنتعلم منها، لا أن نكررها وبالتالي نمنع تكرارها”.

وواصل: “يطلب من المهاجمين المساعدة في الضغط وتبدو هذه المشكلة مألوفة لي، عانى منها ريال مدريد أيضًا ويحاول تشابي ألونسو إصلاحها، أرى أن المهاجمين لا يقبلون فكرة التضحية بأنفسهم من أجل الفريق كظاهرة شائعة بين الفرق الكبيرة، لا أراه كذلك بين الفرق الصغيرة”.

وقال: ”إذا كان الفريق قويًا فيجب أن يكون خط الدفاع الأول هو المهاجمون، فالفريق القوي يعتمد على الاتحاد والتكاتف لأن هذا ما يجلب الألقاب، في الفريق علينا جميعًا أن نبذل قصارى جهدنا، في الهجوم وفي الوسط وفي الدفاع، في برشلونة فعلنا ذلك الموسم الماضي وقد نجح الأمر معنا بشكل رائع، لذا علينا الاستمرار فيه”.

وأضاف عن مدرب برشلونة، هانز فليك: ”إنه مدرب ودود يحاول مساعدة اللاعب، ولكن عندما يضطر لبذل قصارى جهده يحفزنا بقوة، إنه يعرف كيف يحفز اللاعب”.

وعن المشاركة في كأس العالم لأول مرة العام المقبل: ”متحمس جدً، ومتحمس أيضًا للفوز بها، كأس ​​العالم بطولة رائعة وتمثيل إسبانيا واللعب مع المنتخب الوطني سيكون أمرًا رائعًا، ومع الزخم الجيد الذي لدينا ستكون المنافسة فيها أمرًا مذهلًا”.

ومدافع ريال مدريد دين هويسن: ”رائع مثل بقية لاعبي قلب الدفاع في إسبانيا، شراكة راموس وبيكيه مهمة للغاية، لكن هويسن وأنا لدينا طموح للتطور وكلانا نرغب في الوصول إلى أبعد مدى”.

والمقارنة بين ثنائي ريال مدريد، كيليان مبابي وجود بيلينجهام وكيف عانى بسببهما: ”مراقبة كلاهما صعب، لأن مبابي يتحرك بسرعة كبيرة ويهاجم المساحات ببراعة، لا تتوقع من بيلينجهام أن يكون لاعبًا مهاجمًا لأنه يأتي من العمق، من الخط الثاني لكنني أعتقد أن مبابي، لأنه سريع، ينهي الهجمة من لمسته الأولى وقادر على التسجيل”.

وعن أسطورة برشلونة، جيرارد بيكيه، اختتم كوبارسي: ”تبادلنا بعض التحيات، لكنني لم أتحدث معه كثيرًا، في الحقيقة بيكيه يتمتع بخبرة كبيرة”.