Barcelona star Joan Garcia has come under fire on social media after his costly mistake was instantly punished by Alberto Reina's stunning 40-yard strike for lowly Real Oviedo. The goalkeeper was drawn out of his box by a long ball over the top and just when it looked like he had dealt with the danger, his wayward pass was pounced upon by the Oviedo midfielder to give them a 1-0 lead.
Garcia makes costly mistake for Barcelona
After Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford twice went close for Barca, Raphinha hit the post, and Ronald Araujo was well denied by Oviedo stopper Aaron Escandell, the hosts – who were in the relegation zone – took the lead in remarkable fashion. Reina scored a goal of the season contender with a long-range strike in the 33rd minute as he made Garcia pay for his sloppiness at the back. And fans on social media didn't hold back in mocking the summer signing.
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Fans tear into Garcia after error
@fran_navarr0 wrote on X: "Joan García is an outstanding goalkeeper, but with his feet, he plays worse than me. XXL blunder going out so far to gift it, and Oviedo doesn’t forgive, 1-0."
@Jnr_Marcelo12 posted: "What a nice assist from Joan Garcia. Kudos."
@al__varo77 commented: "The most funniest goal I’ve ever seen. Real Oviedo takes the lead."
@a_derll put: "But what will even make you shoot from this point. Real Oviedo what are you cooking?" and @Ebon_808 added: "Joan Garcia hype lasted 5 games."
Barcelona under pressure to catch rivals Real Madrid
Going into this game at Carlos Tartiere Stadium on Thursday night, Barcelona's bitter rivals Real Madrid held a five-point cushion over Hansi Flick's side, although they have played an extra game. The defending La Liga champions cannot afford to let Los Blancos get too far ahead in this title race, particularly with Xabi Alonso's team looking so potent this season. The Blaugrana will hope Garcia's errors this term are few and far between.
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Busy period for Barcelona continues
Barcelona are set to play three times in less than a week. After this match with Oviedo, they host Real Sociedad in the Spanish top-flight on Sunday evening. Then, they entertain Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain on October 1, before travelling to Sevilla four days later. This could be an exhausting stretch for the Catalan outfit.
Following the departure of Hamza Igamane, Rangers have reportedly entered advanced talks to sign an instant replacement for their star man before the deadline.
Latest on Rangers' transfer targets
It’s been an incredibly frustrating start for Russell Martin at Ibrox and the former Southampton boss only had his misery compiled by Igamane’s exit earlier this week. After the forward refused to come from the bench for the Gers in their draw against St Mirren, his departure seemed inevitable and that proved to be the case when LOSC Lille came swooping in.
Finding a replacement for Igamane will not be a routine task, but it is one that the Gers must complete before Monday’s deadline. Just who emerges as the ideal candidate is the big question.
Already, names like Youssef Chermiti have been mentioned and he looks set to make the move to Glasgow. At 21 years old, the Portuguese forward is full of potential even after a difficult run at Everton. And, as we’ve seen all summer, Martin is often keen to welcome reinforcements from English football.
Of course, whoever comes in must hit the ground running. The last thing that Martin needs is another struggling star given how the pressure is already mounting.
After a 9-1 humiliation across two legs against Club Brugge and a difficult start in the Scottish Premiership, questions are already being asked of Martin and ones that he’d have liked to avoid so early into his tenure.
He told reporters after exiting the Champions League on an evening to forget: “To the fans, I have nothing but an apology. I’m very sorry they had to witness that. It’s humiliating and it’s painful. There’s disappointment and hurt that they’ve had to go through that.”
Rangers in advanced talks to sign Diakite
As reported by Afrik-Foot, Rangers are now in advanced talks to sign Oumar Diakite from Stade Reims. The 21-year-old forward could be an addition with Chermiti and a replacement for Igamane. Like the Everton forward, however, the Ivory Coast ace is a player who is yet to reach his full potential and may not hit the ground running at Ibrox.
Rangers tipped to hire Russell Martin replacement in "box-office" move
The tactician is already attracting huge criticism.
2 ByEmilio Galantini Aug 30, 2025
The Stade Reims attacker managed just four goals in all competitions in the last campaign and would be filling the role of Igamane, who managed as many as 16 goals for Rangers in all competitions. Replacing that quality has already been an issue for Martin, but there’s no guarantee that Diakite would be the solution for that problem.
League stats 24/25
Diakite
Igamane
Minutes
1,628
1,976
Goals
4
12
Assists
1
1
With the Igamane money to spend, the chance is certainly there for the 49ers to welcome a key addition before Monday’s deadline. But they must spend it wisely. Martin needs a proven, consistent goalscorer and not a gamble. Nonetheless, if reports are anything to go by, then Diakite could be an unexpected option to reignite Rangers’ frontline this summer.
رد إكرامي الشحات، حارس الأهلي السابق، على أنباء عرض نادي بيراميدز زوج نجلته رمضان صبحي للبيع خلال الفترة القادمة.
وقال إكرامي خلال تصريحات عبر برنامج “اللعيب” على قناة “إم بي سي مصر”: “الكلام الذي يتكتب على السوشيال ميديا 90% منه كذب”.
وأضاف: “هل بيراميدز الذي قام بتجديد عقد رمضان صبحي ثلاث سنوات ويعالجه يريد بيعه! هذا كلام هري”.
طالع.. رسميًا | بيراميدز يتخذ قرارًا جديدًا بشأن رمضان صبحي وأسامة جلال
وتابع: “أريد أن اتحدث في نقطة، هناك لاعب خرج في تصريحات عن رمضان صبحي، في الأيام الماضية، أقول له عيب، أنت كنت لا تستطيع أن تتكلم بهذا الشكل وهو معك في الفريق (وهو بيحط عليك في الفريق)”.
وأتم: “عيب أن يطلع يتكلم على الكابتن بتاعه بالأسلوب ده، وانت أصلا لاعب قليل أنك تطلع تتكلم على الكابتن بتاعك بالاسلوب ده، الله كريم خليك في نفسك”.
تجدر الإشارة إلي أن لاعب الأهلي السابق وسيراميكا كليوباترا الحالي، كريم نيدفيد، هو من كان تحدث عن رحيل رمضان صبحي من الأهلي مؤخرًا، لمطالعة تصريحاته كاملة من هنا).
A weakened Australia put up a good fight, but India’s experienced hands helped seal a chase of 265 with 11 balls remaining
Karthik Krishnaswamy04-Mar-20251:55
Kumble: Kohli always in control during chases
Dubai will host the final of the Champions Trophy, and India will be in it, after proving their edge over a weakened Australia side in an absorbing first semi-final. Their win wasn’t achieved without a fight, however, and Australia may yet look back on several moments that could have moved the contest in other, tantalising directions.In the end, India’s quality and experience made the telling difference, and the member of their line-up who most embodies those words was a central figure. Virat Kohli had made one of his trademark chase-controlling hundreds earlier in the tournament, against Pakistan, and seemed set for another here, only for an uncharacteristic attempt at a big hit to cut his innings short at 84. By then, however, he had passed 8000 runs in ODI chases, and whittled this one down to a more-than-manageable 40 off 44 balls.Related
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Steven Smith as captain: a litany of what-ifs
They only needed 33 of those balls, as KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya all but sealed the deal before the latter departed with India one hit away. And as in a similar chase during the Chennai World Cup game between these sides in 2023, it was Rahul who finished things off, this time with a six over long-on off Glenn Maxwell.Rahul and Hardik hit five sixes and three fours between them, but even that late spurt didn’t take India’s boundary count (16 fours and seven sixes) past Australia’s (20 and eight). Their win, instead, was built on busy-ness: they only faced 124 dots to Australia’s 153, and ran 158 of their runs between the wickets to Australia’s 129.As much as this was down to the way Kohli and his colleagues – five other India batters got past 25 – moved the ball into gaps and ran, it was also down to the difference in quality between the two bowling attacks, particularly the spinners. India’s spinners ended the game with a collective dot-ball percentage of exactly 50, and Australia’s just over 39.India stuck with their four-spinner strategy on a bone-dry pitch that promised plenty of turn, but as it happened, the surface was merely slow and low. India’s spinners didn’t necessarily have the means to run through the opposition, but they exerted far better control than their Australian counterparts, keeping the stumps in play and restricting the batters’ scoring areas.2:22
Kumble: ‘Rahul showed what he’s capable of with his innings today’
For all that, Australia threatened at various points to run away to a 300-ish total after choosing to bat, and three of their batters played innings that could have been match-winning on another day. All three, however, fell just when they seemed at their most dangerous, and all three had a hand in their own dismissals.Travis Head, put down by Mohammed Shami off his own bowling in the first over of the match, took a while getting to grips with the slowness of the surface, but peppered the boundary once he did, rushing from 1 off 11 balls to 39 off 32 to give India flashbacks of Ahmedabad 2023. Then, facing his first ball from Varun Chakravarthy in any format, including the IPL, he aimed big down the ground and miscued a wrong’un to long-off.Then Steven Smith, manipulating his bat face brilliantly to whisk the spinners over midwicket, drive them through the covers or launch them straight, made a smart, proactive 73, putting on half-century stands with Head, Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey. He too enjoyed slices of luck; Shami put down a return catch off him as well, though with his left rather than right hand, and Axar Patel made him inside-edge a drive on to his stumps only for the bails to stay put.But with Australia 198 for 4 in the 37th over, Smith stepped out to try and drill Shami between cover and mid-off, only to lose his shape and miss a full-toss that crashed into the base of off stump.Five balls later, Australia had lost another key wicket, with Glenn Maxwell following up a slog-swept six off Axar with a missed pull off a stump-bound skidder. The game had swung India’s way in the matter of minutes.Alex Carey played an innings that left viewers asking for more•ICC via Getty ImagesCarey was still there, though, and he was, perhaps, playing the innings of the match to that point. Coming in at a tricky juncture – Australia were 144 for 4, and Ravindra Jadeja had just sent back Labuschagne and Josh Inglis in quick succession – he counter-attacked, picking vacant spots in the outfield and attacking them with no half-measures. His first boundary, off the sixth ball he faced, set the tone, as he backed away to expose all three stumps and create room to loft Jadeja over mid-off – the length didn’t quite allow him to middle the shot, but he went through with it in the knowledge that there was no fielder patrolling that boundary.In that vein, through sweeps, lofts over the covers and reverse-sweeps, Carey had motored to 60 off 56, but just when it seemed imperative for him to bat through the innings, with Australia seven down in the 47th over, he turned around for a risky second run and was caught well short by a brilliant direct hit from Shreyas Iyer two-thirds of the way back at backward square-leg.All these moments added up to Australia being bowled out for 264, with three balls remaining.It was the kind of total that allowed India to pace their pursuit and not go searching for boundaries, though the early exchanges suggested otherwise.Shubman Gill danced down the track to put Ben Dwarshuis away with an eye-catching short-arm jab, before inside-edging on to his stumps later in the over while trying to steer him fine, perhaps an injudicious shot in these conditions.Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, went after the bowling as he usually does in the first powerplay, and played an innings that somewhat echoed Head’s: there were a couple of breath-taking hits, including a pulled six off Nathan Ellis; there were two dropped chances, neither entirely straightforward, but both catchable, by Cooper Connolly and Labuschagne; and then a dismissal off a risky shot, a sweep off a too-straight, too-full ball from Connolly.That left India 43 for 2 in the eighth over, and Connolly was finally able to breathe after a torrid match to that point. Earlier in the day, opening in place of the injured Matthew Short, whom he had replaced in Australia’s squad, he had fallen for a nine-ball duck that also included six successive plays-and-misses off Shami.1:22
Agar: Australia building more depth a big positive despite loss
Connolly could have had even more joy in his sixth over, when Kohli, looking to work his left-arm spin into the on side, sent a leading edge looping towards Maxwell at a catching short cover. Maxwell dived right, but couldn’t hold on to the one-hander. With Kohli on 51 and India 134 for 2, Australia could have had a foot in the door had this moment gone their way.That apart, though, Kohli was making things look deceptively easy, playing nothing but old-fashioned percentage shots but somehow scoring quicker than Iyer – who was moving around his crease constantly, often to scoop the ball over his shoulder – in a third-wicket stand of 91. Kohli only hit five fours in all – two pulls off the spinners and one off Ellis were particularly eye-catching for the speed of his footwork – but had no trouble in keeping the scorecard moving.This was partly down to Australia being forced to concede singles to deep fielders thanks to the limitations of their spin attack, which included one proven frontliner in Adam Zampa, a legspinner playing just his fourth ODI in Tanveer Sangha, and three batting allrounders or part-timers in Connolly, Maxwell and Head. Given the total he was defending, too, Smith had to protect the boundaries, and allow the singles to drip away while waiting for an opening.This came when Iyer, making room to cut, was bowled by Zampa’s quicker ball, leaving India needing 131 from 142 balls. They were still heavy favourites, though, given their batting depth. They settled into the seeming pattern of Kohli looking to bat through the chase with Axar – batting in his now-customary No. 5 slot – and then Rahul taking on the bowlers at the other end in partnerships of 44 and 47.Just when things were going exactly to plan, and just when a century seemed to be Kohli’s for the taking, he fell in the most un-Kohli-like manner. Rahul had hit Zampa for a straight six earlier in the over, and India were well in control of their required rate. It isn’t usually the kind of moment Kohli picks to try and hit a six, but it was on this day. He picked the wrong’un, but the ball likely turned less than he expected, and forced him to hit straighter than intended, straight to the fielder at long-on. Kohli may be the world’s most exacting calibrator of chases, but even he’s given to the odd human impulse.
Doggett signs for his fourth BBL club on a two-year deal while Jewell is set to leave Hurricanes on the final day of the player movement window
Tristan Lavalette05-Feb-2025
Brendan Doggett sends one down in the nets•Getty Images
Melbourne Renegades have further bolstered their pace stocks after landing free agent Brendan Doggett, while the club’s shake-up is set to continue with Hobart Hurricanes’ title-winning opener Caleb Jewell poised to sign with them before the BBL’s new player movement window ends on Thursday.Doggett, who was part of Australia’s squad during part of the recent India Test series, has played the past two seasons with Adelaide Strikers, but only claimed three wickets in six matches in BBL 14. He had previously played four seasons with Sydney Thunder after having started his career at Brisbane Heat.His signing comes on the back of Renegades securing left-arm quick Jason Behrendorff on a three-year deal after Perth Scorchers were not able to guarantee him a contract.Related
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“Brendan is an exciting addition to our squad, he’s a skilful fast bowler with ability to execute under pressure and take important wickets,” Renegades general manager James Rosengarten said. “We believe Brendan will play an important role for us. To pair him up with Tom [Rogers], Jason, Adam [Zampa] and Will [Sutherland], we believe we have a powerful bowling unit that boasts variety and the very highest-end talent.”After missing out on the finals for the fifth time in the past six seasons, Renegades have also looked at shoring up their top-order batting. ESPNcricinfo understands that Jewell is set to be released from his Hurricanes contract and take up a deal with Renegades. He played a key role in Hurricanes’ championship campaign, complementing breakout opener Mitchell Owen in an anchoring role.Owen extended his contract with Hurricanes through to BBL 17, while free agent Tim David is expected to re-sign after significant interest from Melbourne Stars. Hurricanes, however, are believed to not have offered a contract to legspinner Peter Hatzoglou. He only took one wicket from six matches this season, but was relatively economical and did play through their finals campaign.ESPNcricinfo understands left-arm seam-bowling allrounder Hayden Kerr is set to re-sign with Sydney Sixers on a two-year deal having had considerable interest from several teams, including Stars.Kerr started his BBL career with Sixers in 2019-20 and has been a mainstay of the side since his breakout in BBL 11, highlighted by clubbing 98 not out as an opener against Strikers in the Challenger final. He took nine wickets from ten matches this season.Free agent D’Arcy Short is expected to re-sign with Strikers, but the club is believed to be still weighing up their batting options. The veteran averaged 23.50 with a strike rate of 135 from nine matches in various roles in Strikers’ batting-order.Caleb Jewell is set to leave Hurricanes for Renegades•Getty Images
Meanwhile, left-arm quick Joel Paris has returned to Scorchers, his original BBL club, after signing a one-year deal. Paris was Scorchers’ primary target to replace Behrendorff and he will rejoin the club he played for from BBL 5 through to BBL 10. He finished the latest BBL season strongly and helped Stars make an unlikely finals appearance.”We identified the need for another new-ball bowler and saw this as a great opportunity to bring Joel back to Perth,” Scorchers high-performance boss Kade Harvey said. “Joel had a strong BBL14 season for the Stars, bowling a lot of his overs during the powerplay. We also like having a left-arm pace bowler in the squad.”He’s an excellent leader and has been an enormous contributor for WA over many years, so we’re looking forward to having him throughout the whole summer.”Scorchers’ former captain Mitchell Marsh is still out of contract but appears likely to remain with the team despite interest from both Melbourne clubs.In another development, Stars general manager Blair Crouch has stood down after four seasons in the role. Stars appear set to reshape the general manager role to remove the cricket high-performance and list-management element from the job having hired former Australia fast bowler Clint McKay as T20 high-performance manager last year.
Big picture – Pakistan vs New Zealand is the ideal final match-up
It’s rare for a tournament final to be a dry run, but that’s almost what this Pakistan vs New Zealand game will be. There’s a trophy on the line in Karachi, five days before another Pakistan vs New Zealand game in Karachi – that is the big one, the opening game of the Champions Trophy. In that sense, when this tri-series was planned, this was the final that would have made the most sense, if you’d asked anyone bar, perhaps, South Africa.New Zealand have comfortably been the team of the tournament so far, but Pakistan arguably come in on a bigger high, riding a wave after coming back from the dead to steal the second place on the table after an epic ODI chase against South Africa. The execution of the win was more satisfying than the fact that it happened. Two men in Pakistan’s middle order stringing together Pakistan’s third-highest ODI partnership – Mohammad Rizwan and Salman Agha put on a whopping 260 for the fourth wicket, masterfully pacing a chase while seemingly not playing a single shot in anger. Most notably, it will allay fears of an over-dependence on Fakhar Zaman up top if the middle order can find a way to stand up for itself more regularly, balancing Pakistan’s batting line-up ahead of the Champions Trophy.Related
Stats – Pakistan's first 350-plus chase, Rizwan-Salman's record partnership
Williamson hails 'outstanding' Conway after record partnership
But Pakistan’s death bowling remains a cause for concern. They conceded 98 in the final six overs against New Zealand, and 87 in the final seven on Wednesday against South Africa. On both occasions, one man in a purple patch took the attack to them – the fast bowlers in particular. It was Glenn Phillips one day, Heinrich Klaasen the next. It keeps New Zealand in the game till late, knowing they can catch up against a bowling line up that has revealed it it vulnerable.New Zealand have just about played two perfect games, with control the key feature of their performances. There is a calm this side exudes when it appears a passage of play is going against them. They didn’t panic when they weren’t quite at the run rate they wanted to be against Pakistan until deep in the innings, keeping their ammunition dry until the opportunity to use it presented itself. When Matthew Breetzke took them on at the death, they retained their composure, aware the target was still below par, and then made short work of it with a near faultless chase.Most notably, New Zealand have shown how to use spin as a leash for the opposition on these surfaces, and possess more experienced, more varied and, frankly, superior slower bowlers. Mitchell Santner has been in the middle of special run the last few months, and stifled Pakistan alongside Michael Bracewell, Phillips and Rachin Ravindra last week. They bowled 26 of the 47.5 overs through that innings, and while Pakistan’s spinners bowled a similar amount, they weren’t nearly as effective.It is a game with silverware up for grabs, and the group-stage rubber between the two next week inflates its importance rather than diminishing it.
Form guide
Pakistan WLWWW New Zealand WWLWWKane Williamson’s form is a warning sign for Pakistan, as well every side he comes up against in the next few days•Associated Press
In the spotlight: Fakhar Zaman and Kane Williamson
Fakhar Zaman‘s fireworks at the start have been integral to Pakistan’s hopes. When Zaman fell for a 69-ball 84 against New Zealand, Pakistan’s chase fell apart in Lahore, and his 28-ball 41 saw Pakistan fly to 91 in the first ten overs – their third fastest ten-over score in ODI history – against South Africa. It has gone some way towards replacing the hole left at the top by Saim Ayub’s injury, and given impetus to a side whose middle order doesn’t quite have the explosiveness to make up for any dawdling up top. On flat wickets where big totals will have to be put up and chased down, and with Fakhar key to Pakistan’s success in international tournament knockout games, his performance and the game’s outcome may well be very closely aligned.Kane Williamson followed up a half-century against Pakistan with an unbeaten hundred to vanquish South Africa. New Zealand haven’t played too many ODIs since the 2023 World Cup, but he appears to have picked up where he left off, on surfaces that are perfectly suited to his immense ability. He showed in the first game he could grind it out on a “tackier wicket”, as he put it, while picking the pace up on the flatter surface against South Africa. His legendary unflappability has handled far bigger occasions, with his current form not just a warning sign for Pakistan, but every side he comes up against in the next few days.
Team news: Rachin Ravindra won’t be rushed back
With Haris Rauf unavailable, Pakistan are unlikely to tinker with the side that got them to the final barring injuries.Pakistan (likely): 1 Fakhar Zaman, 2 Babar Azam, 3 Saud Shakeel, 4 Mohammad Rizwan (capt, wk), 5 Salman Agha, 6 Tayyab Tahir, 7 Khushdil Shah, 8 Shaheen Afridi, 9 Naseem Shah, 10 Mohammad Hasnain, 11 Abrar Ahmed*New Zealand coach Gary Stead said that Rachin Ravindra had experienced headaches after the blow to his head in the tri-series opening and though that has subsided, they don’t intend to rush him back into action, especially with his replacement Devon Conway filling in with aplomb. Fast bowler Lockie Ferguson, who had sustained a hamstring injury in the ILT20, has resumed training and is building up his intensity, with Stead saying that the team management will “look to have him playing in one of the next two games.”New Zealand (probable): 1 Devon Conway, 2 Will Young, 3 Kane Williamson, 4 Daryl Mitchell, 5 Tom Latham/Mark Chapman, 6 Glenn Phillips, 7 Michael Bracewell, 8 Mitchell Santner (capt), 9 Ben Sears/Lockie Ferguson, 10 Matt Henry, 11 Will O’RourkeThe Pakistan middle order came good on Wednesday, and will hope to cash in on the flat Karachi surface•PCB
Pitch and conditions
Karachi proved just as flat as Lahore on Wednesday, and the outfield was lightning quick, playing its part in the highest-scoring ODI in the previous game. It will be a warm, sunny day, with temperatures hitting up to 30 degrees.
Stats and trivia
Fakhar has scored 57, 114, 91, 55* and 0 in the five semi-final/final games he has played in white-ball international cricket. The first three went towards wins. Pakistan lost the other two.
Williamson became the fifth New Zealand batter to reach 7000 ODI runs on Monday, and is on the cusp of more run-scoring history: he is 148 away from becoming the first New Zealander to 19,000 international runs.
New Zealand have been in 12 finals of multi-team white-ball tournaments since 2000. Of these, they have won four and lost eight. What’s worrying is that the last of those wins came way back in 2005.
Barcelona’s 2-1 win over Real Sociedad was clouded by controversy as referee Alejandro Hernandez admitted he wrongly awarded the corner that led to Jules Kounde’s equaliser, goalkeeper Alex Remiro says. The Sociedad star labelled the error “a shame”, but also admitted his side’s poor defending played a role in their defeat.
Hernandez admits mistake in Barcelona’s comeback win
Barcelona’s comeback 2-1 victory over Sociedad hinged on a controversial moment. The referee admitted after the match that he wrongly awarded the corner that led to Kounde's equaliser. La Real, who had taken the lead in the 31st minute through Alvaro Odriozola, were furious as the Catalans used the momentum to complete the turnaround with Robert Lewandowski’s header in the second half.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportRemiro voices his frustration
Goalkeeper Remiro revealed in the mixed zone that the referee accepted his mistake: "I've also complained… We've spoken with Alejandro, with the referee, and he's accepted his mistake. It's more of a mistake for us to defend the corner poorly."
He added: "It's a shame, and VAR can't be used due to protocol, and I don't think it should be used either, because otherwise it would be outrageous. It's a fine line. Corner, and we were bad in that particular moment defending, and we need to correct it."
La Liga title race and relegation battle impacted
For Sociedad, the decision only deepens their struggles, sitting in 17th and battling for early-season points, this blow feels especially damaging. For Barcelona, however, the win was priceless, putting them back on top of La Liga after Real Madrid suffered a 5-2 loss against Atletico. Beyond the controversy, Flicks side were lifted by Lamine Yamal’s lively cameo, who came on in the 58th minute and assisted Lewandowski’s decisive goal.
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AFPNext fixtures for Barcelona and Real Sociedad
Sociedad will look to bounce back when they face Rayo Vallecano next weekend, needing points to move clear of the relegation zone. Barcelona, meanwhile, turn their attention to the Champions League, where they face Paris Saint-Germain in a high-stakes midweek clash that will test their defensive organisation and attacking fluidity.
O São Paulo acertou na última quarta-feira (14) a renovação de contrato do goleiro Young até o fim de 2026. O acordo ainda não foi anunciado oficialmente pelo Tricolor. O vínculo anterior do jogador, revelado nas categorias de base em Cotia (SP), ia somente até agosto. E sua permanência é uma vitória particular do técnico Dorival Júnior.
Desde março Young e seu estafe haviam encerrado as conversas com o clube do Morumbi pela renovação. O cenário era pouco inspirador para a promessa de 21 anos. Com a contratação de Rafael e ainda com Jandrei e Felipe Alves no elenco, era apenas a quarta opção para as metas são-paulinas.
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+ Lance! estreia nova marca e se reposiciona no mercado de mídia esportiva
Dono de passaporte europeu, o jovem estudava propostas para deixar o Tricolor. O destino mais provável era o futebol italiano, conforme o LANCE! chegou a revelar.
Tudo começou a mudar no início de maio. Jandrei sofreu um trauma na mão esquerda. E o revezamento para a reserva de Rafael, agora titular absoluto, foi bruscamente encerrado após os problemas de relacionamento do técnico Dorival Júnior com Felipe Alves, que acabou sendo afastado do cotidiano e só voltou a trabalhar com o grupo após pedir desculpas pelas faltas nos treinos e se recusar a viajar para Fortaleza (CE) com a delegação.
Pois bem. Jandrei voltou a treinar nesta quinta-feira (15), ainda com menos intensidade. Alves figura constantemente nas imagens divulgadas pelo clube dos treinos no CT da Barra Funda. Mas quem vem sendo relacionado para as partidas é Young, ao lado de outra promessa da base, Leandro. Parece ser algo definido pelo treinador. E que mostra o clima de despedida dos veteranos em detrimento dos jovens.
Conforme o L! revelou, o São Paulo apostava nas conversas internas de Dorival para convencer Young a assinar a renovação. À reportagem, fontes ouvidas confidenciaram que foi exatamente isso que aconteceu. O treinador expôs seus planos para o futuro para a posição a tendência é que Young assuma de vez o posto de reserva imediato do titular Rafael. Primeiro de forma esporádica, como agora, quando Jandrei estiver contundido ou impossibilitado de atuar. Depois de forma fixa a partir de 2024.
Young foi promovido ainda pelo técnico Hernán Crespo no início de 2021. Deste então, entre idas e vindas de volta para a base, parecia ter se estabilizado no posto de terceira opção são-paulina para suas metas. Algo que não cativou seu estafe, já que recusou investidas anteriores da diretoria para prorrogar o contrato.
O que muda agora? Tudo. Porque as saídas de Felipe Alves e Jandrei mexerão as peças no tabuleiro no final do ano. Ambos têm contrato somente até o final do ano e não devem ficar. Só com o novo intocável Rafael à disposição, os arqueiros vindos da base ganham mais espaço. E nada indica que serão buscadas contratações para a posição. Há a promessa disso aos representantes de Young. Promessas essas que pelo jeito eles acreditaram.
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Rio Ngumoha is the talk of the town after scoring a last-gasp winner for Liverpool at St. James’ Park on Monday night, thus preserving Arne Slot’s flawless start to the Premier League campaign.
‘Flawless’ perhaps conveys the wrong mood. Liverpool have been pressed against the ropes in each of their opening league fixtures this season, yet they have snatched victory against Bournemouth at Anfield and Newcastle United on Tyneside.
It wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that Slot’s side are tactically imbalanced at the moment, with the thrilling addition of British-record playmaker Florian Wirtz seeming to distort the team’s balance, and the defensive fragility of Ibrahima Konate and much change further providing Slot with food for thought.
And so talks are ongoing for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, with hope that he will sign before deadline day. Perhaps the 25-year-old’s arrival would add depth and another dimension at the rear to launch Liverpool back into a smoother rhythm.
However, there’s another top target who could. Indeed, Alexander Isak’s potential move to Merseyside remains one of the biggest stories as the market winds down.
The latest on Isak to Liverpool
Liverpool’s bid for Newcastle United striker Isak is going down to the wire, with the Magpies still yet to sign one centre-forward this summer – let alone two.
The Sweden international has made it perfectly clear he has no intention of staying at St. James’ Park beyond the transfer window (though how much power he has over that is another matter), but Liverpool will not follow up their rejected £110m offer from the start of August without encouragement from the Toon.
A PIF delegation extended an olive branch to the 25-year-old after Liverpool’s dramatic victory on Monday, but Isak has doubled down on his stance.
The ball, frustratingly, is in Newcastle’s court, for they cannot reasonably cash in on their talisman if they do not find and sign a replacement (or two).
With that in mind, FSG have identified the perfect alternative, and he might even prove to be a better signing for Slot’s side.
Liverpool ready D-day bid for Isak alternative
If Liverpool do fail in their protracted bid to sign Isak, sporting director Richard Hughes won’t turn to an alternative centre-forward.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
That’s according to GIVEMESPORT. The publication have revealed that Liverpool are ready to make a deadline-day swoop for Real Madrid winger Rodrygo in the event that they miss out on Isak.
Rodrygo has been anticipated to leave Real this summer after struggles last season and signs of a diminished role under Xabi Alonso’s wing. Even with the La Liga giants open to the Brazilian’s departure, he has been priced at £76m.
Real Madrid's Rodrygo
Arsenal and Manchester City have shown interest of their own this summer, but the Gunners have signed Eberechi Eze this week and Pep Guardiola’s outfit look set to bar Savinho’s move to Tottenham Hotspur, thus jeopardising their move for Rodrygo.
What Rodrygo would bring to Liverpool
Liverpool sold Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich this summer, but Cody Gakpo has started the season strongly, scoring against Bournemouth and notching two assists at Newcastle. Ngumoha’s incredible emergence eases the need for a wide forward further.
But Rodrygo is a special player, and there’s no doubt that Liverpool could do with a little bit more to complete their frontline.
Given that the 24-year-old, who can play on both wings and as a frontman, managed to score 14 goals and provide 11 assists across all competitions last year, even though in a rut, Liverpool could strike gold in bringing him over.
And considering that he would cost less than Isak, maybe Rodrygo would even prove the better signing to make.
Isak is one of the best strikers in the world, and last year he scored 27 goals across all competitions as Newcastle qualified for the Champions League and won the Carabao Cup, with Isak scoring as Newcastle beat Liverpool at Wembley.
But Madrid’s tenacious wide forward has been remarked to be a “world-class superstar” by his former teammate Luka Modric, and boasts a wide-ranging skill set that appears custom-built for a top role in the Premier League.
Rodrygo’s clinical output over the past year has left plenty to be desired, no doubt about it, but there would be confidence that Slot could give rise to the £207k-per-week talent’s prolific side, while harnessing that ever-present underlying energy and application.
Goals
0.32
0.80
Assists
0.20
0.17
Shots taken
2.54
3.14
Shot-creating actions
4.75
3.07
Pass completion
85.8%
75.8%
Touches (att pen)
5.88
6.15
Progressive passes
4.72
3.00
Progressive carries
5.22
2.73
Successful take-ons
2.19
1.43
Isak and Rodrygo, two forwards of varying position and role, aren’t comparable in the strictest sense, but looking at their data when lined against one another underscores the reasoning behind a Liverpool bid for the latter.
To put it simply, Liverpool have hit the jackpot on Hugo Ekitike, whose £79m journey from Eintracht Frankfurt to Anfield has already yielded three goals and an assist from three matches. Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher has hailed the Frenchman’s “brilliant start”, and there are those who question the need for a record-breaking move for Isak after such an exciting addition.
Ekitike, 23, looks a real sensation in the making, and though it would be unfair to expect him to maintain his present output across the long and circuitous campaign, who can deny him his potential?
Hugo Ekitike scores for Liverpool
Might Isak inhibit that growth? Might the addition of the Scandinavian superstar threaten to disrupt the progress of a rising talent who has already found a degree of fluency in England that avoids so many foreign hopefuls as they wade in and look to make their name.
Rodrygo, however, could play across the frontline and thus add depth without disrupting the progress being forged at Anfield right now.
Make no mistake, Isak would be an incredible signing for Liverpool, but Rodrygo, cheaper and more positionally dynamic, is a world-class player himself, and he knows how to shape a team aiming for the top.
Bad news for Wirtz: Liverpool "ready to bid" for £120k-per-week "machine"
Liverpool are set to continue their heavy summer spending with a deal that could even hamper Florian Wirtz…
It was a hectic transfer deadline day for Aston Villa. Up until Monday, it has been a quiet summer at Villa Park in terms of incomings, but there was a flurry of late activity, which somewhat redeemed what the club had done in the 2025 summer window.
In total, Emery’s side made three last-minute signings, with one of those on a free transfer. Centre-back Victor Lindelof made the move to the West Midlands after his contract at Manchester United expired at the end of last season.
Versatile attacker Harvey Elliott left Liverpool for the Villans on a loan deal with an obligation to buy him imcluded for a fee of £35m.
The other signing made by Unai Emery’s side saw them sign another attacking player, Jadon Sancho.
What Villa can expect from Sancho
Villa’s new number 19 this season will be Sancho. The English winger will also join on a loan deal from Manchester United, although there is no buy clause in the move, with his contract at Old Trafford set to expire at the end of next season.
Once one of the most exciting wonderkids in world football, Sancho’s career somewhat stagnated at Old Trafford after a fallout with former manager Erik ten Hag. He has played for Borussia Dortmund over two spells and spent last season on loan at Chelsea.
The 25-year-old honed his craft in the Bundesliga, and Jamie Carragher said he was “one of the best young players at the moment in world football” at that time. His best season in that famous yellow shirt came in 2019/20, when he scored 17 goals and assisted the same number in just 32 Bundesliga games. He was scintillating for Dortmund.
Of course, the last few seasons have not been as prolific, but 15 goal involvements for Chelsea in 2024/25, including one in the Conference League final, were impressive.
There is no doubt that Emery would love to help guide the winger back to his very best at Villa Park.
Sancho set a trend in many ways by getting his footballing education abroad. We have since seen other young English stars follow in his footsteps, with Jude Bellingham perhaps the best example.
In fact, there is a former Villa player who is now emulating Sancho.
Carney Chukwuemeka is now emulating Sancho
Sancho certainly set a trend by moving to Germany at just 17 years of age, and Dortmund have become a club known for producing some of the best young talents. Well, one of their latest signings in that mould will be familiar to Villa fans.
21-year-old Carney Chukwuemeka was once regarded as “one of the best young players in England”, according to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol.
A Villans academy graduate, he made 16 appearances for the club, registering one assist for Ollie Watkins against Norwich City.
Villa didn’t get to see much of their talent before he moved away from the club.
Chukwuemeka joined Chelsea for £20m in 2022, which, in itself, is similar to Sancho, given the Englishman previously played for the Blues on loan.
After limited opportunities at Chelsea, the former Villans star switched to Dortmund on loan last winter and then on a permanent move over the summer. So far, he’s made 18 appearances across the two spells, scoring one goal.
Dortmund certainly platform young players well, because Chukwuemeka has thrived at the club, just as Sancho did during his two successful stints. The stats from his loan last season are a perfect example, with the Austrian-born midfielder boasting an average expected goal involvement tally of 0.8xGI per 90 minutes.
Chukwuemeka for Dortmund 24/25
Stat
Per 90 mins
Total
Key passes
2.7
10
Big chances created
0.8
3
Dribbles completed
2.2
8
Tackles & interceptions
3.8
14
Expected goal involvements
0.8xGI
2.93xGI
Stats from Sofascore
It might well sting Villa fans that they let a talent as good as Chukwuemeka slip through the net. With his limited opportunities at Stamford Bridge, he may have had a better chance at regular first-team football had he stayed in the West Midlands.
Despite that, he is now emulating Sancho’s career path, thriving at Dortmund just as the England international did. If their careers continue to mirror, perhaps he’ll be back at Villa Park before too long.
Aston Villa struck gold on "machine" who's worth more than Elliott & Sancho
Aston Villa have certainly hit gold on this unbelievable star, who is worth more than both new recruits Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho.