The Nerazzurri produced a truly heroic display at San Siro to dump Lamine Yamal & Co. out of the competition
Inter reached their second Champions League final in three years by beating Barcelona in the most extraordinary of circumstances, with Simone Inzaghi's side beating the Blaugrana 4-3 in Tuesday's second leg at San Siro to progress 7-6 on aggregate.
As in the two teams' first meeting at Montjuic, Inter went 2-0 up, with Lautaro Martinez breaking the deadlock before Hakan Calhanoglou doubled the hosts' advantage with a penalty just before the break. It was Barca, though, who looked certain to go through after second-half goals from Eric Garcia, Dani Olmo and Raphinha.
However, Inter threw Francesco Acerbi up front for the final few minutes and their 37-year-old centre-back netted a stunning injury-time equaliser. Davide Frattesi then put the Nerazzurri with his fine finish in the first half of extra-time and Inzaghi's men somehow hung on to claim victory in arguably the greatest Champions League semi-final tie every played.
Below, GOAL rates all of the Inter players on show at San Siro…
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Goalkeeper & Defence
Yann Sommer (7.5/10):
Sommer's insistence on punching away crosses is rather unsettling and he has to take his share of the blame for Raphinha's goal by giving the Brazilian two bites at the cherry. However, his point-blank save from Eric Garcia was extraordinary and how he managed to tip Lamine Yamal's goal-bound effort around the post with his fingertips only Sommer will know.
Yann Bisseck (5/10):
The German began brightly enough, using his physical attributes to good effect, but he always looked a liability in possession and Inzaghi was right to haul him off early.
Francesco Acerbi (9/10):
An absolutely Herculean performance from the veteran, who held Inter's creaking defence together before going up front to level the game in injury time with a finish that Lautaro would have been proud of. Truly inspirational stuff.
Alessandro Bastoni (8/10):
After some initial sloppiness, Bastoni grew into the game and made one sensational sliding tackle on Lamine Yamal during the first half, while also stepping out of defence whenever he could to help break the Barca press. Inter wouldn't have got over the line without him.
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Midfield
Denzel Dumfries (8/10):
Once again caused Barca all sorts of problems with his surges down the right flank and, given the damage he did in Barcelona, it came as no surprise to see the Dutchman, who was also solid defensively, set up the opener for Lautaro and the equaliser for Acerbi.
Nicolo Barella (7/10):
The multi-talented midfielder was by no means at his best. Indeed, he was caught in possession more than once. However, you just cannot fault Barella for effort. Never stopped running and carried a real attacking threat, testing Wojciech Szczesny with a couple of good strikes.
Hakan Calhanoglou (6/10):
Repeatedly recovered possession for Inter during the first half, while also showing nerves of steel to stick away his penalty. However, his passing, his supposed forte, was once again poor and he was subbed with just over 10 minutes of normal time to go.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan (6.5/10):
The Armenian's work-rate was fantastic and he also went close to scoring with one well-struck volley. He faded the longer the game went on, though, and was so fortunate to narrowly avoid giving away a penalty for a stupid tackle on Yamal.
Federico Dimarco (7/10):
After his horror-show at Montjuic, Dimarco was his usual dynamic self at San Siro before running out of steam. His tenacious tackling really upset Yamal, while he deserved the 'assist' for the game's opening goal, as he won the ball off Dani Olmo in midfield before splitting open the Barca backline with his clever pass to Dumfries.
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Attack
Lautaro Martinez (7/10):
A major injury doubt for the game but the captain not only started, he scored too, making no mistake after being presented with a gift-wrapped chance by Dumfries. Such a shame for Inter that he didn't have more than 70 minutes in him.
Marcus Thuram (8/10):
The Frenchman led the line superbly, holding the ball up brilliantly and bringing others into play, while also causing problems with his runs in behind. He was starved of service for nearly the entirety of the second half but he kept going and played a pivotal part in Frattesi's goal with a brilliant bit of play on the right flank.
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Subs & Manager
Carlos Augusto (5/10):
Came on 10 minutes into the second half and was immediately burned by Yamal. Was also caught in no man's land on Olmo's equaliser.
Mehdi Taremi (7/10):
Took over up top from Lautaro and created Frattesi's goal with a lovely lay-off in the area.
Matteo Darmian (7/10):
Part of a double-substitution with Taremi with 20 minutes of normal time to go and did well on the right-hand side of the back three, making some timely interceptions.
Piotr Zielinski (6):
Introduced in the closing stages of normal time and injected some much-needed energy into the Inter midfield.
Davide Frattesi (8):
Inter's super-sub once again made a massive impact off the bench with a wonderfully well-taken goal.
Stefan de Vrij (7):
Brought on for an exhausted Dumfries in the second half of extra-time and made a stunning clearance in the final seconds that drew a priceless foul.
Simone Inzaghi (8/10):
With Inter's ageing squad stretched to breaking point, the coach was forced to take a few gambles. Not all of them paid off but starting Lautaro and sticking Acerbi up front certainly did! An extraordinary achievement to knock out this Barca side over two legs.
West Bromwich Albion left it extremely late last time out to hand new manager Tony Mowbray his second win back at the Baggies helm.
The clock had already ticked all the way down to the 96th-minute mark by the time Jayson Molumby delivered a last-gasp sucker punch for Sheffield Wednesday to deal with, resulting in the home masses jumping for joy whilst the Owls away support cursed their luck as a dramatic 2-1 victory was sealed.
Sunderland's former manager Tony Mowbray.
Mowbray will hope these wins in the Championship keep coming after a topsy-turvy start to life back in the Hawthorns hot seat, with the likes of Tom Fellows no doubt key to his promotion-chasing side picking up more crucial victories as the season edges closer to some tense games.
Fellows and Maja's importance to West Brom
Indeed, Fellows – despite only being on the pitch for 23 minutes – managed to add another assist to his glittering resume versus Danny Rohl’s men, with his last-gasp corner perfect for Molumby who instinctively flicked an effort home.
That bumps up Fellows’ ever-growing assist count for the Baggies in league action this season to a hefty 11, with two goals also coming the homegrown talent’s way reinforcing how stellar of a campaign he is experiencing so far.
Tom Fellows celebrates for West Brom.
He is only topped in the West Brom ranks in terms of goal contributions by the injury-stricken Josh Maja, with the former Sunderland man boasting 12 goals and two assists himself before injury disaster struck.
Thankfully for Mowbray, the late loan addition of Adam Armstrong on transfer deadline day has eased this major blow somewhat, with the prolific EFL centre-forward helping himself to the opener against Wednesday before the carnage of Molumby’s winner ensued.
The West Brom player is now outperforming Maja & Fellows
West Brom have fallen victim to many top clubs poaching their young talents before they’ve fully bloomed over the years, with Morgan Rogers one that immediately springs to mind, having been a youth player at the Hawthorns for nine years until Manchester City swooped in.
This example actually involves Rogers’ current club, Aston Villa, with Finn Azaz relocating to nearby Villa Park in the summer of 2021 after making no senior appearances for his ex-employers.
Azaz didn’t gain any senior minutes in his new location, but it was a move to Middlesbrough last year that finally saw the 24-year-old really explode into life in the senior game in the second tier to the agony of his boyhood side.
Joining Michael Carrick’s men mid-way through the 2023/24 season from Plymouth Argyle didn’t end up fazing Azaz, as the 6 foot 1 attacker closed out his first mini campaign at the Riverside Stadium with a mightily impressive nine goal contributions from 20 league clashes.
Games played
29
Goals scored
8
Assists
9
Shots per game
2.8
Key passes per game
2.2
Big chances missed
4
Big chances created
8
He has come on leaps and bounds this season too with a staggering 17 goal contributions next to his name from 29 league appearances, leaving the likes of Maja and Fellows in the dust. It’s on that basis that they will surely regret losing him.
Carrick’s lavish praise of the 24-year-old for being the “whole package” last campaign now has even more substance behind it too, as Boro attempt to clinch a playoff spot courtesy of their star man’s typically captivating showings.
With Boro only three points behind West Brom in the current league standings, a fascinating tussle for a spot in the top six could soon take place, with Azaz wanting to presumably get one over on his ex-club to pile on even more pain for Mowbray and Co.
Mowbray could already have West Brom’s next Tom Fellows in “fantastic” teen
West Bromwich Albion could already have their next Tom Fellows in the making.
Ever wonder how MLS players adjust to new surroundings after trade? A cadre of team admins think about it all the time
Ian Harkes was halfway through cooking Thanksgiving dinner when he found out he had been traded. In truth, he knew it was coming. The previous few weeks had involved calls with agents and whispers from elsewhere. It was no secret that the 30-year-old midfielder could be dealt, and now he was on the move from New England to San Jose.
What he didn’t expect, though, was when the call would come.
“I was literally cooking our Thanksgiving meal, and I’m getting calls from our coach and our GM and everything,” Harkes told GOAL.
And in the public eye, that’s where the story ends. There are plenty of tales like that from around Major League Soccer, odd times to get moved, weird deals hashed out at the least convenient moment – at least from a player’s point of view.
But the real work starts after that: houses, flights, schools, insurance, hotel expenses, sometimes even learning a new language – not to mention meeting new teammates, coaches and learning a new tactical system. Many of those logistics are carried out by team administrators, a behind-the-scenes group who, team-by-team, keep the league ticking. They’re never in the spotlight, but the league simply cannot function without them.
“What I tell everybody here, including the players, is ‘You need to focus inside the field,’" FC Cincinnati Director of Player Welfare Rodrigo Frank told GOAL. “Once you get out of training or get out of a game, you should not be worried about anything, because we need to cover for those things. So the performance needs to be there. And there's no excuse.”
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‘There’s a lot going on’
As a principle, it makes sense. Professional soccer players are world-class athletes and tend to perform at the highest level week in, week out. But for all of that to happen, clubs have to provide a platform.
For some, that means one heroic individual, holding everything together – from big-name designated players to the guy at the end of the bench for an MLS Next Pro side. For others, that means a whole department for player welfare. Whether a solo operator or army of round-the-clock staff, though, the principle remains the same: footballers can’t be at their best without everything else taken care of – and they tend to need help for that.
And ahead of Wednesday’s transfer deadline, their role is even more important.
“There’s a lot going on. It’s a stressful moment for a player to move, and we need to do our job well,” Andre Zanotta, FC Dallas chief soccer officer, told GOAL.
The first thing that needs establishing is that no two roles are alike. Different clubs exist in different markets, with different facilities and different communities. Different players have different needs. It is not the same to be an administrator in Salt Lake City as it is in New York City. For the men and women doing the job, that can be part of the appeal.
“If it's Elijah Winder who signed this year from Louisville, like, those type of players are very easy, because it's like, ‘OK, here's a flight from Louisville to LA, here's a hotel room.’ Zlatan Ibrahimovic is different,” said Zack Murshedi, LA Galaxy’s senior manager of team operations.
For trades within the league, the principles are clear enough. Players have bank accounts, social security numbers, visas – all of the basics. They might have even moved before. Bouncing from one club to another is an occupational hazard of professional sports.
The league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement codifies it all. Players traded within the league are entitled to three weeks of hotel accommodation, $10,000 in moving expenses, and a decent per diem to ensure that they get settled in a new environment. Domestic players are also entitled to three months of rent reimbursement to cover costs for breaking leases.
International signings can be a bit more complicated. League rules are slightly different – although hotels, per diem, and basic help are all in place.
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‘It's basically setting up a whole new life’
The bigger picture is one of a network that weaves throughout the league. As soon as a player is traded, the administration of one club will coordinate with the other. In the case of Harkes, he was almost immediately put in touch with the people in San Jose. The same goes for any other deal: from minute one, they have to be ready to start the process.
“They need to find a place straight away,” Murshedi said, “and sometimes their families aren't here, so it's setting them up with contacts that I have made throughout the years to help them find a house, help them get cars. I mean, it's basically setting up a whole new life.”
Of course, there’s paperwork involved. Domestic signings tend to be pretty simple, MLS admins told GOAL: payroll, bank account, a few standard documents for the league, adherence to CBA standards, and that’s about it.
International signings, though, can get far trickier. First of all, the players need legal status in the United States. That means social security numbers, visas, work permits, a new bank account, and all of the trimmings that come with a global move. That largely falls on the people at the club to put together.
Most places have it pretty well figured out these days – although there can be some bumps in the road. Real Salt Lake – one of the league’s best-run departments, with eight full-time employees – has dealt with social security card wait times extended due to recent cuts made by the federal government. It used to be a 48-hour process. Now, things are different.
“With the amount of layoffs in the Social Security Administration, appointments are required. So it took us two to three weeks,” said Chase Rusden, director of team Administration at Real Salt Lake.
There can also be issues with marital status and families. Some foreign players get married in the time between when they are acquired and when they legally move to the States, if only to secure more stable paperwork.
“Very young players sometimes decide to get married at 19 or 20, because then the visa can be extended,” Zanotta said. “If he's not married, the partner cannot come. The players come on a certain visa that is allowed for a wife and kids, but not for a girlfriend.”
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‘I don’t know how I was gonna do it’
The face-to-face interactions tend to start at the airport. All clubs who spoke to GOAL said they send a team admin to the airport to greet new signings. FC Dallas, for example, puts together gift baskets with jerseys and merchandise for players and their families – something Zanotta described as a “good positive impact.”
But that’s where complexities and miscommunication can start. For admins, even the act of picking up a new player can lead to all sorts of headaches. A new player acquired by San Jose, for example, told the club that he would be arriving by himself – with maybe just a few bags. Instead, he showed up with a family of five and 12 suitcases.
Ricky Dorrego, one of the Quakes’ team administrators – and ever the diligent worker – made sure there were no issues.
“I had to get an Uber XL, send the bags with one person, and then drive the rest of the family,” he said. “Unless I had a 15-seater van and took out the back two rows, I don't know how I was gonna do it anyway.”
Admins talk of new signings walking into an arrivals lounge with just a backpack – assuming that luggage would be moved from an airport baggage claim by someone else.
“He left all his bags in the customs baggage area, and it took three and a half hours to get it because they had to screen it,” Dorrego said.
And for bigger names, it sometimes requires a bit more of a show. Murshedi was part of an extensive team pieced together to meet Ibrahimovic when he secured a high-profile move to Los Angeles. The striker flew in on a charter flight, was hurried into a van with blackout windows, and was met by hundreds of excited fans. He was in training the next day.
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‘He wants to get a house, so we make sure that we tell him where to get a house’
Some players show up with Zillow links. Others don’t have a clue. Harkes admitted that when he was traded, he and his wife had already identified numerous potential houses. In other cases, clubs have to do extensive housing tours – sometimes returning to multiple spots to make the right pick.
“We have a specific person who is almost kind of like a tour guide, taking players around saying ‘This is where players lived in the past. These are good apartments, this is a good place to live if you want a house’,” San Jose Earthquakes administrator Sean Mearns said.
But clubs are generally prepared. Most have dossiers on good neighborhoods with the best schools. There is an acceptance, too, that some players might wish to live further from the training ground or in a specific neighborhood. Players are often in conversation with each other about the ideal places to settle down.
And then there are the issues of making sure a home is liveable. Such was the case of FC Cincinnati and marquee signing Kevin Denkey, with Frank dealing with a nearly month-long process of moving in the MLS record transfer.
“He wants to get a house, so we make sure that we tell him where to get a house, the location to get a house,” he said, “And by the time he gets the house, what does he need in the house? The houses here do not come with furniture, like other places do. So let’s go shopping. And then you have him saying, ‘Well, I've never done that.’ So when you're here, you are doing bed, couch, chairs, table, everything.”
And yes, even professional athletes have sticker shock. NYCFC, in particular, are crystal clear with new signings about the expense of living in the country’s largest market.
“No matter how much preparation there is with informing the player of the intricacies of New York City, there is always a level of surprise,” Sam Pugsley, NYCFC vice president of sporting operations and strategy, said via email. “We try to mitigate this by being very direct and honest with certain things – i.e. apartment costs – from the very beginning to help manage those expectations and get them in a frame of mind before they arrive.”
There are further concerns. Public school systems, of course, coincide with neighborhoods. There might be a nice house, but in a spot that doesn’t offer the best educational support for a player’s children. Sometimes that needs explaining, too.
“It’s making sure you don't get them a house, and then they're all mad about the schooling system or the school they have to go to,” Dorrego said. “It eliminates some places that they were kind of favoring sometimes, because the schooling isn't as good.”
Kylian Mbappe's lawyers reportedly want UEFA to strip Paris Saint-Germain of their Champions League license over €55 million in unpaid wages.
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Mbappe wants €55m in unpaid PSG wages
Madrid star's lawyers "go on the attack"
Want French side's UCL license stripped
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WHAT HAPPENED?
After Mbappe swapped Madrid for PSG last summer, the France international's legal team have claimed he is owed €55m (£46m/$60m) in unpaid wages. Now, reports that if the 26-year-old does not get paid this amount, his lawyers will urge UEFA to not allow them to play in next season's Champions League.
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WHAT KYLIAN MBAPPE'S LAWYER SAID
Mbappe's chief lawyer, Delphine Verheyden, said: "The process began in February 2024, and since then, PSG has not fulfilled its contractual obligations. In Kylian Mbappé's case, it's no more complicated than that. He joined PSG in the summer of 2017. He signed a contract, which was extended in the spring of 2022, for two seasons with an option. Along the way, there were exchanges, discussions, pressure… we'll come back to all of that. The contracts were signed. There were two of them. Have they been fulfilled? Yes. Until the end? Yes. Paid? No. What's missing? €55 million. A decision has been taken, this time to go on the attack."
The lawyer continued: "Our problem is that the player still hasn't received his payments, and the club is loudly proclaiming that it will not carry out these decisions. We are dealing with a club that is not respecting an employment contract, not respecting decisions that are binding on it. So there is no other solution than to go to the next level, that is, seize these sums as a precautionary measure and inform UEFA.
"UEFA is currently reviewing applications for next season. The criteria that clubs must meet to obtain this license include not having any arrears in payments to their employees, including players. It was our duty to inform UEFA of this."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The French football league's governing body (LFP) ruled in favour of Mbappe last October but the French Football Federation (FFF) deemed the forward's request invalid. Now, his legal team are stepping up their efforts to punish PSG to the full extent.
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WHAT NEXT?
While this legal battle continues behind the scenes, Mbappe could feature for Madrid away at Alaves in La Liga on Sunday.
Chelsea battled hard to secure a 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Monday night to move up to fourth in the division.
The Blues are fighting to land a place in the Champions League for the 2025/26 campaign and took another step towards achieving that goal with their victory over Wolves.
Away from the goalscorers, centre-back Trevoh Chalobah caught the eye with a strong performance on his return to the club after a loan spell with Crystal Palace in the first-half of the season.
The academy graduate won six of his eight duels and made three interceptions on the night, but Chelsea are now reportedly eyeing a player in his position who could be even better for Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea confident of signing new centre-back
According to GIVEMESPORT, the Premier League giants are confident that they will get a deal over the line for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi.
The report claims that the Blues are ‘adamant’ that they will eventually win the race to sign the England international, even if they have to wait until the summer to do it because Palace are unwilling to cash in on him midseason.
It states that the Eagles value the central defender at around £70m and that Chelsea believe Guehi is interested in returning to Stamford Bridge for a second spell at the club.
GIVEMESPORT adds that the player’s interest in making the move could give the Blues an advantage in the race to sign him, which may be why they are so confident that a deal will be done.
If Chelsea do eventually win the race for Guehi’s signature then it could be a fantastic piece of business for Maresca, as he could come in as an instant upgrade on Chalobah.
Why Guehi could be an upgrade on Chalobah
The two centre-backs, of course, spent the first half of this season playing in the same defensive unit for Palace and it was the England international who caught the eye with his impressive performances.
It is worth noting that Guehi has already been capped 22 times by England at international level, whilst Chalobah is yet to make his senior bow, which suggests that Gareth Southgate viewed the former as the better option out of the two in recent years.
Their respective performances in the Premier League for Palace this season back up that opinion, as the Eagles captain has been far more dominant from a defensive perspective.
Appearances
21
13
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.3
3.2
Dribbled past per game
0.4x
0.8x
Ground duel success rate
66%
58%
Aerial duel success rate
63%
57%
As you can see in the table above, Chalobah has made more defensive interventions per game but that has opened him up to being dribbled past twice as often, whilst losing more of his duels on the ground and in the air.
These statistics suggest that Guehi, once dubbed “exceptional” by Southgate, is harder for opposition players to beat, in dribbles and in duels, and that could make him even more solid at the back for Chelsea in comparison to his former teammate.
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An agreement has been reached with the player in question.
ByHenry Jackson Jan 21, 2025
Therefore, Maresca should be delighted that the Blues are confident of getting a deal over the line for the Palace star, because he could come in and immediately improve the team with his dominant defensive play.
Leeds are considering bids for Liverpool's Caoimhin Kelleher and Djordje Petrovic of Chelsea as the Championship side search for a new goalkeeper.
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Leeds eye new goalkeeper in summer
Kelleher and Petrovic among their options
Fighting for promotion to Premier League
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Leeds will assess their options as the season comes to an end, but reports they are already looking at possible replacements. Kelleher, 26, has impressed when called on to fill in for Alisson at Liverpool, but he has been backed to move in search of first-team football elsewhere, with the Ireland international sitting high on Leeds' shortlist. Petrovic, meanwhile, joined Chelsea from New England Revolution in 2023 and made 31 senior appearances in a long stretch last season. He was loaned out to Strasbourg this term, though, and has emerged as another target for Leeds.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Leeds already have a much sought-after goalkeeper in Illan Meslier, who has performed well in their battle to secure promotion back to the Premier League, with the Elland Road club sitting second in the table and just two points behind leaders Sheffield United. While Leeds see Meslier as a talented goalkeeper, they are open to finding an upgrade for their return to the top-flight, should it happen this season.
DID YOU KNOW?
Leeds face a tough task in luring Kelleher in particular to Elland Road this summer. The shot stopper, who has featured 19 times for Liverpool this season, has already attracted interest from the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle.
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WHAT NEXT FOR LEEDS?
Leeds still need to get the job done in the Championship before they can start working on signing a new goalkeeper. They will be confident of getting three important points to boost their promotion hopes as they take on a Luton side sitting second-bottom of the table.
While Titans pace attack proved too much for Knight Riders, Sunrisers’ pace battery floored Royal Challengers in their previous outings
Deivarayan Muthu26-Apr-20222:25
Can Gujarat cope without Hardik the bowler?
Big pictureBhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik, Marco Jansen and T Natarajan on one side. Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph and Rashid Khan on the other. Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Gujarat Titans.Sunrisers (20.69) have the best bowling average this season, followed by Titans’ 25.79. Sunrisers’ attack also has the best economy rate of 7.99, with Titans – 8.22 – hot on their heels. Plus, there’s the tasty narrative of Rashid going up against his former franchise once again.Related
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The last time these two sides met, earlier this month, Rashid bagged a duck with the bat and his bowling was largely diffused by Sunrisers as Titans suffered their first – and only – defeat of the season. Can Sunrisers now do the double over Titans?While Sunrisers’ batting looks in healthy shape, with the likes of Rahul Tripathi, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, and Abhishek Sharma contributing handsomely, Titans’ has largely revolved around their captain Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill. While Abhinav Manohar and Rahul Tewatia have applied finishing touches at different points, the overall balance of the line-up still appears shaky, especially when Pandya isn’t fit enough to bowl and when Tewatia, Rashid and Abhinav are Nos. 5, 6 and 7. Titans have also had some luck along the way, but can they find a way once it runs out?Live in the USA
You can watch the action live on ESPN+ .
Considering that both the attacks drip with supreme skill and variety, it is the batting that could decide this game.In the newsSunrisers’ premier spinner Washington Sundar has now missed three successive matches with a hand injury. Speaking to Star Sports, the host broadcaster, last week, Hemang Badani, Sunrisers’ fielding coach and talent scout, hinted that Washington wouldn’t be rushed back into action and that he will return only after he withstands some load during practice. Washington trained with the squad on Tuesday, but it remains to be seen whether he is fit enough to play on Wednesday.Likely XIsGujarat Titans: 1 Shubman Gill, 2 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 3 Hardik Pandya (capt), 4 David Miller, 5 Rahul Tewatia, 6 Abhinav Manohar, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 Alzarri Joseph, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Yash DayalSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Kane Williamson (capt), 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Nicholas Pooran (wk), 6 Shashank Singh, 7 J Suchith/Washington Sundar, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Marco Jansen, 10 Umran Malik, 11 T NatarajanGujarat Titans have used their bowling resources well this season•BCCI
Strategy puntThe sample size is fairly small – 35 runs off 26 balls – but the in-form Rahul Tripathi could be Sunrisers’ best bet to deal with Rashid. He has struck at nearly 135 against the wristspinner while being dismissed just once in the IPL.Stats that matter Natarajan has been among the best bowlers both at the top and tail this IPL. Nobody has picked up more wickets than his six in the powerplay. Only Dwayne Bravo (9) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (7) have taken more wickets than his six at the death. Gill has struggled against Bhuvneshwar in the IPL, managing only 32 runs off 37 balls at a strike rate of 86.48 while being dismissed twice. Sunrisers (40) and Titans (37) have hit the least sixes among the ten teams this season. Shami has removed Kane Williamson four times in ten T20 innings while giving up 66 runs off 47 balls.Sunrisers have won just one of the seven IPL games they have played at the Wankhede Stadium.
Arsenal now want a £50 million former Real Madrid gem who they “tried to sign” many years ago – and the Gunners may have an advantage in the chase for his signature.
Arteta praises Lopetegui as Arsenal prepare to face West Ham
On the field, Gunners head coach Mikel Arteta is preparing his side to face struggling West Ham United in the Premier League this evening.
Arsenal considering new striker target in £42m star wanted by Bayern Munich
The Bavarians could provide stiff competition.
ByEmilio Galantini Nov 29, 2024
Arsenal go into this London derby off the back of two convincing wins against Nottingham Forest and Sporting CP – showcasing the kind of form needed to challenge Liverpool for top spot – while the Hammers have clinched victory in just four out of a possible 12 league games.
West Ham did beat Newcastle United 2-0 in their last encounter, so they will be slightly more uplifted, but Arteta’s side are firm favourites to overcome the home side and win their third consecutive match in all competitions.
West Ham United (away)
November 30
Man United (home)
December 4
Fulham (away)
December 8
Everton (home)
December 14
Crystal Palace (away)
December 21
Star defender Gabriel Magalhaes is an injury doubt for Arsenal, though, meaning the exit-linked Jakub Kiwior could have to slot in alongside William Saliba at centre-back.
In the build-up to this afternoon’s late kick-off, Arteta praised Lopetegui and West Ham, saying the east Londoners are well-coached and could cause the north Londoners serious problems.
“I know him, we are friends, I have huge admiration for what he has done in the game,” said Arteta.
“He is from the same area as I am in the north of Spain. It’s a team that’s now in a high after the big win that they had against Newcastle away and it’s always a really tough opponent, we know that.
“Various ways to create big problems. They are a really physical side, really good in direct play, attacking second balls where they have to dominate the game through the ball. Or when they have the space they are a really dangerous team. Set pieces, and then individual quality they have, the front players can create in any moment any situation to cause you trouble. They are really well coached.”
Off the field, Arsenal are rumoured to be in the market for a new forward, and a potential alternative to Bukayo Saka.
Arsenal want former Real Madrid winger Takefusa Kubo
An option in that respect could be Real Sociedad winger Takesufa Kubo.
The Japan international, who has been called his country’s answer to Lionel Messi, spent some of his youth at Barcelona’s La Masia academy before later joining Real Madrid – with ex-Galacticos boss Zinedine Zidane calling him a “very interesting” player in 2020.
Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo
Kubo departed the Bernabeu for Sociedad in 2022, where he has since gone on to become a key player.
The 23-year-old bagged a goal and an assist in their 2-0 Europa League win over Ajax on Thursday, adding to his tally of 20 goals and 15 assists over a century of total appearances for the La Liga side.
His form has piqued the interest of Arteta, as The Boot Room reports this week. It is believed that Arsenal are keen on signing Kubo, who has a £50 million release clause in his contract, and they even “tried to sign” the player during his youth alongside the likes of Man City and Liverpool.
Arsenal also had scouts in attendance to watch his man-of-the-match display against Ajax, so they’re doing their homework on the Asian ahead of a potential move.
Mats Hummels has apologised to Roma fans for dashing their Europa League dreams, with the veteran German defender admitting: "I f*cked up."
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World Cup winner moved to Italy in 2024
Vast experience being put to good use
Endured moment of madness in Bilbao
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WHAT HAPPENED?
World Cup winner Hummels stepped out of a professional comfort zone in his homeland for the first time in September 2024 when making his way to Italy. The 36-year-old centre-half signed a 12-month contract as he moved to the Italian capital.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Roma were hoping to put Hummels’ vast experience to good use, but saw an uncharacteristic mistake from the former Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund star cost them dear in a continental clash with La Liga outfit Athletic Club.
DID YOU KNOW?
Roma had entered the second leg of their last-16 encounter leading 1-0. A moment of madness from Hummels was, however, to turn the tie on its head. He was sent off just 11 minutes into a crucial clash in Bilbao, with a stray pass forcing him to dive into a last-ditch tackle that resulted in a straight red card – despite appearing to get a toe on the ball.
WHAT MATS HUMMELS SAID
Athletic Club went on to win the game in question 3-1, allowing them to progress 4-3 on aggregate. Hummels has posted on social media of contributing to Roma’s demise: "I am sorry! want to apologize to our fans and my teammates. I let everyone down today with a mistake that was simply stupid and horrendous. These games used to be the games my team could rely on me, now i fu**** up and cost the whole club the dream of winning the Europa League. Don’t know what else to say, I am as disappointed in me like all of you."
Pouco mais de dez dias depois de disputar a final do Mundial de Clubes, o Palmeiras volta a campo nesta quarta-feira para mais uma decisão: desta vez a Recopa Sul-Americana. Além de iniciar a briga pelo título na partida de ida do confronto, o Verdão defende algumas invencibilidades tanto contra o Athletico-PR, quanto contra adversários brasileiros em competições internacionais.
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GALERIA > Veja quanto o Palmeiras faturou em premiação com Abel Ferreira
Em busca de um título inédito, o Alviverde disputa sua 14ª final de competição internacional na história. Até agora são cinco títulos (Mundial 1951, Mercosul 1998 e Libertadores 1999, 2020 e 2021) e oito vices (Libertadores 1961, 1968 e 2000, Mercosul 1999 e 2000, Mundial 1999 e 2021 e Recopa 2021).
O Palmeiras está invicto há seis jogos contra adversários brasileiros em competições internacionais. Desde janeiro de 2021, foram três vitórias e três empates: Santos (final da Libertadores-2020: vitória), São Paulo (quartas da Libertadores-2021: empate e vitória), Atlético-MG (semifinal da Libertadores-2021: dois empates) e Flamengo (final da Libertadores-2021: vitória).
Em jogos fora de casa contra brasileiros em torneios internacionais, a invencibilidade é de dez anos. A última derrota foi para o Botafogo, pela Sul-Americana de 2012, no Rio de Janeiro. Desde então, o retrospecto é de uma vitória (Grêmio, Libertadores-2019) e dois empates (São Paulo e Atlético-MG, ambos pela Libertadores-2021) atuando na casa do adversário, além de duas vitórias em campo neutro (Santos e Flamengo, nas últimas finais de Liberta).
Contra o Athletico-PR, especificamente, também há uma invencibilidade a ser defendida. O Alviverde não perde para o Furacão desde 2017, quando sofreu um 3 a 0 na Arena da Baixada. Nesse período, foram disputados oito jogos entre as equipes, com seis vitórias palmeirenses e dois empates. Será a primeira vez que os times se enfrentam em uma competição continental.
Levando em conta os jogos do fim da última temporada e do começo da atual, o Palmeiras tem apenas uma derrota em 13 partidas. O único revés do Verdão foi diante do Chelsea, na final do Mundial de Clubes, que é considerado um torneio de 2021. Dessa forma, o Alviverde ainda não foi derrotado em um jogo válido pela temporada 2022, com cinco vitórias e um empate no Paulistão.