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The batters, led by Gill’s unbeaten 98, fired India to 225 from 36 overs, and West Indies barely got going in the chase

Himanshu Agrawal27-Jul-2022
After tight contests in the first two matches that went down to the final over, India rode on a career-best unbeaten 98 from Shubman Gill to sweep past West Indies in the third ODI and win the series 3-0.There were also strong performances from captain Shikhar Dhawan, who scored 58; Shreyas Iyer, who made 44 off 34 balls; and Yuzvendra Chahal, who took 4 for 17 in just four overs.Frequent rain delays had forced India’s innings to be curtailed to 40 overs, and the visitors were on 225 for 3 in 36 when another interruption left Gill stranded 2 short of his maiden ODI century. The West Indies were set a target of 257 in 35 overs according to the DLS method, and they were never in the chase.Mohammed Siraj struck twice in the second over of the chase, bowling Kyle Mayers with a good length delivery and trapping Shamarh Brooks lbw with one that angled in. Nine deliveries into their innings, West Indies were 0 for 2.Brandon King and Shai Hope brought them back on track with a 47-run stand before Yuzvendra Chahal had Hope stumped for 22. King and his captain Nicholas Pooran began another recovery, but Axar Patel’s arm-ball in the 14th over bowled King for 42.Pooran hit Deepak Hooda’s part-time offspin for a six and a four immediately after, keeping his team afloat as the required rate hovered around eight an over. However, Keacy Carty’s struggle to get going seemed to put pressure back on Pooran, and when Carty finally decided to try something different – skipping down to Shardul Thakur in the 19th over – he bottom edged on to his stumps for 5 off 17 balls.By then, West Indies needed nearly 10 an over, and when Pooran was dismissed for 42 – caught at mid-on off Prasidh Krishna – in the 22nd over, the game was up.West Indies’ struggle for partnerships was in contrast to how India had built their innings, despite being interrupted by the weather. Following stands of 119 and 48 in the first two matches, the openers Dhawan and Gill put on 113 in the third ODI. It was an innings of two halves for India: the first 24 overs produced 115 runs; the next 12 yielded 110.When play resumed after the first rain delay, India had 16 overs remaining, and Gill and Iyer switched gears to accelerate. They came down the pitch to the spinners, attempted reverse sweeps, played aerial pulls and drives, and kept lofting over the in-field.Gill and Iyer added 86 for the second wicket in less than ten overs, making up for the sedate beginning after Dhawan had won the toss. Dhawan was quiet to start the innings, his 58 coming off 74 balls on a slow pitch where he did try attacking, but often failed to time and place the ball.In contrast, India scored 31 runs off the first two overs after the rain break – including four fours and two sixes – but Gill and Iyer’s momentum was soon broken by the rain once again.When play resumed, there was no time to lose, and Iyer swung Hayden Walsh Jr’s second ball over deep square leg for six. He placed the next ball to the backward-point boundary, before Gill ended the over by lofting the spinner over his head for another six.West Indies brought pace from the other end, only for Iyer to hit a four off Jayden Seales and Gill to slam consecutive fours, the first of which was supremely timed past mid-off. Both batters continued finding the boundary against Jason Holder and Akeal Hosein, before Iyer swatted Hosein to long-on for 44 off 34 balls.Gill finished with a run-a-ball 98 after being 51 off 65 balls at one stage, but he could have got to his maiden ODI hundred had he been a bit quicker at the end: he scored only 13 off his last 14 deliveries. In the end, though, he had done enough to win India the match and himself the Player-of-the-Series award.

Tottenham Hotspur still have a number of weeks left to dip into the market before the January transfer window officially slams shut at the start of next month.

The less-than-convincing win over non-league outfit Tamworth in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday was a timely reminder that Ange Postecoglou’s squad is still not up to scratch.

They needed an own goal and strikes from substitute Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson to beat the National League side in extra time, after failing to find the back of the net in regulation time.

The clash was a big opportunity for some of the fringe players within the squad to put their hand up and show Postecoglou that they are ready to fight for a first-team spot moving forward for the rest of the season.

Sergio Reguilon and Timo Werner were two players who were given a chance to showcase what they can do in a Spurs shirt, and they both failed to advance their cause for a starting berth in the Premier League.

The German forward, in particular, was disappointing and has endured a frustrating season since the club opted to extend his loan from RB Leipzig until the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

Timo Werner's form this season

The former Chelsea striker has been utilised as both a left-sided winger and as a central forward at times across all competitions by Postecoglou this season, and struggled in both roles.

His dull showing against Tamworth, missing two ‘big chances’, extended the attacker’s run of games without a goal or an assist to ten matches in all competitions, which illustrates the lack of impact he has made at the top end of the pitch for Spurs.

Put simply, Werner has not offered enough in the final third to justify the club keeping him beyond the end of his current loan from RB Leipzig, which is due to end in the summer.

The German speedster scored two goals and provided three assists in 13 Premier League matches in the second half of last season at Spurs, which was a solid but unspectacular return in his first loan spell at the club.

Werner was then brought back for a second loan stint with Tottenham this term and his output has decreased, with zero goals in 17 league outings so far.

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As you can see in the table above, the 28-year-old flop has offered very little in front of goal in the Premier League, with just three goal contributions in 17 matches.

The experienced forward has, simply, not done enough in the final third to warrant Spurs keeping hold of him on a permanent deal and that is why Daniel Levy must dip into the transfer market to find a suitable replacement for Postecoglou.

Tottenham competing to sign French star

According to GIVEMESPORT over the weekend, Spurs are still in the race to complete a deal for Paris Saint-Germain attacker Randal Kolo Muani in the January transfer window.

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The report claims that Tottenham, Manchester United, and Juventus are all showing an interest in the France international, who is available to move on from the Ligue 1 champions.

It states that PSG are open to allowing him to move away on loan, amid their pursuit of Napoli superstar Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but will only do so if there is an obligation to make the deal permanent at the end of the loan, with a fee of £50m being demanded.

The outlet adds that Spurs have made an offer but are currently at a stalemate in negotiations as they are not prepared to include an obligation, over an option, to make the deal permanent at this moment in time.

Kolo Muani is happy to consider a move to link up with the Premier League side but until either Tottenham or PSG budge in their respective stances, there is nothing to consider.

Levy must, now be prepared to include an obligation to make the deal permanent for £50m in the summer because Spurs could finally move on from Werner by bringing the French star in as his replacement, for the next five months on loan and then permanently in the summer.

Why Spurs should sign Randal Kolo Muani

You may think of his huge miss in the 2022 World Cup final for France against Argentina or his return of just two goals in Ligue 1 when you think of Kolo Muani, but neither of those things are a fair reflection of what Spurs could reasonably expect from him.

The France international, firstly, is a versatile attacker who could offer Tottenham quality in a variety of positions, as he is capable of playing on the left, on the right, or through the middle, which means that the 26-year-old ace can cover the roles that Werner has been playing in.

As you can see in the video above, Kolo Muani has also previously showcased his quality at the top end of the pitch in a major European league in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt.

He produced 26 goals and 17 assists in 50 appearances in all competitions for the German side before his move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023, which was followed by a return of nine goals and six assists in 40 matches last season.

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xG

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As you can see in the table above, the French dynamo provided regular quality as both a scorer and a creator during his last season with Frankfurt in the Bundesliga

Kolo Muani, who was described as “remarkable” by German legend Lothar Matthaus, could benefit from a return to regular game time, having started just 15 Ligue 1 matches since the start of last season, and that is what Spurs could offer.

If Postecoglou could get him back to the levels he displayed with Frankfurt then he would, quite simply, be a huge upgrade on Werner and allow Tottenham to move the German forward on, whilst also being worth the £50m outlay for his services in the summer.

Not just Werner: Spurs ace who lost the ball 15 times must be dropped

Tottenham were taken to extra-time by non-league side Tamworth on Sunday.

3 ByDan Emery Jan 12, 2025

Merengues and Culés faced off in the Legends Clásico at the Estadio Nemesio Diez in Toluca

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Márquez is Javier Aguirre’s assistant with for MexicoMárquez played 242 games for BarcelonaRepresented El Tri in five World CupsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?

Rafael Márquez, former Barcelona player and current assistant to Javier Aguirre with the Mexican national team, took part in the Legends Clásico between Barcelona and Real Madrid – a match that featured iconic names such as Figo, Marcelo, Iker Casillas, Andrés Iniesta, Carles Puyol, and Rivaldo.

The "Kaiser," who played for the Culés from 2003 to 2010 after a successful stint with AS Monaco in Ligue 1, shared that his move to Barcelona sparked a shift among fans.

"Because of me, a lot of people switched from Madrid to Barcelona – but that’s just how it is, and I’m grateful for all the love they showed me and my teammates," said Márquez.

Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have the largest global fan bases outside their home country, with 15.6% and 10.4% of international support respectively, placing them ahead of Manchester United (9.8%). That is is according to a report by the Chiliz Group, which surveyed fans across eight countries in Europe, the Americas, and Asia.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT RAFAEL MÁRQUEZ SAID

Rafael Márquez won 12 titles with Barcelona before moving to MLS in 2010, when he signed with the New York Red Bulls. Reflecting on the fierce rivalry between Spain’s two most popular clubs, he said, "More than anything, it’s about enjoying this match. Games against Real Madrid are always different. It’s a pleasure to be here with my people, in my country, and to say that I once shared the field with my teammates on this pitch."

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

Márquez played 242 matches for Barcelona between 2003 and 2010. During his time with the club, the Mexican center-back scored 13 goals and provided 13 assists.

With the Culés, he won four LaLiga titles, two Champions Leagues, one Club World Cup, two Spanish Super Cups, one UEFA Super Cup, and one Copa del Rey. He is remembered for being part of the historic sextuple-winning Barcelona side under Pep Guardiola during the 2009–10 season.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MEXICO NATIONAL TEAM?

El Tri will face Switzerland on June 7 at the University of Utah's stadium, and then take on Turkey on June 10 at Kenan Stadium in North Carolina. Both matches will serve as preparation for the Gold Cup.

Pieter Malan’s hundred in response brings Middlesex one-wicket win

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Aug-2022Pieter Malan’s 14th List A century kept Middlesex riding high at the top of the Royal London Cup Group A table with a thrilling one-wicket victory over Somerset at Taunton.The 33-year-old South African made 110, from 93 balls, with three sixes, and 11 fours as his side chased down a target of 336 with four balls to spare. Sam Robson contributed 76 and Max Holden 71.Somerset posted 335 for six after losing the toss, Matt Renshaw top scoring with 120, including 3 sixes and 9 fours, while teenager James Rew hit 114, off 120 balls, his maiden List A hundred.Their efforts were not enough to prevent the hosts suffering a fifth defeat in as many group matches – even though Middlesex almost self-destructed in the closing overs.When Andrew Umeed and Lewis Goldsworthy departed in the first ten overs to Yadav and Martin Andersson, it was a familiar tale for Somerset, who gave a debut to 17-year-old all-rounder Josh Thomas.But Rew was dropped on 26 by Toby Greatwood at mid-on, off Andersson, and it proved an expensive error as he and Renshaw went on to add 219 in 30.3 overs.Renshaw produced some flowing off-drives, while clubbing anything short of a length into the leg side. The first of the Australian’s 3 sixes sent the ball over long-off and into the River Tone off leg-spinner Luke Hollman. Rew was less aggressive, but found some exquisite angles to pick up ones and twos, keeping the scoreboard ticking.Renshaw reached a 92-ball hundred by smacking an Andersson full toss for four. Rew, who had been dropped again on 87 at cover off Malan, followed to three figures off 109 deliveries, with eight fours. They had taken the total to 256 in the 40th over when Renshaw holed out to long-on off Max Harris. Rew followed, miscuing a Yadav full toss to mid-off.Somerset were unable to accelerate in the closing overs. But when Middlesex slipped to 24 for two, Mark Stoneman bowled by Sonny Baker and Stephen Eskinazi dragging a ball from Kasey Aldridge onto his stumps, the target appeared a long way off.Robson and Malan then began to set about the home attack, Malan hitting Baker for successive boundaries and Robson doing the same to Ben Green before his partner launched the first six of the innings in an over that cost Somerset’s captain 16 runs. The pair brought the hundred up in the 14th over, both timing the ball with confidence on the true surface and moving to untroubled half-centuries.Robson had hit 10 fours when mistiming a shot off Baker and lifting a catch to mid-off with the total on 163 and the stand worth 139 in 22.1 overs.Malan responded to the setback by hitting Aldridge for three fours, while Holden batted positively from the start to keep pressure off his partner, who moved to a chanceless ton off 85 balls with a boundary off Renshaw.Holden had reached a 49-ball fifty by the time the centurion fell to a catch at deep backward square off the expensive Ollie Sale. By then just 67 runs were needed from 10.1 overs.Joe Cracknell fell to Alfie Ogborne, the pick of Somerset’s bowlers, and Hollman also went quickly. Holden holed out to deep point off Baker, having struck 8 fours, and at 310 for seven, Middlesex needed 25 off as many balls.Yadav nicked what would have been a leg side wide off Sale through to Rew. But Baker’s wild no-ball with the first delivery of the 49th over offered a free hit and Andersson dispatched it for a straight six put his side on the brink of victory.With the scores level at the start of the final over, Andersson was run out by Renshaw attempting a single to mid-on. But Harris kept his head to mark his List A debut by hitting the next ball for the winning run.

Sunderland fans couldn’t believe their eyes when travelling to Burnley last time out as Wilson Isidor amazingly missed two penalties to keep the game at a 0-0 stalemate.

The unfortunate Frenchman would have wanted the ground to swallow him up at full-time, with James Trafford’s expert second denial coming right at the death resigning the Black Cats to an unsatisfactory share of the points.

It’s been no well-kept secret that the Wearside outfit have been looking at attacking reinforcements this January to try and take the pressure off of Isidor’s shoulders, but it looks as if Tom Cannon – who has been linked with the Stadium of Light – will be joining another team near the top of the Championship over Regis Le Bris’ men.

Sunderland's pursuit of Tom Cannon

It now looks likely that the ex-Stoke City loanee will be calling Sheffield United home over relocating to the Stadium of Light, with Chris Wilder confirming recently that the Blades remain in talks to bring the potent 22-year-old in before the transfer window slams shut.

With the South Yorkshire side also welcoming Ben Brereton Diaz back through the door recently, it’s clear that Sunderland’s rivals are bolstering their attacking ranks to try and gain an advantage in the heated promotion race.

But, with Isidor usually firing on all cylinders away from his notable off-day in Lancashire, the Black Cats do have an attacker already at the club that can be relied upon when games become tougher, with this academy starlet perhaps edging closer to some senior action soon to give the 24-year-old some healthy competition.

The Sunderland starlet who could be their own Cannon

Away from his horror show against the Clarets, Isidor is up to eight strikes for his promotion-chasing side in league action, with two strikes on the spin coming his way in the Championship before his damaging evening at Burnley.

But, he doesn’t really have any other strikers breathing down his neck trying to take his first-team spot off him, with Sunderland youngster Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi perhaps the fresh talent that Le Bris could look to up top when opposition defences are visibly tiring.

After all, Cannon first began to make a name for himself as a deadly goal machine playing in the Everton youth structure before going on to score nine times this season for the Potters, with a devastating 51 strikes managed for the Toffees at both U18 and U21 level.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Samuel-Ogunsuyi is starting to garner a similar reputation for being a sharpshooter in the Sunderland academy, with football talent scout Antonio Mango even labelling the teenage sensation as a “super talent” off the back of his goalscoring exploits.

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Whilst his numbers do pale in comparison to Cannon’s at a youth level so far, there is plenty to be encouraged by when looking at the 18-year-old’s golden streak of form this season alone, with the exciting Belgian helping himself to a mightily impressive nine strikes from nine games for 2024/25/

He has won himself a spot on the substitutes bench by Le Bris many a time this season in the Championship subsequently, alongside also reportedly being looked at by Liverpool.

The ex-Lorient manager could, therefore, be willing to give him more minutes to truly impress knowing that fellow academy product Tom Watson has been a revelation in the men’s team when selected.

Watson had two goals next to his name from six Championship starts when fit, with Samuel-Ogunsuyi potentially the next off the conveyer belt to star in the main set-up.

After all, if he was to a rip-roaring success, Sunderland would save a lot of cash with the Blades preparing to splash out £10m to land Cannon. Whilst, with Samuel-Ogunsuyi, they would be smug that another homegrown ace had been unearthed.

2025 winter transfer window: Every done deal from the Championship

Every winter transfer from the second tier can be found here.

ByStephan Georgiou Feb 3, 2025

PLAIER, an AI system used by several European clubs for player scouting, has predicted which players Real Madrid must target to reach the next level.

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Spanish newspaper MARCA used AI model for predictionsA number of Premier League players were put forwardCould be a busy summer of change at the BernabeuFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Defending champions Real Madrid were eliminated by Arsenal 5-1 on aggregate in the Champions League quarter-finals, exposing their severely flawed squad setup and team balance. In an exclusive report with MARCA, PLAIER, an AI system that helps clubs target the most ideal players for their teams in order to elevate performance levels, has predicted that Real Madrid should target the likes of Reece James, Lewis Hall, James Maddison, and Noni Madueke, among several others, this summer to improve their team.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE FULL-BACK AREAS

For the right-back position, AI analysis identified Chelsea's James, Bayern Munich's Josip Stanisic, and Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold to be the most suitable additions to the Real Madrid squad. While it's all but confirmed that Alexander-Arnold will be joining Los Blancos for free this summer, PLAIER CEO Jan Wendt argued that James would have been a better alternative.

"Alexander-Arnold is excellent in many of the right-back situations, but he has certain weaknesses in areas such as interceptions, aerial duels, and one-on-ones," Wendt told MARCA. "Although signing him at zero cost would make financial sense, if Madrid is willing to invest, Reece James is a better option: he has fewer weaknesses and also excels in the same metrics where TAA excels."

The left-back position is also one that Madrid have tried to reinforce, as evidenced by their interest in signing Alphonso Davies, who signed a new long-term contract in February. Per PLAIER, Arsenal's Oleksandr Zinchenko, Stuttgart's Maximilian Mittelstadt, as well as promising Newcastle youngster Lewis Hall were chosen as the most effective options for Madrid.

MIDFIELD & ATTACK

When it comes to the midfield, the absence of the now-retired Toni Kroos has been glaring, with no Madrid midfielder showing a profound ability to pull the strings from the middle of the park in the loss to Arsenal. Reports mention that Madrid will try to sign a player of a similar profile this summer, with PLAIER suggesting that Bruno Fernandes, Maddison, or PSV's Joey Veerman could plug the Kroos-shaped hole.

Lastly, the analysis concludes that Real Madrid could sign the likes of Jeremy Doku, Alejandro Garnacho, or Luis Sinisterra for the left-wing position, should Vinicius Jr. depart amid Saudi links. For the opposite flank, PLAIER suggested that Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka, and Brazilian wonderkid Estevao could provide the balance they need.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

Despite being knocked out of the Champions League, Real could yet end the season with major silverware, as they face Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final on April 26. Before that, though, they will take on Athletic Club on Sunday as they look to bridge the gap between them and Hansi Flick's troops in the Liga title race.

The BCCI president will be at Eden Gardens to watch the game but said he was too busy to play

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Sep-2022BCCI president Sourav Ganguly will not play the one-off exhibition match on September 16 that will act as a curtain raiser to the second season of the Legends League Cricket (LLC). In a letter to the league, Ganguly expressed his inability to play citing “professional commitments and continuous work with cricket administration”.”It’s [Legends League Cricket] a wonderful idea of bringing retired cricketers back on the cricket field and engaging with fans across generations,” Ganguly said in a statement from LLC. “However, due to my professional commitments and continuous work with cricket administration, I will not be able to take part in this game. I am sure the fans are eagerly looking forward to this league and there will be large crowds at the stadium. The league is bringing together the stalwarts of the game and I am sure there will be exciting cricket on display.Ganguly said he would be at Eden Gardens to watch the game between Indian Maharajas and the World Giants, led by England’s World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan. The match will also commemorate 75 years of India’s independence and the proceeds from the game will be donated to Kapil Dev’s Khushii Foundation, which supports the education of female children.The Indian Maharajas team includes former players like Virender Sehwag, Mohammad Kaif, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan and Parthiv Patel among others. The Giants have former South Africa stars Jacques Kallis, Jonty Rhodes, Dale Steyn and Herschelle Gibbs in their ranks, Sanath Jayasuriya and Muthiah Muralidaran from Sri Lanka, and Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson from Australia.The final of the second season of LLC is scheduled for October 8. The tournament comprises four teams led by Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Pathan and Harbhajan.

Burnley have now made an “offer” to a Championship star and have already received a reply, as per Fabrizio Romano.

Burnley thrash Plymouth and prepare for Leeds

Scott Parker’s side were ruthless in the week, putting five past struggling Plymouth Argyle in the first half. Braces from Zian Flemming and Josh Laurent alongside a goal from Josh Cullen ensured that the Clarets head into Monday’s crucial encounter with Leeds United just three points behind the Whites.

Talking after the win in Devon, Parker was full of praise for his side, saying: “I thought we were superb tonight. We came here with a real clear idea and a game plan. We set that up as coaches, it’s down to players to then execute and the players were absolutely first class.

“We needed to come here with a mentality and mindset about us, this is a tough place to come, I know people look at league tables and may see a very different story.

“But a new manager in, an aggressive team, I played against this coach once in Belgium and had some struggles in a sense of how he sets up teams, so I knew the challenge here. We were just ruthless tonight. I thought we had everything about us.”

It has also been a productive month away from the pitch in the transfer market, with Burnley signing Ashley Barnes and Jonjo Shelvey in free transfers, while also landing Oliver Sonne.

More could be on the way before the February 3 deadline, though, with a bid for Plymouth star Morgan Whittaker being tabled earlier this month. Another Championship attacking star is also of interest to those at Turf Moor in West Brom’s Grady Diangana.

Burnley make Diangana “offer” – Romano

According to transfer expert Romano, Burnley have made an “offer” to sign Diangana, who is out of contract at The Hawthorns in the summer.

However, the Baggies star has “turned down” Burnley’s proposal, with Italian outfit Parma and Spanish club Celta Vigo also keen on Diangana’s services.

Called “exceptional” by journalist Jonny Drury in 2023, Diangana has been a West Brom player since 2020 after making his loan move from West Ham permanent.

Capable of playing on either wing or as an attacking midfielder, the 26-year-old is approaching 200 appearances as a Baggies player, however, his days in the Midlands could be numbered going off the recent update.

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His next move may not be to Burnley, though, after turning down an offer from the Clarets, so it’ll be interesting to see who those at Turf Moor turn to next as they eye an attacking reinforcement.

“It requires us to win against Bangladesh and also to beat Netherlands, but we can’t look too far ahead now”

Mohammad Isam29-Oct-2022Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine is cautiously optimistic about his side’s chances against their most frequent rivals Bangladesh. The two teams will be playing each other in the T20 World Cup for the first time, and interestingly, it’s Zimbabwe who for a change will enter as slight favourites, eyeing a place in the last four.Bangladesh are still feeling the pinch after a record-breaking defeat at the hands of South Africa in their previous game, which undid most of their good work against the Netherlands. The difference between the two sides was quite apparent in their press conferences. Sridharan Sriram, the Bangladesh technical consultant, was not too pleased with some of the questions. Ervine however spoke confidently, particularly passionate about Zimbabwe’s journey till this point.”We’ve got a huge chance to make the semis,” Ervine said. “It requires us to win against Bangladesh and also to beat Netherlands, and then we’ve got our final game against India, and depending on some other results. But we can’t look too far ahead right now. I think we’re probably just looking at tomorrow and trying to concentrate on tomorrow’s game and putting in a good performance tomorrow, and then after that, then we can look at Netherlands and plan our way forward from there.”Related

T20 World Cup scenarios: Pakistan rooting for India to stay alive

The tables have turned as Bangladesh take on Zimbabwe

Cricket might not love Zimbabwe, but the game would be poorer without them

Ervine was quick to point out however that in the T20 format, there are no guarantees, and taking their eye off the ball against Bangladesh will cost them.”Obviously the win against Pakistan was absolutely massive for us, just to keep our chances alive of making the semis. But we know that we’ve only had to have a travel day yesterday, practiced today and tomorrow is our game against Bangladesh, so it’s a very quick turnaround, and we can’t sort of dwell on that win last night too much. We’ve got to concentrate on our next game, and Bangladesh is also a great side. We’ll have to come here and play some exceptionally good cricket again tomorrow.”Sriram, who took over the Bangladesh campaign shortly before the team left for New Zealand last month, said that his side will be well prepared against Zimbabwe.”I have never been part of a Bangladesh-Zimbabwe contest so I am not sure about the frequency of their meetings. The boys are well prepared. They know their opposition very well, it is something that we stress on. We pride ourselves on doing our homework.”I don’t think I need to tell you (about our plan) but we definitely have a plan. I think we respect Zimbabwe, they had an amazing performance against Pakistan. I watched every ball of it. The way they pulled it off against Pakistan was unbelievable. Full credit to them, full respect.”But Sriram seemed agitated with answering questions about team plans, the opening pair’s lack of runs, how the team can turn things around after the South Africa defeat, and the expectations from the side.”You are still on the opening pair, eh? Good for you. We got 47 in the first game, 26 for no loss in two overs against South Africa. The opening pair looks more settled, it is giving them more game time, more experience.”The more they play together, against different oppositions and conditions, they will learn. Good players like Rilee Rossouw and Quinton de Kock kick on from good starts. It is a learning process for both (Najmul Hossain) Shanto and Soumya (Sarkar), and they will do it,” he said.Ervine, meanwhile, was quite happy to see his long-time friend Sikandar Raza become a sensation in the last few months.”He’s been absolutely phenomenal over the last few months. I think a lot of credit has got to go to his personality and his determination to never give up. We’ve seen over the years that he is so passionate about cricket and about succeeding and about winning. I think everybody plays around him really well. He’s been such a good performer for us over the last couple months.”We’re going to need him to continue that for us because he’s a huge key in the bowling and the batting department. On the day that he doesn’t get runs, he contributes with the ball, as well. He’s one of my good friends, and we’ve started our career a long time ago, but to see his development over the last couple years, it’s so rewarding because he puts so much work into it.”Ervine has led the side impressively, at times having to play extra aggressively as an opener himself, while always opting for the attacking option when choosing a bowler.”You always question whether you’re doing the right things through all the different games, and I think to get the results we’ve gotten, it’s been such a pleasure to have guys like Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Regis Chakabva on the field that I can consult with on a regular basis in pressure situations because it’s very difficult for me just to make all of those decisions on my own.”It’s good to have different ideas and bounce things around. At the end of the day, I’ve got to go with my gut feeling, and fortunately it’s been working pretty well so far.”

How much do the Catalan giants pay their players annually and who receives the most into their account?

Barcelona are one of the biggest sporting institutions in the world, thanks to their on-field achievements. However, in the past decade, they have been hit by wave after wave of financial cyclones, which has handicapped them from spending with the same freedom with which the other top clubs operate in the transfer market.

The start of 2025, in particular, has been nightmarish for the Catalans, given that they are racing against time to complete the registration of big-money signing Dani Olmo for the second half of the season.

Such has been the fiscal decline that president Joan Laporta has been forced to activate several economic levers and sell off other assets to restore funds and meet the league's budgetary requirements ever since he replaced Josep . Since the start of the decade, salary reductions have been implemented to prevent the wage bill from spiraling out of control. Despite these efforts, however, the club still carries some high-earning players on its payroll.

So, who is the highest earner at Barcelona this season? And who is on the opposite end of the spectrum?

GOAL delved into the numbers from Capology and found out!

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AFPGoalkeepers

First captain Marc-Andre Ter Stegen is the highest-paid goalkeeper at Barcelona, earning over €6m per year.

Inaki Pena and Wojciech Szczesny make over €3m each, while the salary of 20-year-old Ander Astralaga – who plays for Barca Atletic – is among the lowest overall.

Name Salary

Marc-Andre Ter Stegen€6,300,000Inaki Pena€3,250,000Wojciech Szczesny€3,000,000Ander Astralaga€200,000AdvertisementAFPDefenders

The highest-paid defender at Barca is Jules Kounde, who earns an astonishing €13,550,000 annually, more than the likes of Ronald Araujo.

Surprisingly, even Inigo Martinez and Andreas Christensen are earning more than the Uruguayan centre-back, which might not please some Culers.

Eric Garcia is well-paid, and so is 17-year-old sensation Pau Cubarsi. Meanwhile, Alejandro Balde and Hector Fort are the lowest-paid defenders in the squad.

Name Salary

Jules Kounde€13,550,000Inigo Martinez€9,380,000Andreas Christensen€9,000,000Ronald Araujo€7,000,000Eric Garcia€6,000,000Pau Cubarsi€4,000,000Alejandro Balde€1,670,000Hector Fort€840,000AFPMidfielders

Frenkie de Jong, who is rumored to be leaving the club in the summer, is Barcelona's highest-earning midfielder, earning more than twice the salaries of Dani Olmo, Pedri and Gavi. That could, however, change for Pedri and Gavi, since they are expected to pen new deals and extend their stay at Barca beyond 2026.

The Marc duo of Casado and Bernal, who were promoted to the first team ahead of this season, are among the lowest-paid midfielders at the club.

Name Salary

Frenkie de Jong€19,000,000Dani Olmo€9,380,000Pedri€9,380,000Gavi€6,800,000Fermin Lopez€4,000,000Marc Casado€520,000Marc Bernal€320,000Pablo Torre€210,000ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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AFPAttackers

It's as clear-cut as it gets – Robert Lewandowski is the highest-paid forward in the squad and the only player at Barcelona earning more than €30 million.

A major chunk of Barca's wage bill is going to the forlorn Ansu Fati, who the club is paying over €13 million every year. That amount exceeds the salary of Raphinha by a very small margin.

Ferran Torres, the other player making eight figures annually, is Barcelona's fourth-highest paid forward.

Lamine Yamal is one of the lowest-paid players at the club, which hardly reflects his importance under Hansi Flick. The fact that players like Fati and Torres earn significantly higher salaries than arguably their best player will likely concern many Barcelona fans.

Name Salary

Robert Lewandowski€33,330,000Ansu Fati€13,950,000Raphinha€12,500,000Ferran Torres€10,000,000Lamine Yamal€1,670,000Pau Victor€380,000