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Atlético Madrid star Julian Alvarez is very keen for Diego Simeone to bring in one Chelsea star this summer, and has privately urged his club to do so, according to reports this week.

Enzo Maresca attracting criticism at Chelsea

Having led the club to just five wins from their last 16 Premier League games, it’s been a tough time for manager Enzo Maresca as of late, and this run of form has attracted criticism.

Chelsea now prepared to make "hefty" £68m offer for Malo Gusto alternative

The Frenchman has attracted criticism.

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 17, 2025

While Maresca is believed to retain the backing of Chelsea’s board for now (The Mail), sections of supporters are starting to question the Italian’s leadership, with boos ringing around Stamford Bridge after their 2-1 defeat to Polish minnows Legia Warsaw in the Europa Conference League on Thursday.

Chelsea are in the Conference League semi-finals regardless, and remain firmly in contention to qualify for next season’s Champions League, but the manner of their recent performances are drawing some concern.

Speaking in a post-match press conference after their loss to Legia on Thursday, Maresca suggested he is fully aware of the dissatisfaction right now.

“No, for sure in terms of setback, for sure it’s a setback tonight for us, no doubt, first of all because we lost the game,” said Maresca.

“But I said yesterday, I think probably the other clubs, as you said, in this moment they can feel more confidence around them, not only Aston Villa, Newcastle, all the clubs around us, but this is football and can change very quickly, so it depends a lot on us. As I said, Sunday for us is one of the finals, and winning that game can give us a final boost to reach our target.

“So in this moment, you win games, you see yourself and you are very happy. If you don’t win, no-one is thinking that you can finish in the right way, but for me it’s just how we manage the emotion.”

Despite an electric start to the campaign, when many viewed Chelsea as potential title contenders, Maresca’s side remain very much a work in progress.

They’ll need their star players to step up and take a leading role during this transition phase, but one of them already is.

Julian Alvarez urges Atlético Madrid to sign Enzo Fernández from Chelsea

Club-record signing Enzo Fernandez is well and truly justifying his price tag right now, becoming an indisputable member of Maresca’s team with some outstanding performances throughout 2024/2025.

Maresca has entrusted the captain’s armband to him this term, with former Chelsea midfielder John Obi-Mikel praising Fernandez and stating he’s “becoming” a true leader at Cobham.

Some members of the media have even called the Argentine’s contribution “underrated”, but his quality isn’t lost on international teammate Alvarez, who is desperate for Atlético to strike a deal for the midfielder this summer.

That is according to reports out of Spain, which state that Alvarez has privately urged Atlético to sign Fernandez from Chelsea, amid claims the west Londoners will demand a minimum of £69 million to let him go.

However, it is believed that even this figure is beyond Atletico’s capabilities right now, so a transfer is unlikely, even if Maresca’s side entertained the notion of parting company.

After a tough start to life in west London, the player has now fully found his feet, with Fernandez even attracting praise from Lionel Messi during his time at Chelsea.

Arsenal have privately refused to rule out signing a former Man City forward for manager Mikel Arteta this summer, with new sporting director Andrea Berta and the Gunners hierarchy set for a key transfer decision.

Arsenal cruise into Champions League semi-finals after Real Madrid win

It’s been a sensational week for Arteta and co, who made history by becoming the first ever side in history to win at the Bernabeu on their first two visits – breaking a record which stood for 77 years.

Related Arsenal given 50% discount for £280k-per-week forward after opening talks

Andrea Berta could now strike a half-price deal.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Apr 18, 2025

Goals from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli sealed a stunning 5-1 aggregate win for Arsenal in the Spanish capital, making a serious statement to the rest of Europe that they’re genuine contenders to win this year’s Champions League title.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games

Date

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 23rd

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

A tough test in Ligue 1 champions PSG awaits in the semi-finals, but their tails will surely be up after a potentially season-defining quarter-final tie.

“The feeling that we have is our reality, basically,” said Arteta on the mood around Arsenal after their triumph over Real Madrid.

“And in the feeling that I had before the game, when the players were transmitting and how prepared I could feel the team, that we are ready to compete against anybody. Now we have to continue to do that because I think we have some momentum now.

“Where we finished last year and the way we’re doing it this year, the teams with their eyes on us and the competition, it’s incredible. Big credit to [Madrid}, it was my first time as a coach in that dugout, and today I realised after three minutes in this stadium, anything is possible. They are specialists of creating such chaos and belief, and it’s very difficult to really understand what’s going on in the game and have certainty about how we controlled it. I think they showed a lot of maturity.”

Arsenal refuse to rule out signing Raheem Sterling permanently

Privately, Arsenal are making plans to build the squad further and provide Arteta with new wide attackers.

In the last week, Arsenal have repeatedly been linked with a move for Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman, not to mention Athletic Bilbao sensation Nico Williams, but there is also the matter of Raheem Sterling and his future at the Emirates.

It hasn’t exactly been a dream loan move from Chelsea for the Englishman, who’s seen precious little game time under his former City assistant coach, with Arsenal paying around £163,000-per-week of his £325,000-per-week salary during his temporary stint.

Berta would need to renegotiate contract terms and a fee with Chelsea to make his move permanent, but according to The Mail, as quoted by TEAMtalk, Arsenal have refused to rule out signing Sterling permanently and are yet to inform him of a final decision.

It would be a bizarre call by the north Londoners at this point, considering the 30-year-old boasts just one goal and five assists all season, but it is believed his stay may not be completely off the table, contrary to reports.

With the top order coming unstuck on the big night, it fell on Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube to win it for India, and they did just that

Shashank Kishore29-Sep-20252:49

Was Haris Rauf’s 17-run over the turning point?

Shivam Dube is a T20 World Cup winner. But the impact of his cameo – a 16-ball 27 – in the final against South Africa in Barbados was lost amid the euphoria of Suryakumar Yadav catch and the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja soon after.He had been picked to play a certain role: destroy spin in the middle overs. Because, between January 2023 and April 2024, Dube’s numbers were elite. He had hit 367 runs in 26 innings at a strike rate of 166 while being dismissed just five times. But after that, his numbers began to drop alarmingly. Between May 2024 and midway through the Asia Cup, the strike rate had dropped significantly, to 120, while he had been dismissed 13 times.Also, hardly bowling in IPL 2025 because of the Impact Player rule didn’t help his cause. Dube needed big performances at the Asia Cup.Related

• 'I wouldn't have learned some things' – Abhishek happy with gradual rise to the top

• India refuse to accept Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi

• Stats – India 9-0 in chases against Pakistan

• Tilak seals thriller to give India ninth Asia Cup title

But his three innings leading into Sunday had brought him only 17 runs. And then he was faced with his toughest job yet: a quad injury to Hardik Pandya needed him to step in as a frontline bowler after the team chose batting insurance in the form of Rinku Singh ahead of an extra bowler in Arshdeep Singh. Then Suryakumar handed him the new ball. He didn’t do badly – 3-0-23-0 was respectable enough.Set 147 to win, Dube wouldn’t have known that his biggest contribution was to come yet. He played his part with a match-defining 33 off 22 balls, which was arguably at par with, if not better than, his Barbados cameo.

****

Tilak Varma’s twin hundreds in South Africa last November ought to have put to rest any doubts over his ability as a top-order batter. But when his strike rates were questioned at IPL 2025, and he was even retired out on one occasion, it seemed like a mini setback.A county stint in England brought the confidence back leading into the Asia Cup. And through scores of 31, 29, 30*, 5 and 49*, he had shown sparks of that old consistency. Yet, there was a sense that the one defining knock hadn’t come.On Sunday, in Round Three against Pakistan – in a final, no less – with India’s top order having floundered and the scoreboard reading 20 for 3, there was that defining knock, an unbeaten 53-ball 69 that helped India get past the wobble to blaze past the finish line.

****

Between the end of the IPL and the start of the Asia Cup, Dube had prioritised fitness to help improve his pace. He also worked on his variations, while also fine-tuning several facets of his batting. His specific target areas were to get better against spin and be effective against high-pace, short-pitched bowling. Essentially, it was a proper reboot.2:55

Aaron: ‘Dube is one of those priceless players’

Last week against Bangladesh, the spin-basher aspect of his game was tested when he was promoted to No. 3 to be a good match-up against left-arm spinner Nasum Ahmed and legspinner Rishad Hossain. But when he was out for 2 off 3, miscuing a googly to long-off, there was a sense he had missed out again.On Sunday, Dube was held back. To be a finisher, rather than an enforcer.India had relied all tournament on Abhishek Sharma’s big starts that covered for the underwhelming returns from Shubman Gill and Suryakumar.In the final, Abhishek was out in the second over, leading to a proper top-order meltdown.Dube had a job to do when he walked out with the side needing 70 off 46. It was the kind of situation where a cameo would only do so much, but a false shot could prove catastrophic. He needed to be the consolidator and the finisher.And so he stood, facing up to scoreboard pressure, the pressure of the occasion and the charged setting, and the pressure of having to prove himself again.Dube scratched around early – three off five balls – and then nearly ran out Tilak before something clicked. Haris Rauf’s high pace and width allowed him to flick a switch as he slapped the bowler through the covers to break the shackles. Suddenly, the shoulders loosened and he was away.It helped that Tilak managed to accelerate too. Getting 47 off 30 wasn’t going to be a cakewalk, but Dube had at least got his eye in. And the moment Abrar Ahmed bowled length into him, the elite spin-hitter from 2023 took over. Dube unlocked the six-hitter he has always been known to be, muscling one with the spin over deep midwicket.When Rauf returned, his famed bat-swing and long levers helped make sweet connection with a low full toss as he clobbered another over deep midwicket to bring the equation down to 17 off 12.Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube’s brisk stand took India to the doorstep of victory•Getty ImagesEvery time India needed a big hit, he provided one to ease the pressure on Tilak. Dube was reasserting himself in the role he had been picked for. But when he fell, caught at long-off, with India needing ten off six balls, he was distraught.Sat on the edge of the steps to the dressing room, face looking down as his forehead rested on the bat handle, Dube wasn’t making eye contact with those around him.Two balls into the final over, when Tilak walloped Rauf over deep square for six, Dube was still distraught, running through the what-ifs possibly. It wasn’t until Rinku hit the winning runs that the pent-up energy burst forth – there was wild fist-pumping, high-fives, back slaps. Dube was back on his feet.He hared out of the dressing room, not particularly running in any one direction – the elation was visible.

****

Dube’s relief was as palpable as Tilak’s joy at having seen this chase through, but he was nearly not the man for India on the night.In the 14th over, after he had done the hard yards and given himself, and India, a chance to breathe, he lay flat on his stomach, scrambling every possible inch he could with his long reach to make the crease with a full-length dive.As the dust off the turf flew into his face, he didn’t want to look up the replays on the big screen. Tilak might have thought that his bat had dangled in the air briefly before he was inside the crease. Unaware, of course, that there was a minuscule portion of his blade that was in safety zone.2:03

Chopra: Tilak understood the need of the hour

It helped that Mohammad Haris may have been a tad late to break the stumps. Tilak had a second chance. He had been on a near run-a-ball 37 at that point, but with the equation down to 64 off 36, he needed to change gears.That started in the following over, when he backed away to first slap Rauf past mid-off for four, and then play a nonchalant pick-up flick to send the ball over deep-backward square-leg – a shot that was all hands and Rauf’s pace. That 17-run over brought it down to 47 off 30.This was when Dube began to feed off Tilak’s form. But with Dube gone, with an over left, it was all left to Tilak. When he hit the second ball – a slower delivery on a length – off Rauf deep into the stands at backward square-leg with a ferocious pull, Gautam Gambhir’s stoic expression changed to full-blown fire, the coach thumping the desk in front of him wildly.And when the job was done, Tilak went on a celebratory run, towards the dugout – pointing to the India crest, saluting the fans and the dressing room… And just like that, any inkling of doubt had gone far away. He was India’s hero on the night, who had unlocked the finisher in him, in the most extreme pressure, of the kind he hadn’t faced in international cricket until that point.For Dube, it was a night that yet again served as a reminder of what he could still bring to this team. With the ball in the powerplay and with the bat under pressure. For Tilak, it was the night he stopped being the promising kid and became the man for the big occasion.

The 15th Under-19 men’s World Cup begins this week in South Africa; here’s all you need to know about the tournament

Abhimanyu Bose17-Jan-2024When does the 2024 Under-19 Men’s World Cup begin?
The tournament starts on January 19, with USA taking on Ireland, and South Africa facing West Indies. The final is scheduled for February 11.Where’s it being played?
South Africa are the hosts, and the games are in Potchefstroom, Bloemfontein, Benoni, Kimberley and East London. The semi-finals and the final will all be played in Benoni.Related

ICC shifts Men's Under 19 World Cup from Sri Lanka to South Africa

Uday Saharan to lead India at 2024 Under-19 World Cup

NZ's Afghan-origin legspinner Hekmat wants to be a role model

Hold on, weren’t Sri Lanka supposed to be hosts?
Indeed. This edition of the Under-19 World Cup was supposed to be played in Sri Lanka. But that was until the ICC suspended Sri Lanka Cricket in November because of extensive government interference in the board’s administration. This led to the biennial tournament being moved to South Africa, making them hosts for the third time – after 1998 and 2020.Is the format going to be the same as in the previous edition?
Not quite. There’s been a tweak in the format this time; the competition will follow the format used in last year’s Under-19 Women’s World Cup. The 16 teams will be divided into groups of four each, with the top three from each group qualifying for the Super Sixes stage, where the 12 teams will be divided into two groups of six each. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals.However, even for the four teams that get eliminated in the group stage, it won’t be the end of the tournament. The players will get crucial playing time through playoffs to decide the positions from 13th through to 16th.How did the teams qualify?
Sri Lanka retained host qualification rights even though the tournament was moved to South Africa, and the other Full Member nations that participated in the 2022 edition also got automatic qualification. The other five teams made it through the regional qualifiers.New Zealand, who had opted out of the previous edition due to Covid-19 quarantine protocols for minors, progressed from the East Asia Pacific qualifiers. Namibia won the Africa qualifiers, while Nepal emerged on top in Asia. Scotland won the European qualifiers, while USA topped the Americas qualifying group.Luc Benkenstein (left) is one of the names to look out for in 2024•ECB via Getty ImagesAny teams playing the World Cup for the first time?
Nope. All teams participating this year have qualified for previous editions of the Under-19 World Cup. USA are the most inexperienced team, with this being their third appearance at the U-19 World Cup.Who are some players to look out for?
There’s India’s seam-bowling allrounder Arshin Kulkarni, who opens the batting. New Zealand’s Rahman Hekmat is a legspinner of Afghan origin inspired by Shane Warne and of course Rashid Khan. Pakistan’s Ubaid Shah, Afghanistan’s Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar and England’s Luc Benkenstein are just a few of the other names who may shine in the tournament.Ubaid Shah? That surname sounds familiar.
Well, that’s because Ubaid is the brother of Pakistan international Naseem Shah. And that’s not the only familiar name in the competition!Mohammad Nabi’s son and Rashid Khan’s nephew will be teaming up for Afghanistan, while Luc is the son of former South Africa batter Dale Benkenstein. Sarfaraz Khan, who had starred in the 2016 Under-19 World Cup for India, will have his brother Musheer in action this year. These are just a few of the many family connections at the 2024 Under-19 World Cup.South Africa had also hosted the Under-19 World Cup in 2020, when Bangladesh were victorious•ICC via GettyWho are the defending champions?
India won the tournament held in 2022 under Yash Dhull’s captaincy by beating England in the final. India are also the most successful team in the competition’s history, winning it five times – in 2000, 2008, 2012, 2018 and 2022.Who else has won the tournament?
Australia have won the title three times – in 1988, 2002 and 2010 – while Pakistan have clinched it twice, in 2004 and 2006. Bangladesh (2020), South Africa (2014), West Indies (2016) and England (1998) have won the tournament once each.Finally, will the matches this time have DRS?
While there will be a TV umpire for every game, DRS will not be available in the tournament.

A mega auction is around the corner and things are bound to change, but on Friday night it was all refreshingly familiar

Karthik Krishnaswamy16-Oct-20213:26

Steyn: ‘Faf outstanding, Uthappa the game-changer’

When you type Faf on your phone, it autocorrects to Dad. Sometimes, the joke literally writes itself.On Friday, when he played his 100th game for Chennai Super Kings, there were times when Faf du Plessis looked a little like Dad du Plessis. By the time Super Kings’ innings was into its final stages, he was doubling over to catch his breath after running twos, and when he swung at slower balls, he swung with tired legs and a wobbly base, and struggled to impart the power he desired.

Watch the IPL on ESPN+

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch match highlights of the final here in English, and here in Hindi (US only).

This, of course, was mostly because du Plessis batted through the Super Kings innings on a 36-degree day in Dubai, but let’s stay with the dad narrative for a bit. du Plessis was one of five over-35s in the Super Kings XI, and one of four players to have played at least 100 games for the franchise. Another player who fulfilled both those criteria was sitting in the dugout.As the 2021 IPL final approached its end, and as Super Kings closed in on their fourth title, an era seemed to be ending. MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, du Plessis. One or more of them could still be in yellow next season, but never again all of them, together.A mega auction is around the corner, and with the tournament set to feature two extra teams, it’s unlikely Super Kings will be able to reassemble a squad full of familiar faces as they’ve done on previous occasions. And it’s unclear whether they’ll want to, given that these players were already being called Dad’s Army when Super Kings reunited them at the 2018 auction.”Well, look, maybe. We don’t know,” Stephen Fleming, the Super Kings head coach, said at his post-match press conference, when asked if this was indeed the end of an era. “Yeah, there is emotion around it. Whenever you get to the end of [an auction] cycle you’re not going to get some players back. There is some emotion around these last games, and when you win it it’s a celebration but also a recognition of what players have put in.”Chennai has always had a system, or a belief that if you can maintain players and keep them with you for a long time, you get the best out of them, and yeah, there are some players here that have been with us for a long time, and it’ll be interesting to see over the next few months how it pans out. Most teams are probably going to have a bit of change to them, and we will be one, but how that looks like, it’s too early to tell.”Faf du Plessis scored over 600 runs this season•BCCIIt must be gutting for a coach to have to disassemble a group of players that he knows this well. It’ll be especially hard given that they’ve reached three finals and won two titles in this four-year auction cycle. All teams go through transitions, but the IPL demands transitions more abrupt than in any other league.There’s a chance, therefore, that du Plessis may never play for Super Kings again – this after scoring over 600 runs this season and ending it with a match-winning 86 in the final.If this was his final innings in yellow, it was quite a sign-off. Before fatigue slowed him down – he only scored 34 off his last 24 balls – he had played his specific role in the top order to perfection, and the batters around him had played theirs just as well.Related

• N Srinivasan: 'There is no CSK without Dhoni and no Dhoni without CSK'

• IPL 2021 – Three Chennai Super Kings players in ESPNcricinfo's Team of the Tournament

• du Plessis and bowlers seal CSK's fourth IPL title

• Super Kings 'pretty darn good' – Steyn

• 'We have to decide what is good for CSK' – Dhoni on his future with the franchise

Over the last two seasons, du Plessis has been Super Kings’ designated pace hitter in the top order, striking at 154.45 against the quicker bowlers and at 109.19 against spin. Their other top-order batters in this time have all tended to score significantly quicker against spin than pace.On Friday, du Plessis took down Kolkata Knight Riders’ main pace threat, hitting Lockie Ferguson for 40 off 16 balls. He only managed 29 off 29 against Knight Riders’ three spinners, but the rest of the top order took care of that part of the job, with Ruturaj Gaikwad, Robin Uthappa and Moeen Ali taking a collective 66 off 38 balls against Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy.Had Knight Riders’ chase not fizzled out like it did, this piece may have been obliged to look at du Plessis’ late slowdown with a critical eye. But Super Kings won, and won convincingly, so we can put the result aside and talk about the pleasure of watching him bat.The Chennai Super Kings players’ kids join in the celebrations•BCCIRewind to the 11th over of Super Kings’ innings – specifically the third ball of the over. This is one of those days when nothing goes right for Ferguson, and this ball isn’t a good one. It’s shortish and it’s wide, and du Plessis puts it away like he should, but not quite like most batters would. Rather than slap it through point, du Plessis shifts his left leg away from leg stump, opens up at the hip, and hits a flat-bat drive over extra-cover. The ball clocks 147.6kph, and he hits it like an inside-out Andre Agassi forehand, meeting the ball early and well in front of his body, using his hips to generate power.It’s the shot of an unusually bottom-handed player, and he plays another soon after, a drive for six over long-off, with his bat twisting in his grip. You’d think it’s a mis-hit if it were anyone else, but you’ve watched du Plessis hundreds of times and this is how he drives. It’s idiosyncratic, and you might even call it ungainly, but it’s full of the warmth of the familiar.As the match goes on, these moments keep coming. Dhoni collects a ball down the leg side, and almost in the same motion passes it to mid-on with a mighty underarm flick. Jadeja raps Shakib on the front pad and sets off towards square leg in celebrappeal. You’ve seen them do these things a thousand times, but now you’ve properly noticed them.And noticing these things only reminds you more forcefully of their transience.

Well, that was nothing short of unbelievable.

The Dodgers and Blue Jays gave us an instant classic Monday night in Game 3 of the 2025 World Series, though it took a long time to get there. After 18 grueling innings, Freddie Freeman sent most of Dodger Stadium home happy with a walk-off bomb in the bottom of the 18th inning, giving L.A. a 6–5 win and a 2–1 lead in the series.

Monday night's contest was one of the best World Series games we've seen in years. A back-and-forth affair that saw several huge plays and just as many blunders. And it ended with a classic, walk-off moment that will stand the test of time.

It was the kind of game that reminds us why we love baseball.

Freddie Freeman does it again

Can this guy get any more clutch? Freeman won Game 1 of the 2025 World Series with a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning, and was back at it again Monday night. He launched a 3–2 pitch from Brendon Little over the center field wall to give the Dodgers an enormous victory and a 2–1 lead in the series.

Freeman hasn't had the best postseason. Before Game 3, he was slashing .222/.340/.400, with a solo homer representing his only RBI in 12 games. But when L.A. needed him the most, he was there, coming up with one of the biggest hits in franchise history. Again.

With all the ink Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts get, it's easy to forget Freeman is a former MVP himself. He's a nine-time All-Star, the 2020 National League MVP and was the MVP of the 2024 World Series. Moments like the one he created Monday night are a reminder that he’ll almost certainly end up in the Hall of Fame.

Eric Lauer and Will Klein were phenomenal

In an 18-inning game, teams need pitchers to step up, and both teams got stellar performances from their bullpens, especially from lesser-known guys.

Blue Jays lefty Eric Lauer entered the game with one out in the bottom of the 12th inning and proceeded to go 4 2/3 shutout innings, while allowing two hits and four walks and striking out two. He walked a tightrope at times, but threw 68 pitches and battled his way through the Dodgers' powerful lineup several times. In the end, he recorded as many outs as Max Scherzer, who started the game for Toronto. Lauer was phenomenal and kept his team in the game and fighting.

On the other side, Dodgers righty Will Klein was outstanding in just his second postseason appearance. The 25-year-old tossed four shutout innings, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out four. He was exceptional and kept the Blue Jays' lineup off-balance. He eventually earned the win for his efforts.

Klein's previous high for pitches thrown in an outing this year was 36. He threw 72 on Monday night. He earned a well-deserved day off on Tuesday.

Shohei Ohtani is still unbelievable

There are no words for how good Shohei Ohtani is and how he can completely wreck a game. On Monday night, he was at his absolute best at the plate, going 4-for-4 with two home runs and two doubles. But it gets better.

Ohtani came to the plate in the bottom of the seventh with Toronto leading 5–4 with one out and the bases empty. He was already 3-for-3 with a home run and two doubles, yet for some reason the Blue Jays allowed Seranthony Domínguez to attack him. Big mistake. Ohtani launched the first pitch he saw into the left-center field stands to tie the game 5–5, where it stayed for what felt like three days.

That was enough for Blue Jays manager John Schneider, who decided to walk Ohtani in every at-bat after that. Four came via the intentional variety, and one was all but on purpose. Frankly, I'd be shocked if Ohtani sees a decent pitch with first base empty the rest of the series.

The soon-to-be four-time MVP reached base a postseason record times in Game 3. We saw a lot of crazy things Monday night, but nothing topped that stat.

John Schneider over-managed the game, and it cost Toronto

The decisions managers make are put under a microscope during extra-inning games, and whether it's fair or not, Schneider is getting that treatment here.

In a piece of bad luck, George Springer exited the game in the seventh inning after suffering an injury. Then, after Bo Bichette hit an RBI single to score Vladimir Guerrero Jr. later that frame, Toronto's manager pulled his second-best hitter, using Isiah Kiner-Falefa to run for him. That move was understandable. The Blue Jays had a 5–4 lead, and Bichette just returned from a knee injury. Kiner-Falefa went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and a walk over the next 11 innings. In hindsight, it may not have been the best move, but it was at least understandable. A few others were not.

Addison Barger has been on fire in the postseason, and in the top of the eighth, he reached on a throwing error by Mookie Betts. With the score 5–5, Schneider opted to pull him in favor of the faster Myles Straw. It seemed like a bad idea at the time and is worse in hindsight. Straw wound up stranded on third base, then over the course of the next 10 innings, he went 0-for-4 and looked mostly helpless at the plate, including when he popped out on an attempted bunt in the 12th inning. Toronto missed Barger in those spots.

Schneider's most egregious move came in the top of the 12th after catcher Alejandro Kirk walked to start the inning. He brought in the faster Tyler Heineman to pinch run for his star catcher, then watched as Straw failed to bunt him over. Heineman wound up stranded at third, and the Blue Jays lost one of their best hitters, not to mention one of the best defensive catchers in baseball. In the top of the 18th, Heineman came to the plate with runners on first and second and two outs, and struck out to end the inning. That should have been Kirk.

Straw and Heineman combined to go 0-for-7 with two strikeouts after entering the game. It's a reminder that it's a terrible idea to take out your best bats in a tie game. Schneider simply outsmarted himself by overthinking and over-managing. It cost the Blue Jays.

Losing George Springer is a huge blow for the Blue Jays

George Springer suffered what appeared to be an oblique injury while fouling off a pitch in the seventh inning. The 36-year-old has been enormous for the Blue Jays this season, and if he's out, it is a massive blow to the team's lineup.

Springer turned back the clock in 2025, as he finished the season slashing .309/.339/.593 with 32 home runs, 84 RBIs, 106 runs, a career-best wRC+ of 166 and 5.2 fWAR. He had continued that momentum in the postseason, as he's slashed .246/.323/.571 with four home runs, nine RBIs and a wRC+ of 153.

We don't definitively know if Springer will miss time, but if it is an oblique injury, it could end his season. Losing his bat for the rest of Game 3 hurt Toronto; losing him for the rest of the World Series could be devastating. With Bo Bichette already hobbled, injuries are piling up for the Blue Jays' lineup.

Ghana boss Otto Addo has urged Antoine Semenyo to take the "next step" and leave Bournemouth amid links with Liverpool and Manchester City. The 25-year-old has a £65 million ($87m) release clause, which is only active until a specific date in the January transfer window. As teams consider a move for him, his national manager thinks it is "natural" for the flying winger to secure a transfer away.

Semenyo happy at Bournemouth for now

Over the summer, the former Bristol City star, who has also been linked with Tottenham, penned a new bumper deal until 2030 – seemingly putting paid to a Bournemouth departure. 

At the time of extending his contract, he said: "I've grown so much at the club, both on and off the pitch, and I'm really happy to have signed ahead of returning for pre-season. From the fans to the staff and my teammates, I can't speak highly enough of the people around the club. It's a great place to be and I'm excited to get back to Bournemouth and continue the hard work with the new season just around the corner."

However, it recently emerged that Semenyo has a £65m January release clause, which reportedly is set to drop to £50m ($66.6m) next summer. The wide man – who has scored six goals and bagged three assists in 13 Premier League appearances this season – seems destined for a big-money move, something Ghana head coach Addo is pushing for.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSemenyo urged to make transfer exit

After it was revealed that Semenyo's Ghana would take on England in the group stages of the 2026 World Cup, Addo spoke about the in-demand player's future.

He told at Friday's World Cup draw: "He has done very well at Bournemouth, but with all the respect for Bournemouth and what they’re doing, surely it is natural for him to take the next step. Whether its in the winter or summer, it is a difference question but it won’t make a difference for us. I’m looking forward to him showing more of what he can to the world."

Incidentally, Ghana and England will also face off against Croatia and Panama in Group L.

Iraola not thinking about Semenyo's future

In November, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola stated he is not worried about speculation that Semenyo could leave the club in January. However, since these remarks, the Cherries have slid down to 14th in the Premier League after being in the top four earlier this season.

He told reporters last month: "We are in November. Antoine is our player, he will continue being our player. In January, you can ask me about the market in January, but right now I'm not worried about the next markets. It's something that especially you know that I hate to talk about in August, January, the moments when the market is open, but it is not one of those moments. It's November. I'm more worried about the situation of the players to play tomorrow, the short-term, the things that really matter and in January, we will talk about whatever happens, the players we need. But it is not something that I'm worried about today."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Semenyo?

Bournemouth, who have lost four of their last five league games, will hope to end their wretched run of form when they host Chelsea – who will be looking to bounce back from their own shock 3-1 defeat to lowly Leeds United in midweek. They may need Semenyo to be firing on all cylinders if they are to win this contest on Saturday afternoon in front of their home fans.

Iraola added: "I expect the best Chelsea. We know this before we play tomorrow, so we have to be at our very best because the opposition is playing very well. They are getting better and better with Enzo [Maresca] and I think they will demand a lot [from us] defensively.

"The players understand that now we are in a period where we will need to rotate the team a little bit to change players because we are playing every three, four days. Obviously, everyone wants to start but I'm also very happy with the performance of and the attitude of everyone that comes on the bench."

Manchester City are now considering a move for a new forward who Pep Guardiola called “extraordinary”, and they have identified him as a priority target.

Man City eyeing new forward amid overreliance on Erling Haaland

Man City are the joint-highest scorers in the Premier League this season, having netted 24 times, but to say they are reliant on Erling Haaland would be an understatement, with the Norwegian scoring 14 of those, finding the back of the net every 74 minutes on average.

No other City player has scored more than once in the league, and Guardiola called on his other attacking players to step up after the 2-0 victory against Everton last month, saying: “He [Haaland] could have scored four or five at the end. He’s our key man,”

“At the same time, we cannot do good things with just Erling. Our wingers, attacking midfielders and the other players have to make a step up.”

However, Maxime Esteve technically still remains the Blues’ second-highest scorer in the league this term, having scored two own goals in Burnley’s 5-1 thrashing at the Etihad Stadium, so it is no surprise a new forward is now being targeted.

According to a report from Spain, Man City are now considering a move for AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, amid concerns they are overreliant on Haaland, with the Ghanaian forward set to be available for a fee of £65m during the January transfer window.

Semenyo has now been identified as a priority target by City, given the fantastic start he has made to the Premier League season, although there could be competition for the 25-year-old’s signature from reigning champions Liverpool.

Talks could ‘accelerate soon’, with the Blues clearly keen on signing the versatile attacker, who is capable of playing on the wing, as a target man, or even as a second striker.

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In fairness, Jeremy Doku has stepped up to the plate in recent times, most notably scoring and winning a penalty in the 3-0 victory against Liverpool last month.

However, none of City’s attackers have been anywhere near as consistent as Haaland, so it would make sense to bring in a new forward this January, and Guardiola has made it clear he is a big fan of the Bournemouth star.

The Ghana international made a flying start to the campaign, meaning he is currently the joint-fourth highest goalscorer in the Premier League.

Top scorers in the Premier League

Club

Goals

Erling Haaland

Manchester City

14

Igor Thiago

Brentford

9

Danny Welbeck

Brighton

7

Antoine Semenyo

AFC Bournemouth

6

Jean-Philippe Mateta

Crystal Palace

6

With Haaland clearly in need of additional support in attack, Semenyo could be a fantastic signing for Man City, as they look to hunt down Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table.

حقق فريق الهلال السعودي فوزًا كبيرًا على نظيره الشرطة العراقي برباعية نظيفة، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال آسيا.

وأقيمت المباراة بين الهلال والشرطة على أرضية استاد الأول بارك، في إطار لقاءات الجولة الخامسة من دور المجموعات لدوري أبطال آسيا للنخبة.

ونجح ماركوس ليوناردو في تسجيل الهدف الأول للهلال مع نهاية الشوط الأول في الدقيقة 45، قبل أن يعزز سيرجي ميلينكوفيتش سافيتش التقدم بهدف ثانٍ في الدقيقة 63، ثم عاد ليوناردو ليضع بصمته بهدف ثالث في الدقيقة 72 ويؤمن انتصار الزعيم.

واختتم كانسيلو رباعية الهلال بهدف مميز في الدقيقة الثالثة من الوقت بدل الضائع للشوط الثاني. أهداف فوز الهلال على الشرطة العراقي في دوري أبطال آسيا

وشهدت المواجهة سيطرة واضحة للهلال على مجريات اللقاء، وسط محاولات محدودة من الشرطة العراقي للخروج بنتيجة إيجابية، إلا أن خبرة لاعبي الهلال حسمت المواجهة لصالح أصحاب الأرض.

ترتيب دوري أبطال آسيا بعد فوز الهلال على الشرطة العراقي

وعقب المباراة وصل رصيد الهلال إلى 15 نقطة كاملة من 5 مباريات، محققًا العلامة الكاملة دون أي تعادل أو خسارة، وسجل لاعبوه 14 هدفا واستقبلت شباكهم 5 أهداف فقط.

If Rangers are going to reestablish themselves as both Scottish football’s dominant side but also a force in Europe once again, their recruitment simply must improve.

Sporting director Kevin Thelwell gave an interview to the club’s official TV channel this week, his position very much under the microscope from supporters following a very underwhelming transfer window.

Summer signings such as Emmanuel Fernandez, Joe Rothwell, Jayden Meghoma, Thelo Aasgaard and others have either made little impact or not impressed so far.

Rangers supporters won’t like this, but they’re going to have to replicate Celtic’s largely successful player trading model, with the side from across the city regularly selling players on for a sizable profit, something the Gers rarely do.

In fairness to them, the Light Blues did manage this with Hamza Igamane who departed this summer, so could an “exciting” new recruit be the next one to follow?

Hamza Igamane's impact at Rangers

When Igamane arrived at Rangers, he was a complete unknown quantity, signing from Botola club AS FAR in his native Morocco for £1.7m.

Well, the young striker certainly impressed during his one season in Govan, scoring 16 goals across all competitions, of which four came in the Europa League, while also bagging a hat-trick against Hibernian at Easter Road back in January.

He will though be most fondly remembered for this thunderous strike at Parkhead in March, snatching a 3-2 Old Firm victory over Celtic during Barry Ferguson’s interim tenure, awarded the club’s goal of the season.

Igamane though did not plan on sticking around in Glasgow, sold to Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille for a reported fee of £10.4m in August, which may prove to be an absolute bargain as far as les Dogues are concerned.

He scored twice on his Ligue 1 debut against Lorient at Stade du Moustoir, netting seven times for Lille to date overall, including three in the Europa League, featuring a brace against PAOK last month.

Meantime, Igamane scored his first two senior goals for Morocco in September, on target during World Cup qualifiers against Niger and Zambia, set to be a key figure in Walid Regragui’s squad for both the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil next month and then the World Cup in the summer.

Consequently, Rangers supporters may actually feel as though they let the striker go on the cheap, albeit there was nothing the club could do once his release clause was met.

So, who could be the Light Blues’ next bargain signing to depart for a huge profit, after exponentially improving his value and reputation at Ibrox?

Rangers' next Hamza Igamane

As already noted, many of Rangers’ summer signings have not impressed, hence why Russell Martin was sacked after just 17 games in charge, while, despite improvements under Danny Röhl, they remain fourth in the Scottish Premiership and rock-bottom of the Europa League standings, still yet to pick up a point.

However, almost inarguably, the best-performing of all their summer recruits has been Djeidi Gassama.

The Mauritania-born French youth international arrived from Sheffield Wednesday for just £2.2m, available at a cut-price given that now-ousted owner Dejphon Chansiri was running the EFL Championship club into the ground at the time, which looks like being a complete bargain, with the table below documenting the winger’s importance.

Minutes

1,733

4th

Goals

6

1st

Assists

2

4th

Shots per 90

2.3

1st

Key passes per 90

0.9

4th

Successful dribbles per 90

1.8

1st

Indeed, only Jack Butland, John Souttar and captain James Tavernier have played more minutes than Gassama so far this season and rightly so.

The Frenchman ranks first when it comes to goals, shots per 90 and successful dribbles per 90, with five of his six goals to date coming in European competition, on target home and away against Panathinaikos, at the double when Viktoria Plzeň visited Glasgow, while also on target in defeat at Sturm Graz.

Upon his arrival, then-manager Martin labelled Gassama an “exciting player who will get supporters on the edge of their seats”, while the winger expressed his delight in being reunited with manager Röhl, who’d also been his boss at Hillsborough, describing the German as “like a father to me”.

Earlier in the campaign, when Rangers’ form was diabolical, former right-back Alan Hutton asserted that Gassama had been their “shining light”, now only likely to get better under Röhl, the coach who kick-started his rise at Sheffield Wednesday.

Well, according to Football Transfers, Gassama’s estimated market value has already increased to around £4.5m, more than double what Rangers paid to sign him.

Scoring goals in Europe will certainly attract interest, proving that the attacker can perform at a higher level than just the Scottish Premiership.

Thus, still only 22 years old, Gassama appears destined to become Rangers’ next Igamane-like sale, while, for now, Röhl has to build a cohesive team to get the best out of his star forward.

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