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The Black and Yellow defeated the French side 3-2 over two legs to book their spot in the next round

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• Dortmund defeat Lille 2-1, 3-2 on aggregate in UCL
• Gio Reyna makes late cameo
• Club will take on Barcelona in next round

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Gio Reyna and Borussia Dortmund are on their way to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals after defeating Ligue 1 side Lille over two legs.

  The secured their spot in the next round after a 2-1 victory Wednesday, handing them a 3-2 win on aggregate. Goals from Emre Can and Maxi Beier put them through to the top-16, where they will next face Lamine Yamal and Barcelona.

  Reyna was substituted onto the pitch in the 85th minute.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Reyna has struggled for minutes throughout the season with Dortmund in 2024-25, and has become more of a role player in late minutes off the bench across all competitions. He's made two starts in seven appearances in the UCL, playing 224 minutes in European action.

  Dortmund, meanwhile, are looking to make their way to the competition's finale for the second-straight season. In the 2023-24 version of the competition, they were runners-up, falling short to Real Madrid in the championship game.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Dortmund have won the UCL once in their history, claiming the coveted trophy in 1996-1997.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR DORTMUND?

  The German side are back in action on Saturday against RB Leipzig. Dortmund's next UCL match against Barcelona is in early April.

As they look to maintain their place at the top of the Scottish Premiership beyond the current campaign, Celtic may now wait until the summer in an attempt to land a bargain deal for a midfielder from the English Premier League.

Celtic transfer news

When the Bhoys lost Matt O’Riley in the summer transfer window, there may have been some concern over their ability to fend off competition from Rangers whilst also attempting to cause a few upsets on the Champions League stage. A few months later, however, those doubts have been well and truly put to bed.

Celtic and Rodgers want to sign two attackers in January with cash to spend

There is money to spend midway through the season.

By
Henry Jackson

Nov 29, 2024

Rangers have been far from up to scratch and Celtic only look likely to extend their dominance. Meanwhile, they’ve already picked up a memorable victory over Bundesliga side RB Leipzig as well as earned a point against Club Brugge on the European stage, with eight points put towards a potential last-16 place.

Things could get even better when 2025 arrives, especially if the Bhoys manage to land a bargain deal. According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Celtic may now wait until the summer to attempt to sign Christian Eriksen when his contract comes to an end at Manchester United.

The Scottish giants are unlikely to land a January deal given the Dane’s hefty £150,000-a-week salary going alongside any potential transfer fee, acting as a major stumbling block in the transfer. However, if Eriksen is willing to take a pay cut in the summer, Celtic could yet land an undeniable bargain for a player still capable of playing among Europe’s best.

Replacing fellow Dane O’Riley, who swapped Celtic for Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer, Eriksen could take Scotland by storm if he accepted Celtic’s potential proposal.

"Unbelievable" Eriksen could follow O'Riley path

A player at the back end of his career rather than in his prime like O’Riley, Eriksen can still follow a similar path to his countryman by swapping English football for a place in Celtic’s midfield. And despite their age differences, not many would doubt Eriksen’s ability to replicate what O’Riley did for Brendan Rodgers’ side, especially in his final season.

Eriksen’s story is an undeniable fairytale. There were doubts that the Dane would even step foot on a football pitch again after his collapse at Euro 2020. Not only did he fight back, but he climbed his way back to the top by earning a move to Manchester United via Brentford.

Full of praise for Eriksen, Brentford boss Thomas Frank told reporters in 2022 (via The Standard): “Christian is a top player, an unbelievable character and he brings quality and calmness to the team. You can give it to Christian and he’ll always find a solution.”

Now, in one last big potential move, it could be Celtic who benefit from Eriksen’s experience and “unbelievable character” in the middle of the park.

Frenkie de Jong's future at Barcelona remains unclear, but a reduced release clause could make negotiations for a new deal easier.

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• Barca to reduce De Jong's release clause in potential new deal
• Decision to stay or leave would lie on the player
• Premier League clubs including Arsenal lining up summer transfer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to (h/t Football Espana), Barcelona aim to renew Frenkie de Jong's contract, with sporting director Deco looking to replicate the strategy used in Ronald Araujo’s deal — adding a release clause that clubs could afford amid growing interest from the Premier League. Ultimately, the decision to stay or leave will lie with the player, thanks to the new release clause.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  De Jong has won over Hansi Flick in recent months after experiencing a frustrating start to the 2024-25 season as the player was still dealing with ankle issues. However, his solid performances in tandem with Pedri and Dani Olmo in the midfield have convinced Barca's sporting department of the Dutchman's continuity. He is expected to stay put in Catalonia, given his prominence under Flick, and the reported release clause that will be included in his new deal would be €80 million.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Multiple reports indicate that De Jong's agent, Ali Dursun, met with Barcelona sporting director Deco in February to discuss a new deal for the 27-year-old, but little progress was made. The Dutch midfielder remains committed to staying at the club and wants to avoid past tensions with the hierarchy. The proposed €80 million release clause is expected to simplify negotiations, making an agreement more likely without further complications.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FRENKIE DE JONG?

  De Jong has proven his value lately, but Barcelona do not see him as an indispensable member of the squad. The release clause offers sale flexibility, though it’s unclear if the player will agree. While his future remains up for debate, De Jong will be expected to play a part in the Catalans' upcoming La Liga fixture, where they will take on Osasuna on Thursday, March 27. Flick's troops are currently level on points with Real Madrid at the top of the table, albeit with a game in hand.

GOAL takes a look at where Sullivan stands five matches into the 2025 MLS season, and what to expect this season

It was March 2024, and Apple TV analyst Taylor Twellman was gushing, posting on social media that Manchester City scouts believed Cavan Sullivan was the "best 14-year-old in the world."

A member of the Philadelphia Union academy at the time, Sullivan went on to break Freddy Adu's record that summer by becoming the youngest player to debut in MLS, and signed the largest homegrown deal the league had ever seen – which included a clause that, upon turning age 18, he would join the Premier League giants in Manchester.

A U.S. youth international across various age groups, with continental competition experience at the youth level, Sullivan is a bonafide rising star. The 15-year-old has even expressed his ambitions to be a member of the USMNT's 2026 World Cup squad, even though he would only be 16 when the tournament kicks off.

In the modern game, could a 16-year-old be a relevant game-changer?

Lamine Yamal led Spain to a EURO title last summer at 17. Pele led Brazil to a World Cup win at 17 in 1958. Kylian Mbappe was 18 when he helped France to a World Cup win in 2018. Michael Owen, at 18, scored twice for England at the 1998 World Cup. In 2014, 19-year-old Julian Green scored with his first touch off the bench for the USMNT in a quarterfinal against Belgium.

WATCH:

Some teenagers have become regular contributors at the professional level, but more often than not, those who remain contributors beyond their teenage years? They tend to be considered into generational talents.

On the contrary, there also have been teenagers labeled generational after breaking out at a young age who, a decade into their professional careers, are looked at as "could have beens." The list is long, from Alexandre Pato and Hachim Mastour to Bojan Krkic and Ravel Morrison and – most notably from a U.S. perspective – Adu.

There's a certain care that needs to be taken with child prodigies, of course, but at the same time, if they're ready, should they held back? Slotted as the 30th-best teenager in the world on GOAL's most recent NXGN rankings, Sullivan has the potential to be one of the greatest soccer players the country has ever produced.

Which begs the question: where is he? Why is he not a regular with Philadelphia's senior side in MLS? What is his timetable? GOAL takes a look at the 15-year-old's development since signing his contract last summer, where he stands with the Union, and what the next few months have in store.

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  Where he stands with Philadelphia

  Sullivan made three appearances for the Union senior team during the 2024 regular season, playing 10 total minutes at the MLS level under then-manager Jim Curtin, including his emphatic debut.

  In MLS NEXT Pro in 2024 with Union II – their developmental team – he started 13 matches and made 18 appearances, scoring five goals and recording four assists during the regular season. In the playoffs, he started all four matches en route to leading Union II to the championship game, scoring in a 4-0 semifinal victory over Crew 2 and recording a secondary assist in the title game against North Texas SC – a 3-2 loss.

  The calendar year served as his emergence onto the league's biggest stages. However, after the completion of the 2024 MLS season in which the Union's senior team missed the playoffs, Curtin was fired and a shift in identity occurred. Former St. Louis CITY SC manager Bradley Carnell was appointed, and through five matches, the Union sit on 12 points and are atop the MLS Supporters' Shield standings.

  The senior team is flourishing under the leadership of the South African manager, with Cavan's older brother, Quinn, locked in a starting role in the XI alongside other seasoned veterans and talented players.

  Where does Cavan fit into a team of already-proven MLS caliber players? For Carnell and the Union, it's become a careful consideration, as they establish the identity of the Eastern Conference side, while balancing the fact that Cavan is inching closer to the senior squad.

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  Expectations and advancement

  Ahead of the 2025 season, Apple TV released the docuseries "Onside: Major League Soccer" looking back at the 2024 campaign and focused on the league's growth and development. The third episode centers on Cavan, documenting his rise into the professional ranks of MLS. It paints the picture of Sullivan's journey to becoming arguably the league's most anticipated prospect.

  “Yeah, I got a target on my back. But I love it,” Sullivan says in the series. "It’s another chance to show how you can handle the other team coming out to get you.”

  Those expectations are now a reality, competing against adults and fighting for the chance to prove himself within the program. His age is, in part, is what makes him so unique. Yet on the squad, he still has to perform.

  “You’re a professional now,” Union veteran and former captain Alejandro Bedoya says to Sullivan in the episode. “You’re playing with big boys, you know what I’m saying? We’re men here. This is our livelihood. Everybody has got to earn their spot. I don’t care who you are. You’re a new player on the team. You got to earn it.”

  Quinn Sullivan, meanwhile, is providing space to allow Cavan to learn the hardships of the game, while also offering the support expected from a big brother.

  “I’m sure he’ll get knocked around, and that’s part of it, right? But you have to find the fine line between being the protector and letting him do his own thing,” Quinn says in the series as a clip of Cavan on the ground in pain surfaces on screen. “I have to let him learn the lesson of, ‘OK, you take too many touches, you’re going to get hit, right?’”

  And for his part, Carnell is not going to let hype surrounding Sullivan dictate his coaching decisions. He's going to make Cavan fight for his spot in the team.

  “We have players on the roster all eligible for minutes, and he falls into that category,” Carnell said of Sullivan ahead of Matchday 2 of the season. “And minutes need to be earned. I’m not just dishing out minutes here, just because of whatever name’s on the back of a shirt.”

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  Next steps in the journey

  Philadelphia have taken a cautionary approach to Sullivan's advancement. He might be a prodigy, one that might someday be considered a generational talent, but those are all hypotheticals – even with an external agenda being pushed. Putting immense expectations on the shoulders of teenagers can be risky, as can asking them to do more than they are capable of during the development process.

  Look to history – there are countless examples.

  Pato, who made his AC Milan debut in 2008 age 18, became the darling of the football world over a two-year period, breaking out for the and the internationally. He was supposed to be the striker of a generation, the forward who changed the game entirely. By 2013, age 23, Pato was back in his native Brazil signing with Corinthians.

  "I partied too much [in Milan]. I had no desire. I was living in a fantasy world. But when I wanted to speak, I was told to 'Focus on my football.' I was too young to disagree," Pato told the Players Tribune in 2022. "Really, I was just a kid."

  The Brazilian never lived up to the term prodigy; he bounced around Europe and Asia, and even had a stint in MLS, but never filled the boots that expectations said he needed to. What Sullivan has now – that Pato ran out of – is time. The Union attacker has the potential play at a professional level for a decade or more.

  And the early signs of this 2025 MLS season indicate that Carnell and Philadelphia are taking the patient approach. Sullivan has a long way to go before he's competing at senior team level – but he's on track, and fighting to achieve that level will be crucial.

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  Here and now

  To start the 2025 MLS campaign, Sullivan has made just one appearance off the bench for the senior team – an eight-minute cameo on Matchday 2 in a 4-1 win over FC Cincinnati, in which he showed glimpses of the excitement that surrounds him.

  “Cavan did a good job, just harassing down the left hand side and doing his bit,” Carnell said after the match. “I'm just glad and grateful we could get him a few minutes out there, because he's training really well, and we have to bring him along in the right ways.”

  It's evident that – despite his immense talent – there are others ahead of him in the depth chart, including Quinn. On the senior team – again, a talented squad that is currently leading MLS Supporters' Shield standings – Cavan would be competing for minutes at forward with his older brother and the likes of Hungary international Daniel Gazdag, Danish forward Mikael Uhre or current MLS Golden Boot leader and Israeli international, Tai Baribo.

  Simply put – there's no space, or reason, for Cavan to be thrown into the XI right now. What is apparent, though, is Carnell is ready to take him under his wing and prepare him for that eventuality.

  Carnell, a seasoned MLS veteran himself, has excelled throughout his career with young players on the touchline. He handed U.S. international Caden Clark his professional debut in 2020 as interim head coach of the New York Red Bulls, and prior, he was an assistant coach with Jesse Marsch in 2017 and 2018, where he helped develop current U.S. star Tyler Adams, among countless others.

  “I believe I gave Caden Clark his debut against Atlanta away from home as a youngster back then," Carnell said after being named Union manager. "People is the core of my philosophy. Working with people, developing players, this is the core of my philosophy and I feel it’s my duty here it’s, it’s what I do. I’m not here to coach for me, I’m not here to- for sure I enjoy the success that comes with it, but for me when I see players succeeding, this is the most exciting thing to happen.

  "When I see a player get promoted through the ranks, as I was once – I was a 16-year-old playing in the Pro ranks in South Africa and somebody gave a chance, somebody gave a shot at me. So I’m all for that and I’m excited about Cavan’s development as well as developing some other youngsters here in camp. I’m excited about that whole process and like I said people are the core of my philosophy.”

  For Sullivan, one big change has occurred since Carnell's appointment – involvement. From regular first-team training to inclusion in club activities, he's being looked upon as a Union player, period, not just the next phenom. He's been named to the first-team bench for every match so far this season, and in the three MLS NEXT Pro matches that Union II has played, Sullivan has started each – earning crucial and consistent minutes.

  In fact, he's Union II's leading goalscorer on the season with two goals after three straight draws to begin the campaign.

  On Matchday 2, his tasteful talent was put on full display as he drilled home an absolutely sensational direct free kick in a 1-1 draw with the New York Red Bulls. It was just the latest clip in his highlight reel, but also a moment in which he was able to boost his confidence and show his squad that he's the rising talent many expect him to be. It's a goal he scores because he's getting minutes at the NEXT Pro level – not just watching from the bench with the senior team.

  Minutes with the developmental squad are going to be crucial, but his time with Carnell may be what ultimately defines his season. If he impresses, the 15-year-old could be the latest youngster to flourish under his guidance.

After officially parting ways with Gary O’Neil following a late 2-1 defeat against relegation rivals Ipswich Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly eyeing a potential replacement who is currently enjoying a six-game winning run.

Wolves sack Gary O'Neil

Many believed that West Ham United would be O’Neil’s final game in a battle against fellow under-pressure manager Julen Lopetegui. But even after another damning defeat, Wolves backed their manager and reiterated that he would receive the reinforcements that he so desperately needed in the January transfer window. One week later, however, defeat against Ipswich has proved to be a step too far and O’Neil has been shown the door.

Releasing a statement after sacking O’Neil, chairman Jeff Shi said: “We’re very grateful to Gary for all of his effort, dedication and hard work during his time at the club, and we wish him and his team the best of luck for the future.”

Sat four points adrift of Premier League safety and in the middle of a packed festive period of fixtures, the Midlands club must find their replacement as soon as possible and they must get their next appointment right.

Agents offer Wolves £13m deal for player who Tottenham are in talks for

Gary O’Neil is under serious pressure at Molineux.

By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 14, 2024

On that front, names such as David Moyes and more recently Vitor Pereira have been mentioned, with David Ornstein going as far to suggest that the Midlands club are working on a deal to appoint the Al-Shabab manager. But the former Fenerbahce boss isn’t the only one stealing the headlines.

According to talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Wolves are now eyeing John Eustace to replace O’Neil following his impressive run of form in charge of Blackburn Rovers in the Championship, with the reliable reporter calling him one to watch.

The Blackburn boss has guided his side to six wins in a row and has taken them within five points of an automatic promotion place as a result. Taking them from a relegation battle to playoff contention, Eustace is a manager on the rise.

"Solid" Eustace lacks Premier League experience

Whilst Eustace deserves plenty of plaudits for his time in charge of Birmingham City, which came to an abrupt end in a decision that they would go onto regret, and now at Blackburn Rovers, Wolves are in no position to take a risk. Experience should be what they are looking for rather than what would be the unknown in the Premier League.

The likes of Moyes stand out as a far more assured appointment and one that is more likely to steady the ship at the Molineux. Eustace, meanwhile, does not have the experience to offer such a guarantee. Instead, the Blackburn boss could be an option to turn towards if Wolves manage to maintain their Premier League place and start fresh in the summer.

HLTCO is among those to have praised Eustace after he was controversially sacked by Birmingham, who suffered relegation as a result of dismissing their manager, having described the job he was doing at the time as “solid”.

Of course, it was Eustace who had the last laugh and whilst Birmingham sit in League One, he could receive the biggest job of his managerial career so far if Wolves come calling in the next week or so.

Tottenham are now reportedly exploring a potential January move to land a new midfielder to bolster Ange Postecoglou’s ranks in the winter window as they look to turn their season around.

Tottenham are the Premier League entertainers

No club has scored more Premier League goals than Tottenham this season, with three more against Liverpool taking their tally to 39. The problem for them has been that the results haven’t been as positive, with their 6-3 thrashing by the league leaders leaving them stranded in 11th place over Christmas, with more defeats than wins so far this season.

Postecoglou has already told fans that he will not be changing his style of play any time soon despite the adverse results, and doubled down on that claim after the loss to Liverpool.

“If people want me to change my approach, it is not going to change,” he explained after the game. “We are doing it for a reason. We are doing it because we think it will help us to be successful.”

He will need reinforcements in the transfer window in order to be able to continue his rebuild in north London, and Spurs have been strongly linked with another centre-back to help alleviate their concerns at the back, with teenage midfielder Archie Gray currently being asked to fill in alongside Radu Dragusin. Now, they could also look further forward in a bid to add yet more goals to their game.

Tottenham explore January Bundesliga raid

That comes according to reports in Spain, which claim that Tottenham are exploring a potential move to sign Julian Brandt from Borussia Dortmund as early as the January transfer window.

The German midfielder, who has previously been strongly linked with a move to north London rivals Arsenal, has been a key part of Nuri Sahin’s Borussia Dortmund side and has started all 12 Bundesliga games that he has been available for.

A goal and an assist in his most recent outing against Wolfsburg took his tally to nine goal contributions across all competitions this season as he looks to beat his tally of 26 from last campaign.

Just two years ago, he was considered just as important as Jude Bellingham in Dortmund’s high-flying side, with defender Nico Schlotterbeck dubbing him “outstanding” and adding that “Jule, along with Jude Bellingham, has been our standout player so far this season”.

Enquiry made: Tottenham now want rapid new £73k-p/w Van de Ven alternative

The defender is free to move on this winter and Tottenham now want him.

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By
Ben Browning

Dec 23, 2024

But the forward is down to the final 18 months of his £127,000 a week deal at Signal Iduna Park, and previous reports have suggested that the club are willing to cash in on the 28-year-old, something that has seemingly caught Tottenham’s eye.

According to the report, Spurs have “begun exploring the possibility” of his arrival in north London and talks “could progress during the winter transfer window”.

No price tag is mentioned, and it seems unlikely that Dortmund would be willing to let him leave cheaply midway through the season. Meanwhile, Spurs are more likely to focus on defensive additions in January, with their options in midfield not stretched as thinly as those in front of their own goal. As a result, a summer move could be more likely for the Germany international.

Nottingham Forest and Olympiacos owner Vangelis Marinakis is reportedly set to face trial in Greece for his alleged ties with criminal organisations.

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• Forest owner Marinakis set to face trial in Greece
• Accused of criminal ties in sports violence
• Marinakis believes his is a target for the Greek government

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Greek billionaire Marinakis, who is currently the chairman and co-owner of football clubs Olympiacos and Nottingham Forest, is set to face trial in Greece along with four other board members of the Super League side as per multiple reports.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Following a ruling by a Greek judicial council, legal sources announced on Thursday that Marinakis will go on trial for misdemeanour charges as part of an investigation into sports violence. The investigation was started by authorities when a riot police officer was killed by a flare during altercations with a group of Olympiakos supporters outside a volleyball match between Olympiakos and Panathinaikos in December 2023.

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  WHAT MARINAKIS SAID

  Marinakis released a statement soon after the announcement and took to blaming the Greek government for 'targeting' him and Olympiacos. The statement read: “This is a coordinated effort to silence me, but a hopeless one. It is not, after all, the first time that such an attempt has been made. Political and economic interests have unsuccessfully tried the same thing in the past through fabricated cases and accusations that fell with a bang.

  "The obvious target is me and Olympiacos. But what they really seek is to harm Freedom of the Press, the independence of the media and ultimately Democracy itself.

  "The message I am sending is one and clear: I am not afraid, I am not blackmailed, I am not negotiating, I am not giving in, I am not surrendering. The truth will shine again. Democracy will prevail. In the end, we will (as always) be victorious."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MARINAKIS?

  The Greek shipping and media tycoon who also owns English Premier League club Nottingham Forest, and the four board members, have denied any wrongdoing. However, the trial will go on as the legal system continues to try and lockdown the growing sports violence in Greece.

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has confessed to a tactical oversight that nearly jeopardised his team’s narrow 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

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• Fernandez scored to give Chelsea the three points
• Lengthy VAR checks led to 12 minutes of stoppage time
• Maresca believes he was lucky to escape with his changes

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Blues secured a vital three points at Stamford Bridge, thanks to a second-half header from Enzo Fernandez, but the closing moments were anything but straightforward for the hosts.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With Chelsea clinging to their slender lead, Maresca withdrew forward Cole Palmer and goal-scorer Fernandez, bringing on Tosin Adarabioyo and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to shore up the defence and midfield, respectively. Only after making the changes did Maresca realise that 12 minutes of stoppage time had been signalled – largely due to extensive VAR reviews that had disallowed goals for both sides during the second half.

• WHAT MARESCA SAID

  "We created chances enough in the first half, and then, to be honest, it has been my mistake because I did the change before I saw the extra time," Maresca told reporters.

  "When I saw 12 minutes, I saw that probably was too early to make that kind of change. But fortunately, we won the game, and we are happy."

  Despite his admission of a tactical error, Maresca was quick to heap praise on his players for their resilience and determination during the frantic finale.

  "If you want to become a team, I think you need also to learn and to play in the way we played in the last 10 minutes: win a game in a dirty way," the Italian said.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  Chelsea's next challenge comes quickly, with a short trip across London to face Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on April 6.

Celtic extended their unbeaten run in the Scottish Premiership with their 15th win in 17 matches by beating Motherwell 4-0 at Parkhead on Boxing Day.

A first-half penalty from Arne Engels gave the hosts a narrow lead, before Daizen Maeda, Nicolas Kuhn, and Reo Hatate all scored in the second 45 to secure all three points.

Brendan Rodgers will surely be delighted with yet another win and another clean sheet for Kasper Schmeichel, who did not have a save to make in the match.

However, it was not a perfect performance from the Hoops, who needed a penalty to go into the break ahead, and one player who did not take their chance to impress was Adam Idah.

Adam Idah's performance against Motherwell

The Ireland international was named in the starting line-up for just the sixth time this season in the Premiership, with Kyogo Furuhashi dropped to the bench after the 0-0 draw at Tannadice Park against Dundee United.

Unfortunately, though, the former Norwich City centre-forward did not catch the eye in the right way, as he struggled – particularly out of possession. Idah lost 100% (4/4) of his duels and this shows that Motherwell players found it too easy to get the better of him in physical contests.

The 6 foot 3 marksman also failed to find the back of the net with any of his three shot attempts, registering one on target, and failed with his only attempted dribble.

Idah did create one ‘big chance’ for the team, to his credit, but his overall performance was not enough to put a marker down and convince Rodgers that he should be the man moving forward.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

As well as the Irishman, another Celtic player who failed to make the most of their opportunity to impress from the start was central midfielder Paulo Bernardo.

Paulo Bernardo's performance in numbers

The Portuguese maestro fluffed his chance to put a marker down, like Idah, to nail down a regular place in the starting line-up, as he has only started eight of his 16 appearances in the division.

Bernardo played the opening 63 minutes of the match and was not directly involved in any of the goals, before being taken off for Reo Hatate – who came on to score.

His midfield competitor came on to score the fourth goal and won more duels (two) than the ex-Benfica starlet managed (one) in his time on the pitch.

As you can see in the table above, Bernardo did little to help the team out of possession, losing 88% of his duels and committing four fouls, as he struggled to deal with the physicality of the match, much like Idah.

The summer signing needed to make up for that with his quality in possession, but failed to do so. Zero shots and zero ‘big chances’ created paints a picture of his performance on the day – uneventful.

Celtic can ignite Idah's career in move for "sensational" £7.5m star

Celtic are reportedly interested in a swoop to sign the young centre-forward.

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By
Dan Emery

Dec 26, 2024

Both Idah and Bernardo are now in danger of dropping back out of the starting line-up once again, as they failed to take their chance to shine.

Marseille have been told they are "very lucky" to have Mason Greenwood amid speculation of a summer transfer exit.

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• Greenwood initially benched by De Zerbi
• Talk of Marseille transfer exit
• Team-mate sends message to club

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Marseille forward Neal Maupay has given a glowing review of team-mate Greenwood and stressed how important he is for Roberto De Zerbi's side. This comes at a time when some believe the 23-year-old will leave the club this summer due to how he has been treated.

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  WHAT NEAL MAUPAY SAID

  The former Brighton star told GiveMeSport: “He's another top one. I wouldn't say he's a striker, you can put him anywhere on the pitch. He's very talented, he's still young. We are very lucky to have him here. He's got what 15 goals already and more to come hopefully.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While De Zerbi did bench Greenwood for a perceived lack of effort earlier this year, the Italian admitted he "adores" the ex-Manchester United man and vowed to make him an all-time great. The one-time England international has been linked with eye-catching transfer moves but it seems many at Marseille want him to stay.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Greenwood, Maupay, and De Zerbi will hope second-placed Marseille can secure an important win in their crunch Ligue 1 clash with third-placed Monaco on Saturday.