Category Uncategorized

Firdose Moonda picks her best XI of the fourth season of the IPL

Firdose Moonda30-May-2011Chris Gayle
The Jamaican juggernaut crashed into town by complete accident, but after he propelled Bangalore into the final, virtually single-handedly, it will be tough to find someone who will say his inclusion was a mistake. He was the architect of a complete turnaround for Bangalore, and changed a three-match losing streak into a record seven-match winning one. Gayle showed the bowling no respect, fearlessly smashing whatever he could. He played fewer matches than most others, but took the orange cap, and had a strike rate of 183.13. He scored centuries against Kolkata and Punjab, but it was his 89 in the play-off against Mumbai that was his most destructive knock of the competition. He was also handy with the ball, his offspin capturing eight scalps for Bangalore.Sachin Tendulkar
Tendulkar’s insatiable appetite for runs has not dried up, even after India’s successful World Cup campaign, and he scored over 500 runs in the IPL. He opened the batting with his usual combination of solidity and flair, and a main contender for the orange cap until the Gayle force blew in. Tendulkar marshalled the top order of Mumbai Indians with such aplomb that eight games into the competition, Kieron Pollard had only faced three balls. He also achieved another first – his maiden IPL hundred, which he scored against Kochi Tuskers Kerala. His captaincy didn’t go unquestioned, but he remained the glorious batsman he has been for the last two decades.Shaun Marsh
Shaun Marsh was one of the chief reasons Kings XI Punjab remained in contention for the play-offs until the dying stages of the tournament. His 95 against Delhi Daredevils and unbeaten 79 against Bangalore were his two standout knocks but he had other, smaller contributions at No. 3 which were just as important. Marsh is one of the cleanest and most elegant strikers of the ball, and he showed he is not an IPL one-season wonder after claiming the orange cap in 2008.Virat Kohli
Tipped to be the future captain of India, Virat Kohli showed that consistency is one of his biggest assets, batting with maturity through the league. Kohli paced his innings’ well, finishing second on the run-scorers’ chart. Although he often was just a spectator to Gayle’s fireworks, he played his part to perfection, both as the standout supporting actor and stand-in captain when needed. In Daniel Vettori’s absence, he was handed the reins and led the side with distinction.S Badrinath
A man for all occasions, Badrinath performed in situations where he was needed to consolidate after a top-order failure and when he was sent down the order after a solid start. His yo-yo functioning in the batting order did not upset his sound temperament. His technical superiority was on display during crucial knocks like his 63 not out against Pune, his best knock of the tournament. Badrinath also established himself as one the best fielders in the Chennai side.MS Dhoni
Quickly becoming the best leaders of his generation, MS Dhoni’s ability to guide teams to champion status is now almost legendary. The face of calm under pressure, Dhoni’s role as tactician and planner is unmatched. He was particularly impressive with the way he used his bowlers, allowing the spinners and fast bowlers to share centre stage, and kept faith in players – Chennai fielded an unchanged XI in six consecutive matches at the league’s business end. While technically Dhoni may not be the best wicketkeeper in the tournament or world cricket, he is one of the most trusted. His skills with the bat came out in the 70 he scored against Bangalore. He promoted himself up the order in the final, in a move reminiscent of his World Cup final strategy, and although he didn’t accumulate nearly as many runs, his handy 22 was not wasted.Rahul Sharma
The fairytale story of this IPL, Rahul Sharma recovered from a problem which affected the nerves around his eye, Bell’s Palsy, to become one of the most eye-catching players of the tournament. A legspinner, whose height helps him achieve extra bounce on almost any wicket – drawing some comparisons with Anil Kumble – he was a threat to the opposition whenever he bowled. He maintained a tidy economy-rate, the best among all bowlers who had played more than two matches. He impressed with his 3 for 13 against Rajasthan and 2 for 7, one of the standout players for the new franchise, Pune Warriors.Iqbal Abdulla
This young left-arm spinner is one of the chief reasons for Kolkata emerging as one of the top four sides this year. Abdulla has been around the block a few times, playing for India’s under-19 side and on the club circuit in Mumbai, but came to the fore in this competition, with his aggressive performances. He took the new ball four times in the tournament, showing no fear in bowling in the Powerplay overs, breaking early partnerships as a result. He was awarded Man of the Match awards twice – and eventually named under-23 player of the IPL – when opening the bowling, once for his 2 for 19 against Punjab and 1 for 15 against Chennai.R Ashwin
The ever-impressive R Ashwin was one among a galaxy of star performers from the Chennai team, and once again used the IPL to stake his claim for more regular place in the national XI. An experienced hand at opening the bowling, Ashwin is now comfortable in this role and achieves early breakthroughs with regularity. His most impressive one came when it mattered most, in the final, when he removed Chris Gayle for a duck. Ashwin is also a man for big occasions and he performed at crucial times, claiming 3 for 16 in the final to break the Bangalore’s back.Doug Bollinger
Bollinger’s aggression and accuracy made him one of the most fearsome fast bowlers in this edition of the tournament. The left-armers’ consistent lines and lengths often saw him create early breakthroughs for Chennai, but that wasn’t the only stage he was effective at. He was one of the best death bowlers in the league, mixing up bouncers and slower balls, to prevent a late burst from the opposition on many occasions. His performance in the play-off, where he took 1 for 20, was key to Chennai’s progression to the final.Lasith Malinga
Lasith Malinga was head and shoulders above any other bowler in the tournament, and that’s not even when taking his curly, blond mop into account. Besides the unusual action, which has now been around long enough for batsman not to be alarmed by, Malinga is as accurate as it gets, landing the yorkers perfectly almost every time. He had batsmen’s toes crying for mercy and stumps being uprooted with regularity. His 5 for 13 against Delhi was the most destructive spell of the IPL and one that will be remembered for being as lethal as it was precise. More than 50% of the wickets he took were bowled, an incredible feat on its own.

New Zealand’s chances revolve around their slow men. By Brydon Coverdale

Brydon Coverdale06-Sep-2007

Daniel Vettori will have his work cut out for him as captain and lead bowler © Getty Images
Another World Cup, another missed opportunity. New Zealand’s failure to progress to the decider in the Caribbean was the fifth time they had stumbled at the semi-final stage, and post-tournament changes were inevitable. Stephen Fleming quit the one-day captaincy, John Bracewell’s position as coach was reviewed, and four members of their initial World Cup squad were overlooked for the Twenty20 version.Bracewell has stayed since but Fleming, James Franklin, Michael Mason and Daryl Tuffey have made way for Chris Martin, Gareth Hopkins, Bradley Scott and Nathan McCullum.It is Daniel Vettori’s first engagement as the full-time limited-overs captain and on-the-job training may be required, as his only Twenty20 experience is a solitary match for Northern Districts two years ago.Home truths
Only England have played more Twenty20 internationals than New Zealand’s five – which resulted in two wins, two losses and a tie – and the concept has been embraced at domestic level. Each provincial team played two matches in 2005-06 and the program was expanded significantly last year. In addition to a full round-robin tournament, a Southland Twenty20 competition was held in Invercargill over a weekend in November.Strengths
Quality slow bowling has become an important weapon in Twenty20. Batsmen are then forced to create the pace and contrive shots. New Zealand have potentially the most difficult spin duo of any team: Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel will use every piece of guile they can muster to tie down and frustrate the opposition. Vettori is a proven match-winner in one-day internationals with his subtle variations in line, length, flight and turn, and Twenty20 should be no different. Patel has become an effective foil and bowling in tandem they race through overs in the middle of an innings. Patel’s Twenty20 record – eight games, nine wickets at 16.77 and an economy rate of 6.20 – is excellent.They will follow the always dangerous Shane Bond, which means even the best sides will have to work hard to rack up a big score against New Zealand. New Zealand have a great spearhead, andthey also have great depth and variety in their bowling, which is second only to Australia’s Ian ChappellWeaknesses
It’s just as well New Zealand are good at restricting their opponents, because posting a huge total themselves will be a challenge. Lou Vincent, Brendon McCullum, Craig McMillan, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor and Jacob Oram are all dangerous strikers, but they struggled to click as a unit at the World Cup and their only decent totals came against minnows. The batting lacks the depth of more fancied sides and the line-up remains far from settled.In Fleming’s absence McCullum could again be pushed up to open, although that ploy has been unsuccessful in ODIs. Teams will also target New Zealand’s second-tier bowlers. Mark Gillespie and Chris Martin have their moments but at times they leak copious amounts of runs. The newcomer Scott, a left-arm fast-medium bowler, concedes nearly ten an over in domestic Twenty20.Player to watch
Thanks to his time in county cricket, Styris is the most experienced Twenty20 player in the squad. He is in form – he was easily New Zealand’s best batsman at the World Cup with 499 runs at 83.16 – and he could be the platform around which the likes of McMillan and McCullum launch their attacks. The only concern is that he returned from Durham with niggling back, knee, and calf problems, and losing him mid-tournament would be a major setback.Dark horse
It will be interesting to see how Hopkins, the back-up wicketkeeper, is used. New Zealand believe Hopkins and McCullum can play in the same side and after Hopkins made 514 first-class runs at 85.66 last summer, who can argue? He had a taste of ODI cricket three years ago, and at 30 he has enough experience to suggest he will not be overawed by the occasion. Hopkins will be desperate to pass this audition as he pushes for a batting spot in the one-day team.

Scott Styris needs to be the middle-order rock around whom the big-hitters play © Getty Images
Ian Chappell’s take
New Zealand are mainly a side of veterans who have been around in international cricket for a long time. The only unknown aspect about their cricket is the captaincy of Daniel Vettori, who takes over from long-term leader Stephen Fleming. How the left-armer adapts to the difficult role of being a bowler-captain is crucial to New Zealand’s chances in the tournament.The two big question marks surrounding New Zealand cricket are the ones that have been around for a long time – their vulnerable top-order batting and their ability to fall at the final hurdle with the winning post in sight. If Lou Vincent plays consistently well, the top order will be enhanced, which improves New Zealand’s chances immeasurably as they have ample power in the middle order. Jacob Oram, Craig McMillan and Brendon McCullum have the power, precision and thought processes to make New Zealand’s middle order as dangerous as any, including Australia.With Shane Bond licensed to dismiss, New Zealand have a great spearhead, andthey also have great depth and variety in their bowling, which is second only to Australia’s. They back up their strong bowling line-up by being resourceful and athletic in the field.If they bat well at the top, and Vettori handles the extra responsibility ofcaptaincy, then New Zealand could very well make the finals as long as theydon’t freeze in sight of the prize. Rating: 7.5/10

Erik ten Hag reportedly "did not support" spending £85 million on Antony but Manchester United "pushed through at all costs" to fend off Arsenal.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Man Utd spent big on Antony in 2022Followed his manager from Ajax to OTTen Hag was against the transferFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

In a surprising revelation, it has emerged that Ten Hag was not in favour of United's massive investment in the Brazilian in 2022. Antony had played under Ten Hag at Ajax, and the expectation was that the familiarity between the two would ease the transition to Old Trafford and spark immediate results.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

According to multiple reports, it was only after United lost their opening two matches of the 2022–23 Premier League season that the urgency to bring in a high-profile attacker intensified. This urgency translated into action, with then-football director John Murtough submitting three separate bids to Ajax. The final offer was eventually accepted, despite Ajax’s reluctance to lose Antony.

WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

However, contrary to popular belief, Ten Hag tried to halt the move, as disclosed by Kees Vos, co-founder of SEG, the agency representing Ten Hag.

In the book , Vos states: "Ten Hag and Vos were not in favour of this and wanted to stop the transfer. But the club wanted to push through at all costs, because Arsenal was also interested in Antony. The risk of a stronger competitor would be great. Ultimately, Manchester United paid almost 100 million euros for Antony.

"Although Ten Hag did not support this transfer, it stuck with him throughout his entire time in Manchester that he took over the attacker from Ajax for this ill-fated amount, who was never able to fulfil his promise."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

DID YOU KNOW?

Over the course of 96 appearances for United, Antony only managed to net 12 goals and register five assists, figures that drew sharp criticism from fans. His tendency to perform flashy tricks without delivering tangible outcomes made him an easy target for those frustrated with United’s inconsistent performances. By the start of his second season, Antony had begun to fall down the pecking order. His limited impact saw him lose his regular starting role, and in a notable development halfway through his third season, he was loaned out to Spanish side Real Betis.

Gary Neville has revealed whether new signing Senne Lammens will be installed as Manchester United's No.1 following his transfer from Royal Antwerp. The highly-rated Belgian goalkeeper moved to Old Trafford in an £18 million ($24m) deal on deadline day.

Neville reveals United's stance on LammensSigned the Belgian goalkeeper on deadline dayOnana and Bayindir continue to struggleFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

United showed urgency in their pursuit of a new goalkeeper towards the end of the summer transfer window after Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir endured nightmare starts to the 2025-26 campaign. Bayindir conceded four goals in United's first three Premier League games, making clear errors against Arsenal and Burnley, while Onana's disastrous performance against Grimsby Town led to the Red Devils' exit from the Carabao Cup in the second round.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

United were also linked with a swoop for wantaway Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, but they eventually prioritised a deadline day move for 23-year-old Lammens. Now, speculation is rife over whether the young custodian will feature in Ruben Amorim's starting lineup once action resumes after the international break.

WHAT NEVILLE SAID

Speaking to , Red Devils icon Neville said: "I’ve been asking around about that one this morning and spoke to a few people at United. The feeling is the new boy coming in would probably be a No. 2 who would start on the bench, but they absolutely do need a No. 1."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

Amorim's side, who finally picked up their maiden win of the season against Burnley last weekend, next face rivals Manchester City on September 14. It remains to be seen if Lammens will make his United debut in the derby.

MatériaMais Notícias

Um dia após ser anunciado, Luís Segovia se apresentou à torcida do Botafogo no CT Espaço Lonier e falou sobre suas características. Depois de se destacar com a camisa do Independiente Del Valle, o defensor chega ao Alvinegro para fortalecer um setor que subiu de produção na reta final da última temporada.

+ MERCADO DA BOLA: Acompanhe as movimentações do Fogão

– Sou um zagueiro canhoto com muitas qualidades, sou muito técnico, forte, top no alto, gosto de sair jogando. O Botafogo é uma equipe muito grande, com muita tradição. Venho aqui para fazer história e ganhar muitos títulos – destacou

RelacionadasBotafogoBotafogo anuncia a contratação do atacante Carlos Alberto, ex-América-MGBotafogo12/01/2023BotafogoColeção de camisas que conta trajetória de Nilton Santos, ídolo do Botafogo, é lançadaBotafogo11/01/2023BotafogoMarlon Freitas elogia união do elenco e explica escolha pelo projeto alvinegro: ‘O Botafogo é gigante’Botafogo10/01/2023

Ao longo da segunda temporada da SAF alvinegra, o clube procura elevar seu patamar e brigar pelos títulos. Um dos principais objetivos será um troféu internacional, o da Copa Sul-Americana, que o zagueiro conhece bem. Pela equipe equatoriana, Segovia conquistou o bicampeonato do torneio e disse que gosta de desafios.

+Segovia no Botafogo: conheça as principais características do zagueiro

-Del Valle tem uma grande estrutura e um grande projeto. Ganhou a Sul-Americana duas vezes. Eu trago experiência, tranquilidade. Falei com o pessoal da cozinha, nutricionistas, doutores que o fundamental é que o jogador esteja feliz para que esteja tranquilo para o que tenha que fazer. Hoje o Botafogo te dá isso – analisou.

– Muito bem. Eu gosto de desafios. No Equador, a competição é dura. Mas no Brasilé muito mais. Terei muito sacrifício, dedicação e trabalhar dia após dia. Uma competição sadia com meus companheiros e aprender com cada um deles – completou.

Por fim, o jogador disse conhecer um pouco a história do Glorioso e ressaltou a primeira conversa que teve com Luís Castro. De acordo com o defensor, o comandante o pediu para aprender a língua portuguesa com o intuito de melhorar a comunicação com seus futuros companheiros.

– O primeiro pedido do mister foi que eu falasse português (risos). Estou estudando há três semanas mais ou menos. Entendo muito bem, já está quase perfeito, mas falar ainda me falta muito. Esse é o meu objetivo, para poder me desenvolver dentro de campo com meus companheiros – contou.

+Botafogo tem interesse na contratação do atacante Facundo Pellistri

-Sei algumas coisas do Botafogo, é um dos mais tradicionais da história do Brasil, um dos mais levou jogadores à Seleção Brasileira, tem muitos anos de vida. Hoje, sinto que tem um grande projeto e sinto que pode ganhar muitos títulos – finalizou.

Northern Diamonds cruised their way to an opening-day nine-wicket victory over Thunder at Chester-le-Street thanks to commanding performances from three of their most experienced players.Veteran legspinner Katie Levick claimed 4 for 38 as the visitors were bowled out for 165 off 43.1 overs before England internationals Lauren Winfield-Hill and Hollie Armitage both hit unbeaten half-centuries as the hosts reached the modest target from 34.3 overs.Only opening batter Seren Smale showed any real opposition with the bat for Thunder with a knock of 32 at the top of the order on a disappointing day for Ellie Threlkeld’s side who were a distant second best in all areas of the game.Thunder never really recovered from the early blow of losing Emma Lamb, bowled by Jessica Woolston without scoring, with her fellow opener Smale subsequently struggling to find any partners of substance.Australian debutant Katie Mack threatened to do the job with a breezy 19 before she was trapped in front by Abi Glenn who then bowled Fi Morris first ball to leave Thunder 40 for 3.It was a busy day for the umpires with both Threlkeld and then Smale departing leg-before with the latter’s 32 the top score of the innings only matched by the same number of extras.Threlkeld was Levick’s first victim as the legspinner turned the screw effectively with the runs drying up for Thunder despite some defiance from Namoi Dattani, Danielle Collins and Tara Norris as the visitors squeezed their way above 150.It was Levick’s day though and last season’s leading wicket-taker for Diamonds took the last three wickets to fall to close with typically strong figures of 4 for 38 from 9.1 overs as Thunder were bowled out for a below-par 165.Winfield-Hill and Sterre Kalis attacked from the start of the Diamonds innings and although both Phoebe Graham and Mahika Gaur bowled tightly they were unable to make a crucial early breakthrough for Thunder.It was not until the 14th over when Diamonds had reached 59 and seen off the opening bowlers that the wicket finally came and when it did it was something of gimme: Kalis somehow scooping a full toss from slow-left armer Hannah Jones into the hands of Dattini at midwicket for 28.Despite Threlkeld shuffling her pack, a second wicket failed to materialise with Armitage joining Winfield-Hill at the crease and the pair attacking Norris and Morris, in particular, with some powerful hitting.Winfield-Hill eased past her half-century as the second-wicket partnership turned into a match-winning one with the only real drama concerning if Armitage would join her in reaching the landmark, which she did in the 34th over.The century partnership came up shortly before the winning runs were hit leaving Winfield-Hill and Armitage both not out at the close of a very satisfying day for Northern Diamonds who claimed the bonus-point victory.

Luis Enrique's side blew Los Blancos away to set up a meeting with the Blues in New Jersey in Sunday's final

Paris Saint-Germain flexed their muscles to secure a 4-0 win over Real Madrid in their Club World Cup semi-final on Wednesday. Fabian Ruiz netted twice while Ousmane Dembele and Goncalo Ramos also got on the scoresheet for the rampant European champions to set up a meeting with Chelsea in Sunday's final.

Ruiz and Dembele had both already tested Thibaut Courtois before they combined to break the deadlock in the sixth minute, with Dembele able to rob Raul Asencio inside the Madrid penalty area before Ruiz able to provide the close-range finish. Dembele then doubled the lead just three minutes later when he dispossessed Antonio Rudiger and ran in unopposed to fire into the bottom corner.

Luis Enrique's side were utterly dominant in New Jersey, and made it three before the half-hour mark when a flowing move ended with Achraf Hakimi squaring for Ruiz to grab his second of the game. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia should probably have made it four, too, only to fire wide when well placed shortly before the break.

PSG took their foot off the gas somewhat in the second period, though they were still able to keep Madrid at arm's length before capping their performance with a fine finish by substitute Ramos after he was found by Bradley Barcola.

GOAL rates PSG's players from MetLife Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Gianluigi Donnarumma (6/10):

Had very little to do but didn't put a foot wrong when he was called upon.

Achraf Hakimi (8/10):

Combined superbly with Doue going forward, most notably to create the third goal for Ruiz, while showing excellent defensive nous to deal with the likes of Mbappe, Vinicius and Bellingham.

Marquinhos (7/10):

Never looked troubled by the Madrid forward line, and even bullied Mbappe at times.

Lucas Beraldo (7/10):

Stepped into the shoes of the suspended Pacho and ensured the Ecuadorian wasn't missed. Madrid tried to target him as best they could, but the Brazilian stood firm.

Nuno Mendes (8/10):

Was absolutely everywhere, particularly in the first half. Made a couple of superb last-ditch challenges while causing havoc with his late runs in attack.

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Joao Neves (7/10):

At his combative best when winning possession back in midfield. Did pick up a first-half booking, but didn't let that faze him.

Vitinha (8/10):

World football's classiest midfield operator again dictated the tempo with supreme ease. Set-pieces were dangerous, too.

Fabian Ruiz (9/10):

In the right place to find the net on two occasions, but that only told part of the Spaniard's story in an all-action display. Might not be a more underrated player in world football right now.

AFPAttack

Desire Doue (7/10):

Ran Fran Garcia ragged at times as his blistering pace and quick feet left the Madrid left-back in the dirt. Final ball was lacking on occasion, but did play his part in the move for PSG's third goal.

Ousmane Dembele (9/10):

Forced mistakes out of both Asencio and Rudiger within the first nine minutes that led to PSG's opening two goals. Showed exactly why he remains the Ballon d'Or favourite.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (8/10):

Electric down the left-hand side, all that was missing from the Georgian's performance was a goal as his finishing let him down on a couple of occasions.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

AFPSubs & Manager

Goncalo Ramos (7/10):

Had a couple of half-chances before showing good feet to net the fourth in the closing minutes.

Bradley Barcola (7/10):

Got in behind multiple times before his quick feet helped set up Ramos for his goal.

Warren Zaire-Emery (6/10):

Kept PSG ticking over in midfield after replacing Ruiz.

Senny Mayulu (6/10):

Put his foot in after being thrown on for the final quarter of the game.

Lee Kang-in (N/A):

On for the final 10 minutes.

Luis Enrique (9/10):

His team basically picks itself nowadays, but they look as hungry as ever to add another trophy to their growing collection. Right now, they look pretty unstoppable.

The Mexican midfielder couldn’t complete Wednesday’s training session.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• MRI on Thursday confirmed a ruptured ACL
• Mexico faces Saudi Arabia this Saturday
• Chávez has played 108 minutes so far in this Gold Cup

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mexican midfielder Luis Chávez has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2025 Gold Cup and is expected to miss several months of action due to a serious knee injury. The Dynamo Moscow player left training early on Wednesday after suffering what initially appeared to be a minor knock. However, further tests revealed a much more concerning diagnosis.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  On Thursday, the Mexican Football Federation confirmed that Chávez underwent an MRI scan, which revealed a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee. Recovery from this type of injury typically takes four to six months, meaning Chávez is unlikely to feature again until late 2025.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT MEXICAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION SAID

  “After undergoing an MRI, it was confirmed that Luis Chávez has suffered a rupture of the ACL in his right knee,” read the official statement. The injury not only sidelines him from the rest of the tournament – where Mexico are chasing a record 10th title – but also rules him out of the team’s scheduled friendlies later this year against South Korea, Japan, and potentially Ecuador.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Chávez started and played the full 90 minutes in Mexico’s match against Costa Rica, making the diagnosis especially surprising. His absence will be a blow to Javier Aguirre’s squad, who are currently in the final stretch of preparations for their quarterfinal clash against Saudi Arabia this Saturday.

  Beyond national team implications, the injury could affect Chávez’s club career. Reports had linked him with a possible return to Liga MX, with Tigres rumored to be interested. However, the long-term recovery timeline makes any immediate transfer unlikely, meaning the midfielder will likely remain with Dynamo Moscow as he focuses on rehabilitation.

  The setback is particularly untimely for Chávez, who had been gradually growing into a key figure for both club and country.

كشفت تقارير صحفية تطورات تخص مستقبل حارس مرمى فريق برشلونة، مارك أندريه تير شتيجن، في ظل تكهنات مستمرة حول وضعه مع بطل الدوري الإسباني.

وارتبط تير شتيجن بخطوة الرحيل عن صفوف برشلونة، هذا الصيف، حيث لا يُعد جزءًا من خطط المدرب هانز فليك.

وتعاقد برشلونة مع خوان جارسيا، من إسبانيول، في وقت سابق من موسم الانتقالات الصيفي الحالي، مما يعقد مستقبل تير شتيجن مع النادي الكتالوني.

وحسبما ذكرت صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية، فإن المدير الفني لفريق برشلونة هانز فليك اجتمع بـ تير شتيجن، في المدينة الرياضية، يوم الجمعة.

وأوضحت أن فليك قرر عدم الانتظار وأبلغ تير شتيجن بأنه لن يكون حارس برشلونة الأساسي الموسم المقبل، حيث اتخذ النادي قرارًا استراتيجيًا فيما يخص مركزه، عن طريق التعاقد مع خوان جارسيا.

وأفادت أن فليك أكد لـ تير شتيجن أن جارسيا يتمتع بثقة كاملة من الجهاز الفني ومسؤولي برشلونة حيث سيكون الحارس الأساسي للفريق.

وسيحترم برشلونة أي قرار يتخذه تير شتيجن، سواء قرر البقاء مع الفريق من أجل القتال على مكان في التشكيل الأساسي، أو الرحيل إلى نادِ آخر في يناير المقبل.

وشددت على أن الحوار بين فليك وتير شتيجن كان صادقًا وضروريًا لتوضيح الوضع الجديد في ذلك المركز في برشلونة بشكل رسمي، حيث أن النادي لديه التزام استراتيجي واضح عن طريق إعادة تشكيل نظام حراسة المرمى من خلال حارس شاب واعد.

ويرى فليك أن خوان جارسيا يمتلك الصفقات اللازمة ليكون حارس مرمى برشلونة، وسيكون رهانه طوال الموسم الجديد، باستثناء الإيقاف أو الإصابة.

ليس هذا فقط، بل أن برشلونة لا يزال لديه الثقة تجاه فويتشيك تشيزني، باعتباره الحارس الثاني، ومن ثم فإن مشاركة تير شتيجن شبه مستحيلة.

اقرأ أيضًا.. برشلونة يجهز مفاجأة سارة لجماهيره عند إعادة افتتاح ملعب الكامب نو

ولم يغلق فليك الباب أمام تير شتيجن في برشلونة، حيث شجعه على البقاء والقتال من أجل مركزه، خاصة أن لديه عقد مستمر حتى 2028، ولكن المدرب رغب أن يكون واضحًا مع مواطنه حتى يتسنى للأخير التفكير بشأن مستقبله، طالما هناك وقت في الميركاتو الجاري.

واسترسلت الصحيفة أن برشلونة أكد لـ تير شتيجن أنه سيتعين عليه إيجاد مكان جديد بنفسه، حيث أن الإدارة ستسهل رحيله مع تقديم الدعم المالي إذا لزم الأمر، طالما تلك هي رغبة الحارس نفسه.

ولا يريد تير شتيجن الرحيل والخروج من الباب الخلفي، لأن فكرته واضحة قبل بداية العطلة، حيث يتطلع إلى البقاء كونه مقتنعًا بقدرته على القتال من أجل الحصول على وقت للعب، بالنظر إلى مستواه، رغم أن فليك أخبره أنه لن يشارك كأساسي، وفكرة لعبه ولو دقيقة واحدة أمر شبه مستحيل، في ظل وجود جارسيا وتشيزني.

وتقع الضغوط الآن على تير شتيجن نفسه، مع العلم أنه يريد الدفاع عن حقوقه التعاقدية، ولا يريد القيام بأي تحركات خاطئة، حيث أنه ليس مستعدًا لإنهاء عقده إلا بتلقي المبالغ المتفق عليها طوال فترة صفقته، ولن يتراجع عن هذا الأمر.

وسبق أن ذكرت تقارير صحفية كون تير شتيجن شعر بغضب شديد جراء بعض التسريبات الداخلية، التي يعتقد أنها جاءت من داخل النادي نفسه لتشويه سمعته، ومن ثم فإن غضبه سيجعل مسأله تعايشه في غرفة الملابس حاليًا أمرًا صعبًا.

ويبدو أن برشلونة على استعداد لإنهاء عقد تير شتيجن من خلال دفع مستحقاته المالية لمدة عام واحد من الأعوام الثلاثة، وبالتالي إطلاق سراحه حتى يتمكن الألماني من متابعة مستقبله، لكن هذا العرض لم يوضع على الطاولة حتى الآن.

ولم يُناقش حتى الآن أي أمر سوى الشق الرياضي، ولكن كل شيء سوف يتم الآن في المكاتب، لأنه في النهاية قد ينتهي الأمر بمفاوضات اقتصادية.

ويرتبط تير شتيجن حاليًا بأكثر من نادِ مثل موناكو الفرنسي، إنتر ميلان الإيطالي، جالطة سراي التركي، بل ومانشستر يونايتد الإنجليزي كذلك.

Liverpool are now racing Real Madrid to the signing of a promising defender, and one who former manager Jurgen Klopp is a big fan of, according to reports.

Reds pursuing centre-back with Van Dijk future uncertain

Virgil van Dijk’s future at Anfield remains very much up in the air, with the Dutchman yet to commit to a new contract to extend his stay at Anfield beyond the end of the season.

Losing his captain will be the last thing Arne Slot wants in the summer transfer window, particularly with Trent Alexander-Arnold also seemingly on his way out, with a move to Real Madrid looking increasingly likely.

As such, the Reds will have to remain proactive in the transfer market, in order to make sure they are not left reeling by a potential Van Dijk departure, and one replacement they have in mind is Ajax star Jorrel Hato.

Liverpool could sell their answer to Bellingham after receiving £50m bid

Arne Slot may want to take the bold move toward green-lighting this Liverpool star’s summer sale.

ByAngus Sinclair Mar 31, 2025

AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen is another name on the shortlist, following the Spaniard’s breakout season with the Cherries in the Premier League, although there will be competition for his signature from Real Madrid.

Huijsen is not the only centre-back Liverpool may have to battle Real Madrid for, however, with a report from Sky Sports revealing the two heavyweights are both interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie.

A report from Spain has since gone into more detail about the pursuit of Hincapie, stating the defender has a market value of around €50m (£42m).

The 23-year-old has been linked with a move to Anfield in the past, at which point it was revealed Klopp is a big fan, but it could be very difficult to fend off Madrid in the race for his signature.

"Beast" Hincapie could be an excellent signing

The Ecuadorian has predominantly featured at centre-back throughout his career so far, but his versatility would make him a useful signing for Liverpool, given that he can also play at left-back, which is another area Slot is looking to strengthen.

The aforementioned report makes it clear Real Madrid are also considering a move for Ibrahima Konate this summer, however, and should Van Dijk decide to move on, signing a new centre-back is likely to be a priority, with the Bayer Leverkusen star fitting the bill.

The Esmeraldas-born defender places in the 85th percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, and he is ranked among the best tacklers in the Bundesliga, given his rate of success this season.

Hincapie has proven he could be an excellent signing for Liverpool this summer, but their first priority should be to seal a new deal for Van Dijk, given that it would be extremely difficult to replace the 33-year-old.