Pela primeira vez na história, a Seleção Brasileira vestirá uma camisa preta. No caso, no amistoso contra o Guiné, que acontecerá neste sábado (17). A camisa foi divulgada nesta segunda-feira (12) e será parte de uma ação contra o racismo.
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Na divulgação, a Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) compartilhou uma imagem da camisa com o número 20, em homenagem a Vinícius Júnior, que foi alvo de uma série de manifestações racistas recentemente. Além disso, é importante ressaltar que o amistoso da Seleção Brasileira acontecerá em Barcelona, na Espanha.
A camisa preta será utilizada somente no primeiro tempo do amistoso. Na etapa final, os atletas convocados voltarão a jogar com a tradicional camisa amarela, que também terá uma ação de combate ao racismo. Como mencionado anteriormente, em 109 anos, essa será a primeira vez que algo semelhante ocorrerá.
+ Lance! estreia nova marca e se reposiciona no mercado de mídia esportiva
De acordo com o presidente da entidade, Ednaldo Rodrigues, a questão do combate ao racismo seria ‘prioritária’. Em sua declaração, divulgada pela CBF, ele também ressaltou que a entidade é a ‘única federação de futebol que prevê a perda de pontos por atos de racismo’.
– Desde o primeiro dia do meu mandato, essa questão é prioritária. Fizemos um seminário para tratar do tema, criamos um grupo de trabalho com 60 pessoas que se reúnem periodicamente para avançar em discussões e propostas. Somos a única federação de futebol do mundo que criou um dispositivo que prevê a perda de pontos por atos de racismo. Isso está no texto do Registro Geral de Competições da CBF – disse o dirigente.
+ Seleção pensa em “plano B” para Ancelotti, Atlético-MG negocia com técnico português… o Dia do Mercado!
Aston Villa have been hindered this summer by the Premier League’s controversial Profit and Sustainability regulations, imposed prohibitively on Unai Emery’s plans this summer.
There’s no question that the focus is on returning to the Champions League and Emery crowning his era in the English Midlands with silverware, but that’s easier said than done.
Villa are into the Europa League, at least, having finished sixth last term, falling agonisingly short after a miserable and contentious loss at Old Trafford on the final day.
While the Premier League side have missed out on the bonanza that would have come through reprising their place in Europe’s elite competition, they have completed some shrewd signings, with Marco Bizot from Brest taking the number two spot between the sticks and the versatile Evann Guessand adding firepower across the frontline, having recently signed from OGC Nice.
Though another deal could yet be completed, it appears that much hinges on the future of Leon Bailey.
The latest on Leon Bailey's Villa future
The Athletic have confirmed that Bailey, 28, is in talks with Serie A giants Roma over a potential transfer away from Villa Park this summer.
Aston Villa'sLeonBaileyin action with Celtic's Greg Taylor
The Jamaican winger only started 14 times in the Premier League last season as he struggled against injuries, which punctuated his campaign.
However, he was electric the term before, racking up 19 goal contributions across the top-flight campaign, and it’s clear that more quality is needed to ensure that Emery has enough firepower to tackle multiple fronts once again this year.
And should Roma secure their quarry, it appears the Villans have already lined up the perfect replacement.
Villa join race for Bailey replacement
According to journalist Sebastien Vidal, Aston Villa are ready to join the race for Leicester City winger Abdul Fatawu, should Bailey complete his potential move to Roma in the coming weeks.
Leicester winger Abdul Fatawu
The 21-year-old Fatawu suffered an injury-hit 2024/25 season but managed to showcase his quality across the smattering of fixtures he appeared in.
Everton have also been reported to have a vested interest in the speedy winger, so Monchi and co will need to ramp up the gas if they hope to get this one over the line.
Why Emery wants Abdul Fatawu
Leicester signed Fatawu from Sporting Lisbon last summer after he played an instrumental role in achieving promotion from the Championship in 2023/24.
An athletic, pacy and combative winger, Fatawu has the perfect skill set for the Premier League, and given that he has burst onto the scene in the second tier, he could prove to be Villa’s next version of Morgan Rogers.
Morgan Rogers
The ice-cold attacking midfielder was one of Aston Villa’s biggest success stories from last season, notching 30 goal contributions across all competitions as he played a crucial role in making Emery’s system tick. The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell had described him as a “machine” of an attacking midfielder for his labours.
However, he’d previously completed 61 matches in the Championship, and it’s for this reason that Villa could repeat their own trick by signing Fatawu from the King Power Stadium this summer.
Remarked by talent scout Jacek Kulig to have been “simply unplayable” at times across the 2023/24 Championship season, it’s regrettable from a Leicester standpoint that Fatawu was cruelly ruled out for the lion’s share of last season, especially when he showed great promise across his few outings in ther Premier League.
In fact, even though Fatawu has struggled for fitness over the past 12 months, he still ranks among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe for progressive carries, the top 1% for successful take-ons and the top 15 for tackles won per 90 too, via FBref.
Indeed, looking at the Ghanaian’s performances across the past two years, you begin to see why Emery is invested in striking a deal over the next couple of weeks, adding not just creativity to his side but also some muscle and energy to his right flank too.
Matches (starts)
40 (33)
11 (6)
Goals
6
0
Assists
13
2
Shots (on target)*
1.9 (0.4)
1.2 (0.5)
Pass completion
80%
68%
Big chances created
32
2
Key passes*
1.7
0.5
Dribbles*
2.3
2.6
Ball recoveries*
3.7
3.5
Tackles + interceptions*
2.0
2.3
Duels (won)*
6.1
7.6
And though he’s only played once in the Championship this season, Sofascore also record that the rising prospect completed six dribbles and won a whopping 12 duels, underscoring his one-of-a-kind physicality.
This level of completeness at such an early stage of his career emphasises a likeness to the 23-year-old Rogers, for the England international won 4.7 duels and made 1.2 tackles per game in the Premier League last season, as also recorded by Sofascore.
But with a potent attacking threat at the forefront of his game, it’s clear that Rogers could find himself mimicked by Fatawu, should the Ghanaian succeed in earning his big move after two years with Leicester which have shown potential but seen him spiral back into the Premier League after frustration last season.
Given that Rogers also created 16 big chances in the top flight last term, partnered with his preferred position existing in the centre or out on the left, there’s no reason why Fatawu and Rogers could not cohabit in Emery’s starting line-up over the coming years, each sharing similar skills but bearing their own tactical identity.
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers in action with Brighton & Hove Albion'sIgorJulio
Whether Aston Villa manage to pull this one off remains to be seen, especially since Everton remain hopeful that they can strike a deal themselves.
But without a doubt, this is the kind of shrewd signing that could bear dividends in the long run, and if Bailey’s chapter in England truly is at an end, there are few better replacements currently on the market.
Emery's new Asensio: Aston Villa hold talks over signing £18m "wizard"
Aston Villa are looking to sign another attacker this summer
A former team-mate of the late Billy Vigar has revealed that Chichester City have been left "traumatised" by the fatal accident that killed the former Arsenal youth player. Vigar suffered a horrific head injury during an Isthmian League Premier Division game against Wingate and Finchley, which tragically took the footballer's life.
Vigar tragically killed in horror accident
Vigar was in action for Chichester City in an Isthmian League Premier Division clash against Wingate and Finchley on September 20, when he crashed into a concrete wall. The tragedy happened just 13 minutes into the match as Vigar tried to prevent the ball from crossing the goal line. Multiple ambulances and an air ambulance arrived at the venue and he was immediately taken to a hospital. The 21-year-old was placed into an induced coma and underwent surgery but unfortunately, his life could not be saved as he passed away.
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Vigar's accident has left Chicchester 'traumatised'
Speaking to the , Vigar's team-mate and goalkeeper Kieran Magee described the incident, saying: "It’s still very raw as to what we saw. An absolute freak accident, he’s collided with the concrete wall around the perimeter of the pitch. It was past the goal-line so at the end of the pitch. For the whole team that were playing at the time, not just us but the Wingate and Finchley players as well, it’s a traumatic memory for us.
"There were a few guys that stayed with him, and the physios from both clubs. There were a couple members of the crowd who were medically trained and came over, too. The paramedics turned up extremely quickly and took over from there. ‘We were with him until we couldn’t be. We knew it was serious very quickly. ‘It’s going to be at the forefront of everyone’s mind for a long, long time going forward."
The stopper added: "The kind of character he was, it felt like he had been here forever. His old team-mates feel exactly the same wherever he has been before. He was a really humble young lad. He’s had a lot of knockbacks in his career, he was really coming out of his shell and bonding with everyone. He was the most kind, normal bloke you could meet. He was just enjoying his football. He was a full-blooded player. He gave everything to every ball, never stopped running. You could see he was enjoying it."
Chichester set up fundraiser
The non-league club have set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds to support Vigar's grief-stricken family. The GoFundMe campaign statement read: "Please give what you can and show the strength of the football community when we come together for one of our own. Rest in peace, Billy. You will never be forgotten."
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Arsenal paid tribute to Vigar
Arsenal paid tribute to their former academy players as Gunners stars wore a black armband as a mark of respect during their Premier League clash against Newcastle United on Sunday at St James' Park.
Ryan Rickelton is showing the value of runs under the belt. He came into the Champions Trophy on the back of a solid SA20, where he was the fourth-highest scorer. Before that, he had smoked 259 in the New Year’s Test against Pakistan. On Friday, it was time for him to leave his mark on the 50-over format as he scored his maiden ODI century in his seventh game as South Africa began their Champions Trophy with a solid 107-run win over Afghanistan.Batting first on a Karachi surface that had a nice layer of grass, South Africa rode on Rickelton’s 103 followed by steady fifties from Temba Bavuma, Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram to rack up 315 for 6. That meant Afghanistan had to record their highest-ever successful chase if they had to win on Champions Trophy debut.But they never really got close. Rahmat Shah was the only bright spot as he scored a sprightly 90 off 92 balls, and was the last batter to fall. But with a second-highest score of 18, Afghanistan were never really in it. Kagiso Rabada picked up three wickets, while Lungi Ngidi and Wiaan Mulder got two each as Afghanistan were bundled for 208 in 43.3 overs.It was a largely flawless innings from Rickelton. He never looked rushed; not when Tony de Zorzi fell early or when Bavuma took his time to get going. Rickelton struck boundaries whenever he got a chance. When he didn’t, he quietly rotated the strike. He started with a lovely punch past mid-off third ball before going back-to-back against Fazalhaq Farooqi in the fifth over, once with a fierce pull through midwicket and then a cut past point.De Zorzi also struck two fours but fell to a rather nonchalant delivery from Mohammad Nabi early on when he flopped it straight to mid-on.Temba Bavuma got only his second fifty away from home•Associated Press
Bavuma’s first 19 balls yielded only seven runs before he got a couple of fours away to get into the groove. Rickelton, meanwhile, picked Azmatullah Omarzai for two delightful fours to raise his fifty off just 48 balls.South Africa ticked along to 83 for 1 after 15 overs, but an important passage of play was about to come: South Africa batters vs Afghanistan’s spinners. That’s where Rickelton really showed his wares. He would have faced a lot of Rashid Khan in the SA20 nets as they were part of the victorious MI Cape Town side, and that experience showed.Bavuma got to his second fifty away from home, as he continued his rich form. He had a solid 129-run stand for the second wicket with Rickelton, before holing out to deep midwicket as Nabi picked his second wicket.By that time, Rickelton had moved into his 90s, and had hardly broken a sweat. Afghanistan hardly helped themselves in the field, too. There were several misfields, and a run-out chance fluffed, while Noor Ahmad was particularly off-colour. He was either too short, or too full, and often tried to dart the ball in and lost his shape.Rickelton soon became the first South Africa batter to register a century on Champions Trophy debut with a push to long-off.Afghanistan got a lucky break when Rickelton was run-out in bizarre fashion. He bunted a Rashid length ball back to the bowler, who fired a flat throw to the wicketkeeper. Rickelton, out of his crease, was caught off-guard just a touch, and as he put in the dive, his bat bounced just short of the crease. That meant even though his bat was over the line, it was in the air when Rahmanullah Gurbaz whipped the bails off.Ibrahim Zadran lost his middle stump to a 148kph snorter from Kagiso Rabada•Associated Press
There was no respite for Afghanistan though. Van der Dussen, coming into the tournament not in great nick, was fluent and Markram found his stride as well, with both batters recording fifties. The last five overs yielded South Africa 51 runs as they posted an above-par total.For Afghanistan to chase down 316, it was imperative for Gurbaz to get going. But South Africa’s new-ball bowlers weren’t ready to give him an inch. Ngidi’s short-of-a-length ball got the better of Gurbaz as he got a top-edge to short fine leg. No. 3 Sediqullah Atal struggled big time. Ibrahim Zadran finally broke the shackles by hammering Rabada over wide long-on. That obviously did not please the bowler, who returned with a 148.3kph thunderbolt and sent Ibrahim’s middle stump splat.The South Africa pace bowlers concentrated on that hard length. According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data, in the first 15 overs, 33 of the balls bowled by South Africa were either short or short-of-a-good length.Atal’s difficult innings, where he was beaten ten times and played 14 false shots in the 32 balls he faced, ended with a run-out. Soon after, Hashmatullah Shahidi fell to a stunning catch by Bavuma at mid-on as Afghanistan stumbled to 51 for 4 after 15 overs.Rahmat was the only batter who showed some fight as he cruised to fifty off 62 balls. But with none of the batters hanging around, Afghanistan were always struggling. The Karachi crowd, which had come in numbers to support Afghanistan, found their voice when Rashid smashed three fours and a six in his cameo of 18 off 13 balls. But apart from that, there was little for the crowd to cheer.In the end, Rahmat edged Rabada to Rickelton for 90, as South Africa registered their first ODI win after six attempts.
Arsenal didn’t sign Alexander Isak this summer but they did enjoy an unprecedented transfer window, shelling out around £300m on strengthening Mikel Arteta’s squad, making it ready for the demands of another Premier League title charge.
Many pundits insist that the Gunners simply have to win it this year. It’s hard to disagree with that, but Liverpool have also had a rip-roaring window, ending it in style by welcoming that man Isak to Anfield.
Isak's Premier League record before joining Liverpool.
A long-term target for the north Londoners, there may well be some disappointment on Arteta’s end that he’s gone to a title rival but this has been a successful window for Arsenal.
Viktor Gyokeres has arrived and hit the ground running, scoring twice against Leeds. A boyhood Gooner in the form of Eberechi Eze has also arrived, joining Noni Madueke in the forward line.
The midfield has been bolstered by the arrivals of Spaniard Martin Zubimendi and Brentford’s former captain Christian Norgaard. At the back, Cristhian Mosquera and deadline day signing, Piero Hincapie, have rounded things off nicely. Mosquera was imperious at Anfield on Sunday, standing in for the injured William Saliba phenomenally.
But, did the Gunners miss a trick? Perhaps.
Arsenal's failed pursuit of a new left winger
Those in charge of the recruitment at Arsenal did a phenomenal job this summer and will point towards Eze and Madueke as genuine options on the left-hand side of the attack.
Madueke began the game against Leeds on the left but certainly made a better impact when employed on the right with Saka out injured last weekend.
The more natural option on the left flank is Eze. A central attacking midfielder by trade, he enjoys playing in the pockets on the left side of the pitch and showed that against Liverpool, making an instant impact when he skipped into the penalty area before being brought down by Joe Gomez. So we thought, anyway; a penalty was not given.
But, what they really missed was a blockbuster left winger. During the course of the summer window, they were linked with moves for Rafael Leao and Rodrygo.
Real Madrid's Rodrygo looks on
The latter was one of the most-linked players to Arsenal in the last few months, with talks reportedly being held on several occasions to sound out a move.
Having barely kicked a ball since Xabi Alonso’s arrival in the Spanish capital, he should have moved but has ultimately stayed with Madrid where he’ll fight for a place in the team.
Rodrygo would have been a superb capture. He’s capable of scoring goals, registering 14 strikes last term. He can also create, posting 11 assists in all competitions. Alas, Arsenal are happy with their options.
Eze and Madueke will be a huge help but you can’t help but think they have missed a trick with Gabriel Martinelli.
Why Arsenal need to move on from Gabriel Martinelli
The Brazilian has been a wonderful servant for Arsenal in the last few years and has been one of the poster boys for the Arteta project in London.
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Back in 2022/23, the winger registered 15 goals, ending the term as the club’s joint-top goalscorer alongside Martin Odegaard and Saka. It was at that time that Jurgen Klopp described him as a “talent of the century”, such was his raw potential.
However, since then, he’s failed to kick on. In 2023/24 he found the net on eight occasions and in 2024/25, he only bagged ten times. Not awful numbers by any means, but considering he is the regular starter, you need and want more.
Well, Martinelli only compounded why he’s become a scapegoat when he faced Liverpool on Sunday. It wasn’t long before fans were crying out for Eze. Embarrassingly, he was locked up by a makeshift full-back in the form of Dominik Szoboszlai, the man who scored the winning goal.
Minutes played
70
Touches
15
Accurate passes
6/7 (86%)
Key passes
0
Shots
0
Dribble attempts
0
Crosses
0
Duels won
2
It’s safe to say it was a horror afternoon for Martinelli, failing to have a shot or complete a key pass.
Playing away at Anfield is never easy and you can forgive a quieter display but when Arsenal had such amazing options on the bench, you have to question why he started.
One might also question why he’s still at the Emirates. There were quiet murmurs of a move to Saudi Arabia happening but that never materialised.
Arsenal aren’t tight on the Premier League’s PSR rules but there are growing concerns surrounding UEFA’s financial fair play restrictions. Selling Martinelli would have alleviated that or even funded a move for the likes of Rodrygo or Leao, both of whom would serve as big upgrades for Arteta.
For now, however, Arteta will be happy. He has every right to be. This is the best window Arsenal have had in years; they looked well prepared to fight for major silverware this season.
Arsenal flop was very similar to Odegaard, now he's left a waste of money
Arsenal let a player depart who was very similar to Odegaard on deadline day.
MI’s batting coach says “adaptability” is key for them to succeed in the tournament, having lost both their away games so far
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Apr-20252:11
Can Rohit Sharma find form against LSG?
Mumbai Indians (MI) are neither too concerned about the kind of pitches they are going to play on, nor fussed about the form of their most experienced player, Rohit Sharma.In IPL 2025, MI have won only one game so far – at home against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – while losing two matches on the road, to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Gujarat Titans (GT). In both Chennai and Ahmedabad, they played on slow surfaces which their batters found hard to score on, but as soon as they got home earlier this week, MI opened their account by skittling KKR for just 116.MI are on the road again, to play Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Friday. Although LSG also weren’t too happy with their home conditions against Punjab Kings; the Lucknow curator copped heavy criticism from LSG mentor Zaheer Khan.Related
Manjrekar: 'Things are slipping away' for Rohit Sharma
Misfiring Pant and Rohit in the spotlight as LSG meet MI
“For me and for us, I think it’s more about adaptability in whatever is presented on a particular day,” MI batting coach Kieron Pollard said on Thursday. “As a former player and management, you want to be able to prepare for any eventuality and you try to control things that you can control, and the nature of the surfaces is something that we can’t control as a management and as a playing group. So whatever is presented, that’s how you get to be called world class and legends that you are able to adapt to anything that is in front of you.”Rohit, who had finished the 2025 Champions Trophy with a match-winning 76 against New Zealand in the final, has not been able to continue his form in the IPL. So far, he has been dismissed for 13, 8 and 0, getting out to soft dismissals on two occasions, and being beaten by a Mohammed Siraj scorcher in the third. Pollard said Rohit had “earned the right” to “not be pressurised”.”I’ve played alongside Rohit since Under-19 cricket and he has forged his name and etched his name in history in the record books, in different situations, different formats of the game,” Pollard said. “He is a legend of the game in his own right, and as an individual as well.”There are times when you have a couple of low scores … he has earned the right as an individual to now enjoy his cricket and not be pressurised in certain situations. So let’s not judge on a couple of low scores. In cricket, we know we fail more than we succeed and I’m sure we’ll be singing his praises when he gives us that big score and then we’ll be on to the next hot topic.”
The Premier League is finally back in action this weekend, and Arsenal are in action against Nottingham Forest.
Mikel Arteta’s side may have lost last time out, but Liverpool did not outplay them, and most of the team put in a good performance.
One of the standout players for the Gunners was Noni Madueke, who is likely to start again on Saturday in the absence of Bukayo Saka.
The former Chelsea ace has looked good so far this season, and if he continues his good form, he could be the player to end someone else’s Arsenal career.
Madueke's good start to the season
It was somewhat of a surprise when it was revealed that Arsenal were interested in signing Madueke this summer, and considering the petitions, it was not necessarily a welcome one for some fans.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
However, while it is still early on in the campaign, the Englishman is so far proving his doubters wrong.
He hasn’t necessarily blown anyone away in the league, but against Liverpool, for example, he was undoubtedly the club’s best attacker, taking a couple of shots, completing 100% of his dribbles, and generally being a menace.
However, it’s been on international duty where we’ve been able to see the best of him.
For example, it was his cross that resulted in an own goal to open the scoring against Andorra, and then he scored his first international goal away to Serbia on Tuesday.
More than that, though, he was a constant threat on the right, utilising his blistering pace, ball-carrying ability, and quick feet to terrorise the Serbian defenders.
In all, while it is early, Madueke is looking quite dangerous this season, and while he is great cover for Saka at the moment, he could also end someone else’s Arsenal career when the Hale Ender returns.
The Arsenal star Madueke could replace
While most of Arsenal’s squad could be compared with some of the best in the league in their respective positions, the same can no longer be said of Gabriel Martinelli.
The 24-year-old winger was undoubtedly one of the most exciting attackers in the Premier League, but that was back in the 22/23 season, when he racked up a tally of 15 goals and seven assists in 46 games.
However, that was some time ago now, and in the two and a bit campaigns since, he has only gone backwards.
For example, in the 23/24 season, he mustered up eight goals and five assists in 44 games; last season, he managed ten goals and six assists in 51 games, and then so far this year, he’s failed to score or assist a goal in his two starts.
More damming than that, though, fans no longer expect him to offer much of a threat; instead, they expect to watch a winger who can no longer beat his opposite number and often halts attacks altogether.
We saw this in the game against Liverpool when he failed to play the ball into Viktor Gyokeres’ path when the Swede would have had a chance to score, leading to podcaster Phil Costa labelling him “clunky and indecisive.”
Appearances
51
Minutes
3564′
Goals
10
Assists
6
Goal Involvements per Match
0.31
Minutes per Goal Involvement
222.75′
The Brazilian international may still be valued at around £48m by Transfermarkt, but it’s hard to see him maintaining his place in this team for much longer, especially with Madueke in the squad.
The Englishman might be a right-winger first, but he has played off the left already for the club against Leeds United, and while it wasn’t his finest game, he offered more than the former Ituano gem has in a long time.
Ultimately, Martinelli is still a player fans have an affinity with, but he has not been good enough for a long time, and it just feels like a matter of time until Madeueke ends his Arsenal career lest he massively improve.
Madueke upgrade: Arsenal gem who left for £0 is now "one of the best in the world"
The superstar would be an excellent rival for Saka at Arsenal.
Last weekend’s opening Premier League match of the season for Arsenal was a struggle.
Mikel Arteta’s men were hardly free-flowing in pre-season and that was in evidence at Old Trafford as they laboured to a 1-0 victory.
Alas, the Gunners did win and secured three points that built a platform for an incredible 5-0 win over Leeds United on Saturday evening.
Arsenal were perhaps a little slow to get going on the goals front but they eventually burst into life on a day of many positives for the north Londoners.
The biggest positives from Arsenal's win over Leeds
Let’s be honest, there was only going to be one result here this weekend. Before the game had got underway a certain Eberechi Eze was announced to the Emirates Stadium faithful as an Arsenal player.
The saga was remarkable. Eze was on the verge of signing for rivals Tottenham Hotspur only for a call between Arteta and the England international on Wednesday paved the way for an incredible hijack.
The Gunners board came together and within hours they had a deal agreed with Crystal Palace.
Once of Hale End, it marks a stunning return to the Arsenal and the thought of the 27-year-old playing in this attack is mouthwatering.
Speaking of which, it was a day of joy for Viktor Gyokeres. Last weekend, he was grilled, he was the scapegoat for an underwhelming performance away in Manchester.
In all honesty, it wasn’t his fault. Arsenal struggled to create and Gyokeres was left isolated. Well, he hit back at the critics superbly on Saturday, scoring twice.
While the Swede’s second was a well taken penalty, his first goal in a competitive match for the Gunners was an excellent one. Riccardo Calafiori, who picked up two assists on the day, pinged the ball in behind for the forward to run onto.
Gyokeres found possession in his favoured left channel, burst into the penalty area and then tucked the ball home at the near post.
For Arsenal’s big marquee signing, it was the perfect response to last weekend, but he wasn’t the only to find form.
Bukayo Saka found the net in explosive fashion while Jurrien Timber, making his first start of the campaign, bagged twice.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
So, it’s all rosy as far as the Gunners are concerned, but for a player who failed to get on the pitch, it was not an ideal day.
Arsenal star will suffer after Madueke and Eze arrivals
On Saturday, there weren’t too many surprises as far as the team sheet was concerned but it was eye-catching to see that Noni Madueke started on the left hand side of the pitch.
With Eze having also now signed, the competition for places in that area is likely to be fierce.
Madueke did not score or assist on his first start for the Gunners but it was a productive first outing, notably registering two key passes, attempting five crosses and winning half of his duels, via Sofascore.
There will be better performances to come from the summer arrival but it was perhaps a landmark day for Gabriel Martinelli.
A week ago, the £48m-rated Brazilian was given the nod and like Gyokeres, became a scapegoat for the sluggish performance that played out.
Minutes played
60
Touches
14
Accurate passes
3/5 (60%)
Shots
1
Key passes
1
Successful dribbles
0/1
Crosses
0
Possession lost
7x
Times fouled
1
Fans have seemingly run out of patience and on today’s evidence, you’d now be hard pressed to consider Martinelli a regular starter again.
In 2024/25, he started 25 of the 33 Premier League games he featured in, scoring eight times in the process. That’s a handy tally but it’s not the elite level Arteta requires to win the league.
Leandro Trossard received a pay increase in midweek but the Belgian is in a similar boat. He’s a tremendous squad player but you are unlikely to get an elite level of performance out of him on a consistent basis.
Madueke is still getting up to speed but on a day where he made his first start and Eze signed, it was damning that firstly, Martinelli wasn’t selected to start, and secondly, that he didn’t feature off the bench.
What’s more damning is that Arsenal picked up injuries too. Yet, with Martin Odegaard and Saka going off, the Brazil international was nowhere to be seen. Ethan Nwaneri and the remarkably talented 15-year-old that is Max Dowman were both preferred.
A great day for Arsenal it certainly was, but Martinelli should be fearing for his place in the side now moving forward.
Rajasthan Royals have a bowling attack that looks vastly different from the one they had last year, but Samson has backed his young players to “prove what they’re made of”
Shashank Kishore22-Mar-2025Heading into IPL 2025, Rajasthan Royals (RR) have a bowling attack that looks vastly different from the one they had last year, with several stalwarts having moved to other franchises. Full-time captain Sanju Samson knows this will be a challenge, but has backed his young players to “prove what they’re made of”.Royals still have Sandeep Sharma, but have lost the likes of R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal and Trent Boult. On the batting front, too, there is a big hole, with Jos Buttler having moved to Gujarat Titans after he wasn’t retained – a decision Samson recently admitted was tough to make and, now, deal with.Talking about the new look of the squad ahead of his team’s season-opener, Samson said, “To be honest, that’s the challenge IPL has thrown at me. Last three years, I was surrounded by some of the best cricketers the world has ever seen. Now I’m surrounded by [some of the] younger players in IPL. [We are] looking at it in a positive manner. The youngsters have a lot of fire in them, they want to prove to the world what they’re made of.”Related
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Samson underlined the need to move on quickly and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the squad’s new players. This time, their bowling line-up includes Jofra Archer (set to turn out for RR again after 2020-21) and Maheesh Theekshana, alongside a host of Indian talents like Akash Madhwal, Tushar Deshpande and Kumar Kartikeya.”We have to let go of the past, forget what happened, forget the quality of players we had,” Samson said. “They’re different players, different line-ups. We’ve got to go with a fresh pair of eyes and thinking. You can’t say ‘last year we had them, did this or did that’.”I’m a type of captain who trusts the bowlers. They need to tell me their strength and what they want to bowl. It’s a mixture of my experience and their thinking coming together and them finding the right way to go ahead. After playing a few games, we will understand their strengths and weaknesses.”Samson believes conditions will be unforgiving for the bowlers even though some steps – like allowing one ball change on demand after ten overs of the chase in evening games, to help counter dew – have been taken to help the bowlers.”In the powerplay, bowlers have been targeted like anything, that’s where challenge is,” Samson said. “Bowlers have been coming in with new tricks – change of pace, slower balls, slower bouncers. Now IPL has introduced a rule of players being allowed to apply saliva, that can help bowlers, or the new ball rule because of dew. We’re trying to balance it out, but it still looks like [it will be] a heavy scoring season.”Vaibhav Suryavanshi in action at the Under-19s Asia Cup in the UAE•Associated PressVaibhav Suryavanshi a special talent, says SamsonSamson was effusive in his praise for 13-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the youngest player to earn an IPL deal after RR bought him for INR 1.1 crore ahead of this season.”He looks something special,” Samson said. “That’s what our team recognised when he came to the trials. Our scouts following him in the Under-19 matches he was playing, [were impressed with] the amount of shots he was playing. It shows he’s really made for the best level.”To be honest, he’s very lucky, for a 13-year-old or any youngster, to come here to Rajasthan Royals and be [around] Rahul Dravid [head coach] and all the mentors here. They’re really good at taking care of young Indian talent who have come here.”It’s a great responsibility not only for him, but for us to take care of him and guide him, not just these two months but for the ten months he’s away from IPL. He’s in great hands, there’s something special for Indian cricket in the coming years from him.”
أدلى المدير الفني لفريق برشلونة، هانز فليك، بتصريحات عقب فوزهم الكبير في مباراة اليوم على أولمبياكوس، في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2025/26.
واستضاف ملعب “مونتجويك” مباراة فريقي برشلونة وأولمبياكوس، في الجولة الثالثة من مرحلة الدوري من دوري أبطال أوروبا، حيث حقق البرسا فوزًا بستة أهداف مقابل هدف.
وقال فليك، في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “أنا سعيد للغاية، واجهنا بعض المشاكل في بداية المباراة ولكننا استحقينا الفوز، كل هدف وكل فوز مهم في تلك المرحلة”.
وأضاف: “فيرمين لوبيز؟ إنه يسجل ويركض، لاعب متكامل، كان أدائه مذهلًا، 3 أهداف، أول أهدافه كان مهمًا لنا، منحنا الثقة، إنه يمتلك كل شئ، لاعب ديناميكي وسريع”.
وفيما يخص شكوى مدرب أولمبياكوس من التحكيم، خاصة فيما يتعلق بطرد لاعبهم وحصول برشلونة على ضربة جزاء، قال: “ليست مشكلتي، أرى الأمور بشكل مختلف، ولكنني لن أتحدث وأتجادل عن هذا الشأن”.
وعن مباراة الكلاسيكو يوم الأحد المقبل ضد ريال مدريد على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو”، قال فليك: “أول شئ هو فوزنا اليوم، هو الأهم، وهذا من شأنه أن يمنحنا الثقة لتلك المباراة، إنها مباراة رائعة، ليس لدينا وقت نضيعه، سنتعافى”.