Will the start of yet another new era off the park lead to one on the pitch for Rangers?

On Monday, it was announced, somewhat out of the blue, that both chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell had been sacked, just weeks after they had been publicly backed by Andrew Cavenagh and other members of 49ers Enterprises.

Thelwell and Stewart oversaw the hiring and swift firing of Russell Martin, as well as appointing his successor Danny Röhl, with the power vacuum upstairs likely to see the German head coach have a rather large say when it comes to January recruitment.

Before the transfer window opens, Rangers have eight more matches to play, with Röhl still attempting to build a cohesive team out of the mishmash squad he has inherited, but which big-money signing should find himself on the bench against Falkirk on Sunday?

Danilo's continued poor performances

Rangers have signed plenty of players who have not lived up to their price tag in recent years, with Danilo right towards the top of that list.

Since arriving from Feyenoord in the summer of 2023 for a reported fee of £6m, the Brazilian striker has made just 67 appearances for the Light Blues due to injury problems.

However, when he is on the pitch, he is not delivering either, scoring just 15 times for the club, of which three have come this season, putting in a very underwhelming display during Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Braga, as the table below documents.

Shots on target

1

3rd

Expected goals

0.15

6th

Successful dribbles

2

7th

Accurate passes

14

18th

Passing accuracy %

71%

17th

Touches

34

18th

As the table documents, Danilo made little impact on the night’s proceedings.

His major moment came just after the half hour mark, played in-behind by Mohamed Diomandé, but tamely shooting straight at Lukáš Horníček, lacking any semblance of confidence or conviction, never appearing to believe he was going to score.

In the Brazilian’s defence, he was deployed out of possession on the left-wing so, with that in mind, Röhl surely must start his forgotten special young talent when Falkirk visit Govan on Sunday instead.

Rangers' youngster with an exciting future ahead

Amazingly, 26 matches into this season across all competitions, only two Rangers players have scored four goals or more, namely Djeidi Gassama and James Tavernier.

Just below them on three goals is Findlay Curtis, despite the fact he has barely featured for three months.

The teenaged academy graduate made his senior debut against Fraserburgh in the Scottish Cup in January, but was one of the stars of Martin’s ill-fated tenure, scoring three times before 24 August.

The pick of the bunch was this rocket to secure a 2-0 victory over Panathinaikos in a Champions League qualifier back in July.

Overall, Curtis has seen 244 minutes of action this season, but just 17 minutes of this have come since the start of September, not featuring at all in 12 of Rangers’ last 15 fixtures.

He was given a nine minute cameo by Röhl during the defeat to Roma earlier this month, this the only time he has been seen under the new manager.

Despite this, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout asserts that he has an “exciting future ahead”, while Kai Watson asserts that he “looked really bright” every time he is called upon.

Curtis’ direct dribbling and fearlessness is something Rangers severely lack, especially with Mikey Moore currently sidelined, while fellow wingers Oliver Antman and Thelo Aasgaard simply are not offering enough.

Thus, with games against Falkirk, Dundee United and then Kilmarnock up next, Röhl surely has to reintegrate Curtis, or risk him becoming the latest Rangers youngster who is forced to depart in search of first team opportunities.

Forget Djiga: Rohl must bin Rangers flop who lost the ball every 2 touches

Following Rangers’ 1-1 draw with Braga in the Europa League at Ibrox on Thursday, which flop must Danny Röhl axe who was even worse than Nasser Djiga?

Nov 28, 2025

Vipers were the only team to bid for Pakistan players a day after the PCB suspended all no-objection certificates for overseas leagues

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2025R Ashwin, the only player with a base price in six figures, went unsold in the inaugural ILT20 player auction in Dubai. The former India spinner didn’t reappear in the accelerated auction, but there’s a possibility that he can still feature in the upcoming season as a wildcard. Two franchises, MI Emirates and Desert Vipers, are yet to complete their wildcard signings.Vipers were the only team to bid for Pakistan players a day after the PCB suspended all no-objection certificates for players who want to participate in T20 leagues outside Pakistan. No reason has been given as to why this action was taken.Vipers snapped up Fakhar Zaman (USD 80,000), Naseem Shah (USD 80,000) and Hasan Nawaz (USD 40,000) all at their base prices.Vipers also picked the Afghanistan pair of Qais Ahmad and Faridoon Dawoodzai.West Indies wicketkeeper-batter Andre Fletcher fetched the highest bid of USD 260,000. MI Emirates outbid rivals to retain him for a fourth successive season.Related

Kieron Pollard to captain MI Emirates in ILT20

R Ashwin to play entire season of BBL with Sydney Thunder

ILT20: Dinesh Karthik joins Sharjah Warriorz

PCB suspends player NOCs for overseas T20 leagues

UAE wicketkeeper-batter Vriitya Aravind, who was with MI Emirates and Dubai Capitals in the past, was the first player to attract a bid in the auction, also going to Vipers for USD 10,000.Pakistan-born UAE fast bowler Junaid Siddique triggered a bidding war, with Gulf Giants bidding up to USD 170,000 for him, but Sharjah Warriorz used their RTM to match that bid and bring him back to their franchise. Siddique’s recent form is particularly encouraging: he was the third-highest wicket-taker in the Asia Cup with nine strikes in three games at an average of 6.33 and an identical economy rate.Akshay Wakhare, a former Ranji Trophy winner with Vidarbha, earned a gig with Dubai Capitals while former India Under-19 captain Unmukt Chand, who has now moved to the USA, went to Abu Dhabi Knight Riders.A day before the player auction, Warriorz unveiled former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik as a replacement for Kusal Mendis.The ILT20’s fourth season, to be held in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, begins on December 2 this year, and will run until January 4, 2026, featuring six teams across 34 matches.JP Duminy raises the paddle for Sharjah Warriorz•ILT20SquadsAbu Dhabi Knight Riders (Total Spent: USD 1,457,000)
Auction Signings: Michael Pepper (USD 40,000), George Garton (USD 10,000), Brandon McMullen (USD 110,000), Ibrar Ahmed (USD 22,000), Ajay Kumar (USD 10,000), Adnan Idrees Muhammad (USD 10,000), Abdul Manan Ali (USD 10,000), Mayank Chowdary (USD 10,000), Khary Pierre (USD 10,000), Shadley Van Schalkwyk (USD 10,000), Unmukt Chand (USD 40,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Liam Livingstone, Alishan Sharafu, Alex Hales, Sherfane Rutherford, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Phil Salt, Olly StoneDesert Vipers (Total Spent: USD 1,617,500)
Auction Signings: Vriitya Aravind (USD 10,000), Fakhar Zaman (USD 80,000), Naseem Shah (USD 80,000), Qais Ahmad (USD 40,000), Sanjay Pahal (USD 10,000), Bilal Tahir (USD 10,000), Faisal Khan (USD 10,000), Hasan Nawaz (USD 40,000), Tom Bruce (USD 80,000), Matiullah Khan (USD 10,000), Tawanda Muyeye (USD 40,000), Faridoon Dawoodzai (USD 10,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Dan Lawrence, Max Holden, David Payne, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Lockie Ferguson, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sam Curran, Andries GousDubai Capitals (Total Spent: USD 1,475,000)
Auction Signings: Muhammad Farooq (USD 10,000), Tymal Mills (USD 80,000), Scott Currie (USD 250,000), Mohammad Nabi (USD 80,000), Farhan Khan (USD 10,000), Anudeep Chenthamara (USD 10,000), Usman Najeeb (USD 10,000), Ritesh Mallikarjuna Grandhi (USD 10,000), Shayan Jahangir (USD 10,000), Rushil Ugarkar (USD 10,000), Naveen Bidiasee (USD 10,000), Toby Albert (USD 10,000), Akshay Wakhare (USD 10,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Jordan Matthew Cox, Rovman Powell, Gulbadin Naib, Sediqullah Atal, Waqar Salamkheil, Haider Ali, Muhammad Jawadullah, Jimmy NeeshamGulf Giants (Total Spent: USD 1,471,000)
Auction Signings: Asif Khan (USD 26,000), Zuhaib Zubair (USD 10,000), Sean Dickson (USD 10,000), Tabraiz Shamsi (USD 40,000), Liam Dawson (USD 170,000), Fred Klaassen (USD 40,000), Haider Razzaq (USD 50,000), Meet Bhavsar (USD 14,000), Ishtiaq Ahmad (USD 16,000), Lorcan Tucker (USD 10,000), Chris Wood (USD 40,000), Tom Moores (USD 40,000), Ramon Simmonds (USD 40,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Aayan Afzal Khan, Mark Adair, Gerhard Erasmus, Blessing Muzarabani, Moeen Ali, James Vince, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahmanullah GurbazMI Emirates (Total Spent: USD 1,868,000)
Auction Signings: Muhammad Rohid (USD 140,000), Jordan Thompson (USD 48,000), Naveen-ul-Haq (USD 100,000), Andre Fletcher (USD 260,000), Nosthush Kenjige (USD 10,000), Mohamed Shafeeq (USD 10,000), Zain Ul Abidin (USD 10,000), Usman Khan (USD 10,000), Ackeem Auguste (USD 10,000), Arab Gul (USD 10,000), Tajinder Dhillon (USD 10,000), Zahoor Khan (USD 10,000), Shakib Al Hasan (USD 40,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Fazalhaq Farooqi, Tom Banton, Romario Shepherd, Chris Woakes, Jonny Bairstow, AM Ghazanfar, Muhammad Waseem, Kamindu MendisSharjah Warriorz (Total Spent: USD 1,664,000)
Auction Signings: Junaid Siddique (USD 170,000), James Rew (USD 10,000), Nathan Sowter (USD 100,000), Dwaine Pretorius (USD 120,000), Jayden Seales (USD 80,000), Harmeet Singh (USD 10,000), Wasim Akram (USD 55,000), Mohamed Nawfer Mohamed Aslam (USD 14,000), Raees Ahmad (USD 10,000), Richard Ngarava (USD 10,000), Shubham Ranjane (USD 10,000), Ethan D’Souza (USD 10,000), Taskin Ahmed (USD 80,000), Abdul Salman Khan (USD 10,000)Retentions + Direct Signings: Dinesh Karthik, Sikandar Raza, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tim David, Johnson Charles, Tim Southee, Saurabh Netravalkar

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has just over a month to go until he will have the opportunity to make his first signing since arriving at Ibrox to replace Russell Martin.

The German tactician came through the door well after the summer transfer window had been and gone, after sporting director Kevin Thelwell provided Martin with a host of signings.

Rangers, as shown in the graphic above, had a high turnover of players in and out of Ibrox after they failed to win any trophies in the 2024/25 campaign, under Philippe Clement or Barry Ferguson.

Unfortunately, though, Martin was unable to get a tune out of the squad after those changes in the summer and was eventually sacked last month after a run of five wins in 17 games.

With Rohl now in the building, the former Sheffield Wednesday head coach will have time to assess those summer signings and decide where he wants the club to strengthen the squad when the January transfer window opens.

One of those Martin and Thelwell signings whom the manager may deem needs to be replaced in the winter is experienced central midfielder Joe Rothwell.

Why Rangers need to replace Joe Rothwell already

Rangers swooped to sign the 30-year-old midfielder from Premier League side Bournemouth on a permanent deal during the summer window for Martin, who had worked with him on loan at Southampton in the 2023/24 campaign.

Unfortunately, the English lightweight has flopped at Ibrox, on current evidence, and is yet to play a single minute of action in the Scottish Premiership since Rohl came through the door.

He was ill and unavailable for selection against Dundee last time out, but the midfield flop was an unused substitute in the wins over Kilmarnock and Hibernian in the manager’s first two matches in the dugout.

This means that Rangers have now won one of the eight league matches he has played in and won all three of the games that he has not featured in so far this season.

Tackles

7

Bottom 29%

Interceptions

8

Top 29%

Duels won

16

Bottom 27%

Duel success rate

47%

Bottom 37%

Aerial duels won

4

Bottom 29%

Possession won in the final third

1

Bottom 18%

Ball recoveries

22

Bottom 40%

As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has struggled off the ball throughout the Premiership campaign, ranking poorly among his positional peers in the majority of the key defensive metrics, aside from interceptions.

On top of his defensive woes, the Englishman has no goals and one assist in eight appearances in the league, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not offered outstanding quality on the ball to make up for his defensive deficiencies.

This is why Rohl may already be considering replacing Rothwell in the January transfer window, and why the midfielder has been an unused substitute in the last two league games that he has been available for.

Rangers eyeing move for Premiership midfielder

The Scottish Premiership giants may be able to replace the former Bournemouth and Southampton flop amid reported interest in a star who plays in his position.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to TEAMtalk, Rangers are one of the clubs exploring the possibility of a deal to snap up Kilmarnock central midfielder David Watson in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Light Blues are in talks over a possible move for the Scotland U21 international, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season.

It reveals that Rohl is a big fan of the midfield starlet and wants to add him to his squad in the winter market, with the Gers looking to seal a cut-price deal due to his contract situation.

However, TEAMtalk adds that Hearts, Aberdeen, and unnamed clubs in the English Championship are also keen on signing the £1.5m-rated Kilmarnock star, which means that there is plenty of competition for his signature.

Why Watson would be an upgrade on Rothwell for Rangers

Thelwell could land a huge upgrade on Rothwell for Rohl if he is able to beat the likes of Aberdeen and Hearts to the signing of Watson ahead of the second half of the season.

For a start, the Scotland U21 international is ten years younger than the English flop. He has far more years left ahead of him to develop as a player and offer quality on the pitch for Rangers than Rothwell does.

This also means that there is the potential for his value to grow so that he could be sold on for a profit in the future, like a Hamza Igamane or Calvin Bassey, and that may not be the case with the Bournemouth man, as he is in the latter stages of his career.

In terms of the here and now, Watson could come in as an upgrade on Rothwell from an offensive perspective. The Scottish star has scored three goals in 12 Premiership matches this season, after netting four last term, with the Rangers dud yet to get off the mark at Ibrox.

The Scotland U21 international, who Kilmarnock commentator Andrew Milligan claimed has “no ceiling”, would also come in and offer a huge upgrade on the English flop defensively.

Appearances

12

8

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.1

1.9

Clearances per game

0.9

0.1

Duels won per game

6.0

2.0

Ground duel success rate

51%

46%

Fouls won per game

2.3

0.1

Blocks per game

0.5

0.1

As you can see in the table above, Watson has excelled out of possession in comparison to Rothwell in the 2025/26 campaign, making far more defensive contributions at a more efficient rate.

It is, therefore, easy to understand why Rohl is such a big fan of the Kilmarnock star and why he wants Thelwell to get a deal over the line for him when the January transfer window opens.

Watson’s offensive and defensive statistics suggest that he would arrive at Ibrox as a huge upgrade on Rothwell, who has struggled since his move to the club, and provide the likes of Connor Barron, Nico Raskin, and Mo Diomande with genuine competition for the midfield spots.

Thelwell let Rangers star go for £0, now he'd walk into the XI over Aasgaard

This former Rangers star who was released by Kevin Thelwell would walk into the current team over Thelo Aasgaard.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

Sergio Aguero has claimed Lionel Messi could return to Barcelona before the end of his playing career. A former teammate of the eight-time Ballon d'Or at international level, Aguero also said he hopes Messi could "play forever" and that he backs the GOAT to have an impact for defending champions Argentina at next summer's World Cup in North America.

• Messi's Barca chapter not over

  The Manchester City legend made the comments in an interview with Stake. 

  Aguero was asked on his thoughts of his former teammate returning to Barcelona, ahead of the re-opening of the Camp Nou. Messi returned to his adopted home city of more than 20 years with his wife, sparking a flurry of reports about the relationship between La Blaugrana and their greatest ever player. 

  Messi said he thoroughly enjoyed his time in the city, and that he and his wife Antonela are "constantly talking" about a return to Catalonia. Club president Joan Laporta responded to rumours of a loan deal for the Inter Miami player, while newly signed shot stopper Joan Garcia spoke of his desire to see Messi turn out for the club once again. Recently, a report suggesting Messi had reached a complete agreement to return to Barca after departing PSG, added even more fuel to the fire. There is mounting speculation that he will return to the club in some guise before hanging up his boots. Aguero would be more than happy to see that happen. 

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• AFP
  

  Aguero: Messi is the most important player in Barcelona history

  Aguero said: "Messi is the most important player Barcelona has had in its history. He’s a club and city legend. Messi is synonymous with Barcelona and I believe he enjoyed stepping on the Camp Nou pitch again. I think that chapter is not closed." 

  The 37-year-old is close personal friends with Messi, with the pair coming up through the ranks of the Argentinian youth teams at the same time. They played together for the senior national side 88 times, and briefly were on the books at Barcelona at the same time. However, just months after Aguero signed with the Spanish giants in the summer of 2021, Messi departed the club for PSG due to Barcelona's financial issues. 

• Aguero backs Messi to perform in 6th World Cup

  The City legend is backing his old pal to come through for the Alibceleste once again, as Messi prepares to take part in his sixth World Cup next summer. The diminutive Argentinian cemented his status as the GOAT with his heroic display in Qatar in 2022, scoring seven goals, including two in the final, to deliver Argentina's third World Cup trophy. Aguero missed out on that triumph, after he was forced into retirement earlier that summer, due to a cardiac arrhythmia.  

  Aguero shared his thoughts of Argentina's chances in north America next summer. On Messi's role at the tournament he said: "We all want Leo to play forever. Even though we all know that’s impossible. We have to enjoy him while he keeps playing, and he will know until when and where."

  On his nation's preparations, he added: "I see them very well. They maintain their playing style, the coaching staff is clear on what they want, and there have been very important additions that will help keep the team at a high level. It’s true they’ll lack match time because there will be few preparation games, although that will happen to almost all national teams. But Argentina has a solid system and whoever comes in adapts very well."

  On whether Argentina can defend their crown, he replied: "Why not? They keep their core, their playing style, and their hunger for glory. And Scaloni has found great players who are completing the squad after others ended their cycle. A World Cup is always difficult, but I think Argentina are always contenders, because of history and because of the present."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Can Messi write another dream chapter in his glittering career?

  The 2022 World Cup was supposed to be the crowning glory at the end of a storybook career, but now four years on, we have one of Messi's closest friends in the game backing him to perform on the biggest stage once again, and maybe making a sensational return to his spiritual home. A move back to Catalonia might seem farfetched, a 38-year-old star should not be able to drive his team to glory at the World Cup, but since when has Messi ever played down to our expectations? He always suprasses them. 

كشف مصدر داخل نادي الزمالك، حقيقة قيام المغربي محمود بنتايج، ظهير أيسر الفريق، بفسخ التعاقد مع القلعة البيضاء خلال الفترة الحالية.

وأفاد مصدر لـ بطولات: “محمود بنتايج لم يفسخ عقده مع النادي كما تردد خلال الساعات الماضية، ما جرى تداوله لا يتجاوز كونه طلبًا رسميًا تقدم به اللاعب بدعوى تأخر مستحقاته المالية”.

وأضاف: “بفحص الملف، تبين لإدارة الزمالك أن آخر دفعة حصل عليها اللاعب تجعل المدة القانونية المطلوبة (شهرين كاملين) لفسخ العقد من طرف واحد، لم تكتمل بعد”.

طالع | عضو الزمالك لـ”بطولات”: جاهزون لتقديم استقالة جماعية في هذه الحالة.. ومديونيات النادي تجاوزت الـ2 مليار

وأوضحت المصادر أن موقف محمود بنتايج الحالي لا يمنحه حق الفسخ وفق لوائح “فيفا”، وأن ما حدث مجرد محاولة من اللاعب للضغط من أجل صرف مستحقاته، دون وجود أي سند قانوني يسمح بإنهاء التعاقد”.

وأشار المصدر إلى أن العلاقة التعاقدية ما زالت قائمة، وأن النادي يتعامل مع الموضوع في إطاره القانوني حتى اللحظة”.

وكان الزمالك قد نجح في ضم اللاعب محمود بنتايج، من صفوف فريق سانت إتيان الفرنسى، لمدة ثلاثة مواسم وينتهى تعاقده بنهاية موسم 2027-2028.

The 2025 World Series between the Dodgers and the Blue Jays is about to get underway. What type of show will fans be treated to this year? Will it be a quick domination from one team over the other? Or will the series be drawn out to seven games?

We saw the polar opposites happen in the two league championship series leading up to the World Series. On one hand, the Dodgers swept the Brewers 4-0 to advance, while the Blue Jays played Game 7 against the Mariners in order to earn their World Series bid.

In some of the games themselves there's been clear domination of one team over another. For instance, in Game 3 of the ALCS, the Blue Jays won 13-4 over the Mariners.

Keeping these possibilities in mind, let's take a look at the biggest blowouts in World Series history, whether from singular games or the series in general.

Biggest single game blowouts in World Series history

Year	Matchup	Game	Score
1936	Yankees vs. Giants	2	18-4
2001	Diamondbacks vs. Yankees	6	15-2
1960	Yankees vs. Pirates	2	16-3
2007	Red Sox vs. Rockies	1	13-1
2002	Giants vs. Angels	5	16-4
1982	Cardinals vs. Brewers	6	13-1
1968	Tigers vs. Cardinals	6	13-1
1960	Yankees vs. Pirates	6	12-0

The biggest single game blowout in World Series history happened nearly 100 years ago in the 1936 series between the Yankees and the Giants. Led by legends such as Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio, the Yankees put up a dominant 18-4 win over the Giants, who were located in New York as well at the time. The Yankees did their greatest damage in the third inning, when they scored seven runs thanks to a grand slam by Hall of Famer Tony Lazzeri. The Yankees went on to win the series in six games.

The most recent sizeable blowout in a World Series game occurred in Game 1 of the 2007 World Series between the Red Sox and the Rockies. Boston won 13-1, and dominated the entire series to win 4-0.

Biggest series blowouts in World Series history

The biggest blowouts in World Series history series-wise, of course, must be 4-0 sweeps. There's been 19 sweeps in World Series history, take a look at all of those occurrences.

Year	Winner	Opponent
1914	Boston Braves	Philadelphia Athletics
1927	Yankees	Pirates
1928	Yankees	Cardinals
1932	Yankees	Cubs
1938	Yankees	Cubs
1939	Yankees	Reds
1950	Yankees	Phillies
1954	New York Giants	Cleveland
1963	Dodgers	Yankees
1966	Orioles	Dodgers
1976	Reds	Yankees
1989	Oakland Athletics	San Francisco Giants
1990	Reds	Athletics
1998	Yankees	Padres
1999	Yankees	Atlanta Braves
2004	Red Sox	Cardinals
2005	White Sox	Astros
2007	Red Sox	Rockies
2012	Giants	Tigers

Nine different MLB franchises have completed sweeps in the World Series, with the Yankees leading the charge there, having done so eight times. The Yankees hold the MLB record with 27 World Series titles, and nearly a third of them were sweeps.

The Yankees have gotten a taste of their own medicine twice, first in 1963 when the Dodgers swept them and then in '76 when the Reds did the same.

There's only been four sweeps in the World Series this century, with the most recent occurrence happening in 2012 when the Giants swept the Tigers. The longest streak without a sweep in MLB history is 13 years, so does that mean this year could signal another one?

The Brewers escaped a bases loaded jam in the fourth inning in unbelievable fashion in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers on Monday night.

Los Angeles third baseman Max Muncy stepped up to the plate to blast open the scoreless game, and nearly did it, sending a ball deep to center field.

Milwaukee center fielder Sal Frelick made an unbelievable play on the ball, robbing a grand slam by keeping the ball from clearing the fence with his glove. He wasn’t able to complete the catch, however, as the ball bounced out of his glove, off of the wall, and then back into his glove, making it a live ball.

This somehow worked out for the Brewers, as in the confusion, the Dodgers that were running the bases believed Frelick had caught the ball, and retreated to their original bases to tag up. Frelick fired the ball to the infield, where shortstop Joey Ortiz relayed it home to catcher William Contreras. Contreras didn’t apply a tag, but because the ball was live, he didn’t need to—he had a force out at home plate.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers were still confused, and Contreras was able jog over to third and tag the bag to secure another force out to end the inning. Just your typical grand slam turned into an 8-6-2 double play.

Hilariously, the scorecards will read that Muncy “grounded” into the double play, which while technically correct, feels like a vast underestimation of the situation.

Such a double play can only happen with the help of a bit of confusion on the base paths. The only other 8-6-2 double play baseball fans might remember off the top of their head came courtesy of White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk in 1985, when he tagged two Yankees out as they careened home on top of each other.

Per Stathead, it’s the first 8-6-2 double play in MLB postseason history.

Between Frelick’s dramatic play at the wall and Contreras’s quick analysis of the situation from home plate, the Brewers were able to escape the inning unscathed. Should they go on to win the game and this series, it’s a play that will live in Milwaukee baseball lore for years to come.

MatériaMais Notícias

A Copa do Mundo de 2014, que ocorreu no Brasil, completa 10 anos nesta quarta-feira (12). Foram investidos mais de R$ 25 bilhões para a realização do evento, sendo R$ 8,3 bilhões destinados às construções e reformas dos estádios, segundo divulgação do Ministério do Esporte na época. Este valor significa R$ 14,2 bilhões, de acordo com correção pela inflação de 2024.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Hoje, a maior parte das 12 arenas são frequentemente utilizadas por clubes, enquanto outras não recebem tantos eventos esportivos. Até 2022, governos estaduais, concessionárias e clubes deviam em torno de R$ 1,5 bilhão pelas obras, segundo publicação originalmente do “Ge”. Confira como está e quanto custou cada estádio da Copa do Mundo de 2014 no Brasil!

*Valores de acordo com a inflação da época

Beira-Rio (Porto Alegre – RS): R$ 330 milhões

Com 27.325 pessoas em média durante o Brasileirão de 2023, o estádio pertence ao Internacional e passou por reforma na época. Hoje, o clube manda seus jogos fora do Rio Grande do Sul, devido à tragédia climática na região, que alagou a arena do Colorado.

continua após a publicidade

Arena da Baixada (Curitiba – PR): R$ 391,5 milhões

Casa do Athletico-PR, que teve média de público de 22.283 pessoas por jogo no Brasileirão 2023, a Arena da Baixada é o “caldeirão” do Furacão, que está como um dos protagonistas da elite do futebol nacional há anos. O local tem gramado sintético, capacidade para 42.372 e hoje se chama Ligga Arena.

Arena das Dunas (Natal – RN): R$ 400 milhões

O estádio é mais utilizado pelo América-RN, que está na quarta divisão. Apesar da campanha de queda na Série C de 2023, o clube teve uma das melhores médias de público do torneio. A Arena também é utilizada para outros eventos, teve os naming rights vendidos, por R$ 6 milhões, e agora se chama Casa de Apostas Arena das Dunas.

continua após a publicidade

Arena Castelão (Fortaleza – CE): R$ 518,6 milhões

Reformado, o estádio recebe frequentemente partidas de Fortaleza e Ceará, que carregam altas médias de público e figuram entre os principais torneios nacionais e internacionais. O Laion, por exemplo, teve a sexta melhor média de público no Brasileirão 2023. Um problema do estádio é o gramado, e o Castelão chegou a ser vetado pela Conmebol pela má qualidade do campo

Arena Pernambuco (Recife – PE): R$ 532,6 milhões

Até 2023, a Arena Pernambuco tinha uma das piores médias de público entre as arenas do Mundial de 2014. Sport, Náutico e Santa Cruz, clubes mais populares do estado, têm costume de mandar jogos em seus próprios estádios. O Leão tem usado mais a Arena Pernambuco em 2024, porque a Ilha do Retiro passa por reformas.

Arena Pantanal (Cuiabá – MT): R$ 583 milhões

O Cuiabá, representante do estado na Série A do Brasileirão, utiliza o estádio como sua casa e teve a quinta pior média de público do torneio, com 14.701 pessoas por jogo para uma capacidade de 43.150 lugares. Apesar disso, o patamar de “elefante branco” da Arena Pantanal foi alterado pela ascensão do Dourado.

Arena Amazônia (Manaus – AM): R$ 660,5 milhões

Maior “elefante branco” da Copa do Mundo, a Arena Amazônia se beneficiou da ascensão do Amazonas, que chegou à Série B em 2024 e tem levado número expressivo de torcedores ao estádio.

Arena Fonte Nova (Salvador – BA): R$ 684,4 milhões

Hoje chamado “Casa de Apostas Arena Fonte Nova”, o estádio recebe muitas partidas do Bahia, que está na Série A e tem ótima média de público. O clube foi o quarto que mais levou torcedores para assistirem aos jogos entre todas as equipes do Brasileirão 2023, com 36.461 pessoas de média.

Mineirão (Belo Horizonte – MG): R$ 695 milhões

Antes casa de Cruzeiro e Atlético-MG, hoje o tradicional Mineirão abriga apenas os jogos com mando da Raposa. Isso porque o Galo construiu seu próprio estádio, a Arena MRV. Em 2023, o estádio mineiro teve sua melhor média de público dos últimos 10 anos.

Maracanã (Rio de Janeiro – RJ): R$ 1,05 bilhão

Considerado o estádio mais famoso do país, o Maracanã é administrado pelo consórcio capitaneado por Flamengo e Fluminense, além de receber esporádicos jogos do Vasco. Sediou duas finais de Libertadores e, em 2023, foi o “campeão” de média de público no Brasileirão, pois o Rubro-Negro teve 54.499 torcedores em média frequentando o local. Uma contestação é a preservação do gramado, frequentemente desgastado pelo excesso de partidas.

Arena Corinthians (São Paulo – SP): R$ 1,08 bilhão

Em relação ao futebol, o estádio é um sucesso. Isso porque o Corinthians é dono de uma das três melhores médias de público do Brasil, atrás de São Paulo e Flamengo, que atuam em locais maiores. Porém, a dívida pelo financiamento da arena ultrapassa R$ 700 milhões e é um dos principais problemas para o caixa do clube. Além disso, a Neo Química Arena (nome atual) não recebe tantos eventos de grande porte, como o Allianz Parque — do rival Palmeiras, para se autossustentar.

Toda arrecadação do Corinthians com bilheteria é destinada para o pagamento da dívida. O estádio teve a capacidade reduzida após a Copa do Mundo.

Mané Garrincha (Brasília – DF): R$ 1,403 bilhões

Um dos grandes “elefantes brancos”, o estádio foi o mais caro da Copa do Mundo. Atualmente, costuma receber partidas pontuais de campo neutro, esporádicas vendas de mandos de campo, shows e eventos.

Tudo sobre

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Celtic have now been approached with the chance to sign a Premier League striker who could become Wilfried Nancy’s first arrival, according to reports.

Nancy delivers "honest" response to Celtic criticism

It’s been a tough start for Nancy at Celtic, who lost their first game under the Frenchman against title rivals Hearts last time out. One image, one tactics board and one defeat have already raised concerns around Glasgow, but the new manager has been quick to point out that he won’t pay attention to such criticism.

The Celtic manager told reporters: “People deserve the right to talk. I’m going to dress one way, maybe they are going to say that they don’t like the way I dress, so I don’t waste time on that.

“If I use it [the tactics board], it’s because it’s good for me. Simple as that and I’m not saying that I’m going to use it all the time.

“I’m going to be really honest with you. When I decided to become a coach – sorry, when I had the opportunity to become a coach – I was an assistant coach for seven years, so I worked with many coaches. I always told myself that when you become a coach, cut everything. So this is what I did.”

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This Celtic star who was set to leave the club in the summer could emerge as Wilfried Nancy’s own Kieran Tierney.

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It doesn’t get any easier for Nancy, either. Up next, Celtic square off against AS Roma in the Europa League tonight and could get the chance to see Evan Ferguson in action for themselves ahead of a potential January move.

Celtic offered chance to sign Evan Ferguson

As reported by TeamTalk, Celtic have now been contacted with the chance to sign Ferguson, with Roma increasingly likely to cut his loan spell short in Italy.

The Brighton & Hove Albion forward was once valued at as much as £100m, but is now in the most difficult moment of his career after scoring just once in 14 games at Roma.

The Republic of Ireland forward now needs the Hoops just as much as they need the best version of him in January, as they aim to come from behind and retain their Scottish Premiership crown.

At his very best at Brighton, Ferguson was never short on praise with the Premier League’s record goalscorer, Alan Shearer, among those who had plenty of positives to say in 2023.

Two years on, the 21-year-old may be out of form, but the potential is still there and Celtic should look to take full advantage in the winter window next month.

£5m Celtic star is one of their biggest wastes of money since Albian Ajeti

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has confirmed that an injured Spurs star won’t be back in action for a ‘long time’, with the Dane currently minus a few key first-team players.

Tottenham battle Slavia Prague in the Champions League

Spurs welcome Slavia Prague to North London tonight seeking to reignite their automatic Champions League knockout round hopes with a victory that would edge them closer to securing a coveted top-eight finish.

Frank’s side need all three points against the struggling Czech outfit to maintain momentum after Saturday’s morale-boosting 2-0 win over Brentford ended their miserable six-match winless streak.

The Lilywhites currently sit 16th in the Champions League standings with eight points from five matches, sitting just two points behind the automatic qualification places.

Saturday’s Premier League victory will give Spurs more confidence following the chaotic 5-3 defeat to PSG in their previous European outing, with Richarlison and Xavi Simons securing all three points against Frank’s former employers last weekend.

Despite their lacklustre home form overall this year, the hosts actually boast a formidable home record in European competition, remaining unbeaten in 22 consecutive European games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Spurs have won both their Champions League home matches this campaign without conceding, defeating Villarreal and FC Copenhagen.

History also favours Frank’s side, having never lost to Slavia Prague in four previous European meetings, recording three victories and one draw.

Slavia arrive in desperate circumstances, languishing in 31st with just three points from five matches and facing the genuine prospect of early elimination.

The Czech champions have endured a torrid European campaign, failing to register a single victory while remarkably going four consecutive Champions League fixtures without scoring.

Their attacking struggles represent their most significant weakness, with just two goals across the entire league phase.

Despite domestic dominance — sitting five points clear atop the Czech First League following Friday’s 2-1 victory over Teplice — Jindrich Trpisovsky’s side have repeatedly failed to translate that form onto the continental stage.

Their 3-0 home defeat to Arsenal highlighted the gulf in quality when facing elite opposition, while goalless draws against Atalanta and Athletic Bilbao demonstrated defensive resilience without much threat going forward.

Frank faces several selection concerns heading into the clash, though.

Destiny Udogie is sidelined with a hamstring injury which will keep him out until January, while Randal Kolo Muani is doubtful after limping through Saturday’s victory.

Brennan Johnson is also ‘touch and go’ for the encounter, according to Frank, but one significant positive looked to have emerged from Monday’s training session.

James Maddison was spotted working on the grass for the first time since rupturing his ACL during August’s pre-season friendly against Newcastle, with Frank providing an update on the Englishman.

Thomas Frank shares James Maddison update out of Tottenham

Regrettably, while the £170,000-per-week playmaker sparked excitement when he was clocked in training, Frank has confirmed in quotes relayed by The Press Association, that Maddison still won’t be back for a ‘long time’.

The 29-year-old, who bagged 22 goals contributions in all competitions last term (12 goals, 11 assists), has been a sore miss for Spurs as they heavily rely on the likes of Mohammed Kudus and Simons for their creativity.

Simons’ phenomenal solo run and goal against Brentford will have done the Dutchman a world of good for his confidence following real criticism since his marquee move from Leipzig in the summer.

The pressure is on him to deliver in the ongoing absence of both Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, with Frank also remaining vague about the latter’s recovery timeline.

After Slavia, Tottenham travel to struggling Nottingham Forest on Sunday, and only a win will do there too.