Tag Futebol

Arsenal are very likely to end this summer transfer window as one of the Premier League’s busiest sides in terms of incomings, with a few very significant developments occurring in the last few days.

Man City hold talks to hijack £78m Real Madrid star from joining Arsenal

Man City could look to hijack Arsenal’s deal…

By
Brett Worthington

Jul 7, 2025

Mikel Arteta now looks on the verge of finally getting his desired number nine through the door.

Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)	Money on new signings
19/20 – winter	£0
20/21 – summer	£81.5m
20/21 – winter	£900k
21/22 – summer	£156.8m
21/22 – winter	£1.8m
22/23 – summer	£121.5m
22/23 – winter	£59m
23/24 – summer	£208m
23/24 – winter	£0
24/25 – summer	£101.5m
24/25 – winter	£0
25/26 – summer	£65m

Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres, as first reported Sky Switzerland’s Sacha Tavolieri, and now backed up by other credible media sources, has agreed a five-year contract at the Emirates Stadium and Arsenal are in advanced talks to sign the Sweden international.

Sporting director Andrea Berta is also in active pursuit of another winger, who would join in a separate deal to Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze (Fabrizio Romano), with talks ongoing to sign the 27-year-old too.

The wide player who could sign for Arteta’s side with Eze, according to reports, looks more than likely to be Chelsea forward Noni Madueke.

Similarly to Gyokeres, the Englishman has already agreed personal terms over an Arsenal move, with the Gunners expected to open club-to-club talks soon and potentially seal yet another signing from their London rivals, following a plethora of deals between both clubs in recent windows.

ESPN have further information on this story, claiming that Arsenal could soon have super agent, Ali Barat, to thank if they do manage to get this one over the line.

Ali Barat involved as Arsenal chase imminent Noni Madueke deal

The broadcast giant claims Barat is actively involved in talks and attempting to secure his client a move to N5, which could be done for around £43 million “by the end of this week”.

Chelsea signed Madueke from PSV Eindhoven for just £30 million back in 2023, so Enzo Maresca’s side are poised to make a handsome profit amid their sanction from UEFA for breaking financial rules.

As such, ESPN also report that Arsenal are in “very positive” talks with Chelsea over signing Madueke, and Arteta has always been a major fan of the 23-year-old. Arsenal are even said to have considered his signing last summer too, but if all goes to plan, they could finally land their man this year instead.

Arteta is also convinced that Madueke can develop into an exceptional left-winger, despite the opposing side being his preferred position.

She will replace the injured Grace Harris in the squad

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-2024Deepti Sharma will return to the Hundred this year after signing for London Spirit as a replacement for the injured Grace Harris. Deepti played for Spirit in the competition’s inaugural season in 2021 and was an unused member of Birmingham Phoenix’s squad the following summer.The Hundred starts on July 23 with Spirit due to play their opening fixture away against Southern Brave the following day, but Deepti will miss the start of the competition due to the Asia Cup in Dambulla. She will be replaced by Erin Burns for the first two games, who is already in the country playing for Northern Diamonds.Deepti is one of three India players due to be involved in the Hundred this season, along with Richa Ghosh (Birmingham Phoenix) and Smriti Mandhana (Southern Brave). Like Deepti, both players are part of India’s Asia Cup squad so will miss the first week of the competition.Related

Silverwood returns to English cricket in Oval Invincibles role

Mahika Gaur withdraws from Women's Hundred due to side strain

Ben Stokes to link up with Andrew Flintoff in Northern Superchargers comeback

The ECB confirmed the latest tranche of replacement players on Thursday afternoon, with Sophie Molineux (Manchester Originals) joining Harris in pulling out of the Hundred. Cricket Australia confirmed on Friday that Molineux had suffered a fracture rib and Harris a calf strain.Molineux has been replaced by Kim Garth, while Bethan Ellis will join her at the Originals after Mahika Gaur pulled out due to a side strain. Tash Farrant has been ruled out with a hamstring injury but is yet to be replaced at Oval Invincibles, while Beth Langston is in for Claire Nicholas at Welsh Fire.As ESPNcricinfo revealed on Wednesday night, England’s Test batters will be released to play in the men’s Hundred immediately after their third Test against West Indies at Edgbaston, while their bowlers and allrounders – including Ben Stokes – are only likely to play the second half of the group stages due to workload management.Further replacements include Leicestershire’s Louis Kimber, who takes up the injured Will Smeed’s spot at Phoenix, while Mohammad Amir has signed for the Invincibles – who are defending champions – for the start of the competition as short-term cover while Spencer Johnson concludes his commitments at Major League Cricket.Hundred replacement deals:Birmingham Phoenix: Louis Kimber and Tim Southee replace Will Smeed and Naseem Shah.
London Spirit: James Neesham and Matthew Taylor replace Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope while they are with England; Deepti Sharma replaces Grace Harris, with Erin Burns replacing Deepti until the end of the Asia Cup.
Manchester Originals: Kim Garth and Bethan Ellis replace Sophie Molineux and Mahika Gaur.
Northern Superchargers: Mitchell Santner replaces Daniel Sams.
Oval Invincibles: Harrison Ward and Mohammad Amir replace Gus Atkinson (while he is with England) and Spencer Johnson (while he is at MLC). Tash Farrant has withdrawn, replacement TBC
Trent Rockets: Riley Meredith replaces Joe Root while he is with England.Beth Langston: Beth Langston replaces Claire Nicholas.

Leeds United have now approached a La Liga club over a deal to sign a 24-year-old defender alongside their now confirmed move for Jaka Bijol, according to a new report.

Leeds announce Jaka Bijol as second summer signing

The Whites earmarked Bijol as one of their top transfer targets this summer, and on Saturday it was confirmed that they have got their man. Fabrizio Romano reported that Bijol had signed his contract and the deal was given his trademark “here we go”, with the club since confirming a five-year deal until 2030.

It is claimed that the newly promoted side are going to pay Italian outfit Udinese £19 million to sign Bijol, although the announcement reports an “undisclosed” fee. The 26-year-old played 34 times in Serie A last season, which is the most he’s played in a single campaign in Serie A since joining the club back in 2022.

He has become Leeds’ second signing of the summer, as they made their first addition last week, bringing Lukas Nmecha in on a free transfer from Wolfsburg.

Dream Firpo replacement: 49ers considering Leeds move for "incredible" LWB

Leeds United could land a star who would soften the blow of Junior Firpo’s pending departure.

ByEthan Lamb Jun 21, 2025

Bijol will join the likes of Joe Rodon, Maximilian Wober, Pascal Struijk and Ethan Ampadu as the Whites’ recognised centre-back options. But that list could soon be extended, as the Championship title winners are now looking to bring in another new defender.

Leeds approach Real Betis over Natan signing

According to ABC (23rd June, Page 71), relayed by MOT Leeds News, Leeds have now asked Real Betis about the conditions of a deal to sign Natan this summer.

Natan joined the Spanish side on a loan deal last summer from Serie A winners Napoli. Real Betis had the option to make the deal a permanent switch, which they have triggered this summer. However, Leeds are now already working to find an agreement which could see Betis cash in on the 24 year-old immediately.

The Brazilian played 31 times in La Liga last season, helping the team keep four clean sheets while he was on the pitch, as well as averaging 1.1 tackles per game. Natan also played 15 times in the UEFA Conference League, as Betis made it all the way to the final before losing out to Chelsea.

Apps

31

Starts

23

Goals

1

Clean sheets

4

Passing accuracy per game

35.8 (89%)

Interceptions per game

0.9

Tackles per game

1.1

Balls recovered per game

2.4

Ground duels per game (won)

1.5 (62%)

Aerial duels per game (won)

2.2 (68%)

Natan’s potential arrival at Elland Road could see a complete overhaul to Leeds’ central defence for next season, as the Brazilian could be paired with Bijol right from the off – it feels hard to believe he would leave a starting role in La Liga for a spot on the bench.

Natan has never played in English football, but he would bring experience of playing at a high level with Betis and Napoli as well as European experience, which can surely only benefit the Whites in their quest for survival.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is certainly not hanging about when it comes to improving his squad.

After a first trophyless season since 2016/17, the Spaniard has begun the summer transfer window with a bang.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss looks to have completed a deal for Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan for a fee in the region of £46.3m, while Lyon’s Rayan Cherki is close to signing on a deal worth at least £25m.

Why Man City are signing Reijnders and Cherki

Reijnders could turn into a bargain given how impressive he was for Milan last season. Across 54 games for the Italian side, he scored 15 goals and grabbed five assists.

This came despite the club missing out on European competition after finishing eighth in Serie A last term.

The Dutchman may prove to be an ideal replacement for Kevin De Bruyne, who leaves at the Etihad end of the month. In Cherki, Guardiola has also secured a player for a fee which may well turn out to be one of his finest deals.

The Frenchman shone for France in their Nations League defeat to Spain on Thursday evening. Making his debut when he came on with just 30 minutes left, the winger scored and provided an assist in the 5-4 defeat.

For a combined fee of just over £70m, it is certainly money well spent by the Spaniard as he looks ahead to the Club World Cup and next season.

There is a player at the club who is worth more than the pair put together, however, and he shone throughout 2024/25.

The Man City star who's worth more than Reijnders & Cherki

Brazilian winger, Savinho, made the move from Troyes to City last summer after impressing on loan at Girona.

Not many expected him to settle in as well as he did, as the youngster went on to register 14 goal involvements – two goals and 12 assists – in 45 games for the club.

Goals

1

Assists

8

Big chances created

11

Successful dribbles

1.8

Shots per game

1.9

Key passes per game

1.6

Such was his impact at the start of last season, former Arsenal midfielder turned pundit, Paul Merson, claimed that the winger could turn into a “superstar” for City.

Indeed, when compared with his peers across the big five European leagues, Savinho ranks in the top 4% for progressive carries (6.61) and in the top 4% for successful take-ons (2.69) and touches in the attacking penalty area (7.57) over the previous 365 days.

These statistics are evidence of his stature among the best wide players on the continent, and he will only go from strength to strength next season.

According to the Football Observatory, Savinho is currently valued at €100.5m (£85m) after an excellent debut season in the Premier League.

Therefore, he is worth more than what look to be two of City’s newest arrivals, demonstrating how good he has been since the start of last season.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Guardiola will be hoping that Reijnders and Cherki can make similar sorts of impacts at the club when the 2025/26 campaign begins in August. No doubt about that.

Forget Cherki: Man City also open £42m talks for "one of the best" #10's

City are now making moves for another attacking midfielder…

ByDominic Lund Jun 5, 2025

Attackers have usually been the players to capture the hearts of the Manchester United fanbase over the last few years, catapulting the side to various levels of success.

Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy are just three attackers who have started at Old Trafford since the turn of the decade – helping the club win countless Premier League titles.

The Portuguese star has undoubtedly gone on to achieve massive things in the professional game, banking the Red Devils a huge profit after leaving in a £80m deal back in the summer of 2009.

However, fast-forward to the present day, Ruben Amorim doesn’t have such talent at his disposal within the final third, contributing to their lowly Premier League standing.

The summer transfer window presents a huge opportunity to strengthen such a department ahead of 2025/26, with countless players already touted with a switch to the North West.

The latest on United’s hunt for new attackers this summer

Even though the transfer window is yet to open, the centre-forward position has been the one with the most interest, with various players in the frame to switch to United.

Liam Delap has been the name at the top of the list over the past few weeks, with the Amorim’s side said to be in pole position to trigger his £30m relegation release clause this summer.

However, he’s not the only forward who’s been strongly linked with a switch to Old Trafford, with Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo also on their radar, according to one Spanish outlet.

Their report claims that the Red Devils are preparing a £65m bid for the Cherries forward, who’s managed to register 11 goals and six assists across all competitions this campaign.

It also states that the interest in the 25-year-old has come directly from the manager, with the boss seeing the Ghanaian as the perfect attacking option to transform his side.

Why United’s £65m target would be perfect alongside Cunha

Matheus Cunha has been another name on the lips of United supporters over the last couple of months, with the Wolves attacker appearing to edge closer to a move to join the club.

The Brazilian international has been a key target in recent times, with various reports claiming that Amorim’s side are willing to trigger the £62.5m release clause within his current deal at Molineux.

Fabrizio Romano confirmed talks were still at an advanced stage between the club and the 25-year-old, with the prospect of no European football no issue to Cunha.

His tally of 15 goals and six assists in the league this season would certainly improve the current situation, operating in an attacking midfield role should he complete a switch to the Theatre of Dreams.

Cunha’s figures of two chances created and 2.1 successful dribbles per 90 showcase the threat he poses in attacking areas, handing Semenyo the ammunition to succeed alongside the Brazilian international.

The Cherries attacker has also thrived in England’s top-flight throughout 2024/25, which could see him form a deadly partnership with the current Wolves gem based on their respective figures.

Semenyo, who’s been labelled “sensational” by Sky Sports’ Sue Smith, has registered 3.6 shots per 90 this campaign, along with 1.2 shots on target per 90 – highlighting the threat he poses with the ball, offering the side a needed eye for goal.

Games played

35

Goals & assists

14

Pass accuracy

78%

Shots taken

3.6

Shots on target per game

1.2

Dribbles completed

55%

Aerials won

1.9

Touches in opposition box

5.9

He’s also completed 55% of the dribbles he’s attempted, along with 1.9 aerials won, handing Amorim an all-round option to run the channels and play off should they need a focal point.

The Ghanian’s impressive figures don’t stop there, averaging 5.9 touches per 90 in the opposition box per game – handing the Red Devils a ‘fox in the box’ type forward they’ve been missing.

£65m would be a huge fee for another forward from the Premier League, but Semenyo has proven over recent months that he’s more than capable of stepping up to the task at Old Trafford.

The prospect of a partnership between him and Cunha under Amorim’s guidance is certainly an exciting one, potentially playing a key role in leading the side back to their former glory.

A new Sancho: Man Utd plot move for another "monster" PL star after Cunha

Man Utd are believed to be interested in signing another Jadon Sancho…

ByRobbie Walls May 15, 2025

2025 is likely to be the year Manchester City’s squad goes through a major rebuild, work that has already begun.

In January, as outlined by Philip Buckingham of the Athletic, the Sky Blues spent more than the other 19 Premier League clubs combined, splashing £180m to recruit Abdukodir Khusanov, Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis, Nico González and Juma Bah.

Meantime, Kevin De Bruyne announced last week that he will be leaving the club when his contract expires this summer, having spent a decade at the Etihad, during which time he has, so far, made 414 appearances, scored 106 goals, provided 176 assists and hoisted aloft 16 trophies.

However, could the big-money signing of one of the best players in the Premier League push another Man City legend out the exit door?

Manchester City's interest in Morgan Gibbs-White

As reported by David Ornstein of the Athletic, Manchester City have both Florian Wirtz and Morgan Gibbs-White ‘among the options [they] will consider’ as potential De Bruyne replacements.

Nottingham Forest signed Gibbs-White from Wolves for a reported fee of £42.5m three years ago, and Transfermarkt believe his market value has doubled since then, hence why Lee Clarke of Nottingham Forest News claims he will cost at least £70m.

Meantime, talkSPORT host Max Scott notes that the England international has been “one of the best players in the Premier League” this season, scoring five goals and racking up nine assists – only two midfielders can boast more goal involvements – firing the Garibaldi Reds to the cusp of the Champions League.

So, Gibbs-White would unquestionably be an excellent signing for Man City, but could his potential arrival be bad news for a sky blue stalwart?

After De Bruyne: Why another Man City legend could leave

As well as De Bruyne, six other key members of Manchester City’s first-team squad are now in their 30s, one of whom is Bernardo Silva.

Zak Garner-Purkis of Forbes writes that Silva ‘has been one of the main malfunctioning components’ at Man City this season, adding that his ‘aging legs’ have been a key factor behind the team’s ‘sudden decline’.

Since arriving from Monaco for £43.6m in 2017, the Portuguese international has made 396 appearances for the Citizens, only nine men have made more in club history, hence why Pep Guardiola labelled him “one of the best players I’ve ever seen in my life”.

Nevertheless, Silva’s powers are on the wane, as the table below outlines.

2017/18

53

9

10

2018/19

51

13

13

2019/20

52

8

10

2020/21

45

5

9

2021/22

50

13

7

2022/23

55

7

7

2023/24

49

11

11

2024/25

41

3

4

As the table showcases, this has been, by some distance, Silva’s least productive season at Man City, coming off the back of the 2023/24 campaign, which was actually his best for five years, getting into double figures for both goals and assists.

So now, let’s analyse how he compares to Gibbs-White this season.

Appearances

27

27

Minutes

2,128

2,216

Goals

2

5

Assists

4

9

Goals – xG

-1

+0.8

Shots on target %

33.3%

34%

Chances created

42

42

Shot-creating actions

76

96

Through-balls

3

15

Passing accuracy %

88.89%

81.17%

Take-on success %

53.19%

47.46%

Ball recoveries

80

108

Touches

1,648

1,406

Across the same number of appearances and a near-identical number of minutes, there are just 88 minutes between the pair, it is Gibbs-White who comes out on top for the vast majority of metrics this season.

For the most part, the duo’s statistics are remarkably similar, underlining their stylistic similarities, but it’s the Englishman who boasts better statistics when it comes to goals, assists, chances created, shooting and ball recoveries.

Despite having racked up over 200 more touches, Silva can only claim to have better passing accuracy and take-on success percentage.

All of this emphasises the point that Gibbs-White would be an excellent signing for Man City, representing a clear Silva upgrade.

Instead of signing Wirtz & Gibbs-White: Man City must unleash teenage star

Manchester City have been linked with moves for Florian Wirtz and Morgan Gibbs-White.

1 ByJoe Nuttall Apr 9, 2025

And is R Ashwin the only player to take a five-for and score a hundred in a Test at the same ground twice?

Steven Lynch01-Oct-2024Kamindu Mendis reached 1000 Test runs in just his 13th innings. Was this a record? asked Asitha Silva from Sri Lanka
The seemingly unstoppable Kamindu Mendis passed 1000 runs during his 182 not out in the first innings of the second Test against New Zealand in Galle last week. He’s in good company, as Don Bradman also got there in 13 innings, but two batters were even quicker to the mark: England’s Herbert Sutcliffe and Everton Weekes of West Indies both reached 1000 runs during their 12th Test innings. Bradman got there in his seventh Test, Mendis in his eighth, and Sutcliffe and Weekes in their ninth.Mendis did break one record though: it was his eighth Test, and he has had an innings of at least 50 in all of them, beating the seven from debut set recently by Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel.There could be a similar close call coming up for bowlers: after the Galle Test, his 16th, Sri Lanka’s slow left-armer Prabath Jayasuriya had 97 wickets. The only man to reach 100 in 16 Tests was the 19th century England seamer George Lohmann. Four men so far – Charles Turner, Sydney Barnes, Clarrie Grimmett and Yasir Shah – have taken their 100th wicket in their 17th Test.Sri Lanka had a first-innings lead of more than 500 at Galle – have there been any bigger leads in Tests? asked Gordon Mitchell from England
Sri Lanka (602 for 5) led New Zealand (88) by 514 runs after the respective first innings in the recent second Test in Galle. That turns out to be the fifth-largest first-innings advantage in any Test, a list headed by England (903 for 7) with a 702-run lead over Australia (201) at The Oval in 1938. Sri Lanka already lie second: in Colombo in 2006 , they bowled South Africa out for 169 after scoring 756 for 5, so led by 587. Pakistan (643) led New Zealand (73) by 570 runs in Lahore in 2002, while England (849) led West Indies (286) by 563 in Kingston in 1930.There have been two other first-innings leads of more than 500 in Tests: South Africa (682 for 6) led England (173) by 509 runs at Lord’s in 2003, while Australia (645) headed England (141) by 504 in Brisbane in the first postwar Ashes Test in 1946.I noticed that Ajaz Patel has 70 Test wickets, but none of them have come at home in New Zealand. Has anyone matched this? asked Shane Worrell on Facebook
Slow left-armer Ajaz Patel had 70 Test wickets to his name after the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle. You’re right that none of them have come at home in New Zealand, where he has played three Tests without taking a wicket.Patel currently tops the list for most wickets in a Test career without any at home: the 19th century Yorkshire allrounder Willie Bates had 50. He made three tours of Australia, but never played a Test in England. Next comes the Indian seamer RP Singh, whose 40 wickets all came away from home (he played two Tests in India without taking a wicket).The current Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah took 79 Test wickets before finally striking at home. The 1950s West Indian spinners Alf Valentine (65) and Sonny Ramadhin (52) come next on that particular list.The answers given here exclude some Pakistan bowlers who did not have the chance to play at home: Saeed Ajmal took 178 wickets (67 in “home” Tests in the UAE), Mohammad Amir 119, Wahab Riaz 83 and Junaid Khan 71. Yasir Shah picked up 207 Test wickets before finally taking one in Pakistan.Ian Botham has taken a five-for and scored a hundred in the same Test five times, though all at different grounds•Adrian Murrell/Getty ImagesI know there are a few players who have scored a century and taken a five-for in a Test more than once. But is Ravichandran Ashwin the only man to do it twice on the same ground? asked Pavam Mahadasu from India
This particular double has now been completed on 37 occasions in Tests. R Ashwin did it for the fourth time in the recent Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. He’d previously achieved the feat there against England in 2021. He’s also done it twice against West Indies, in Mumbai in 2011 and in Antigua in 2016.Ian Botham is the only man to have done this double more often than Ashwin: he achieved the feat on five occasions. But all of them were at different grounds, and you’re right to think that Ashwin is the only man to have done it more than once at the same venue. Five others have done it twice (at different grounds): Garry Sobers (West Indies), Mushtaq Mohammad (Pakistan), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) and Ravindra Jadeja (India).However, when you look at the equivalent list for women’s Tests, you can see that the Australian allrounder Betty Wilson did it three times, including twice in Adelaide, against England in 1949 and again nine seasons later in 1958. England’s Enid Bakewell – who is still playing club cricket in her eighties – also did it three times, but on different grounds.Was Rashid Khan the first bowler to take five wickets in a one-day international on his birthday? asked Madhav Gokhale from India
When legspinner Rashid Khan took 5 for 19 in a thumping Afghanistan victory over South Africa in Sharjah on September 20, he was indeed the first man to collect an ODI five-for on his birthday (his 26th). The best birthday performances before this was a pair of four-fors: Vernon Philander celebrated his 22nd birthday – and his ODI debut – with 4 for 12 for South Africa against Ireland in Belfast in 2007, while Stuart Broad took 4 for 44 against Australia in Cardiff on his 24th birthday in 2010.In T20Is, the Indian left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav collected a 29th-birthday present of 5 for 17 against South Africa in Johannesburg in December 2023. Four other men – Wanindu Hasaranga (Sri Lanka), Imran Tahir (South Africa), Kushal Malla (Nepal) and Karthik Meiyappan (UAE) – have taken four wickets in a T20I on their birthday.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

The lack of shouting and screaming after the result last Sunday has led to a very different mood ahead of this Sunday’s marquee contest

Shashank Kishore03-Sep-20228:34

Should Rishabh Pant replace KL Rahul at the top of the order?

Can you keep history away when it’s India vs Pakistan? Turns out, you can.Unlike before their first meeting last Sunday, where the talk was around a “friendly rivalry” and the “lovey-dovey” nature of it, this one feels different.India-Pakistan contests have become so one-sided now that there is this feeling that the build-up is bigger than the match itself. If Pakistan’s spree of World Cup losses over the years played into India’s chorus of “” prior to every ICC event, Pakistan’s “” chants after the ten-wicket dismantling of India at last year’s T20 World Cup was a strong riposte.But all that seems to be in the past now. Because Round 1 produced such a compelling contest, the cricket itself has taken centre stage ahead of Round 2. And no one is complaining.Related

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• Dravid: With Virat, people get a bit obsessed with statistics

• Dravid: No workload management before T20 World Cup, only best XIs will play

• Kohli shreds Dubai's nerves with perfectly imperfect knock

• Hardik – on the spot with the ball, a bit of Dhoni with the bat

Prior to last Sunday, you would have to think hard to remember when an India-Pakistan result had been accepted with such magnanimity by those on the losing side (at least in public). It almost seemed like the unity and brotherhood is what it really was about, and there was no need to let one result trigger over-the-top reactions.Ahead of the first game, Babar Azam must have felt a bit tired after stressing, repeatedly, that Shaheen Afridi’s absence was a big loss indeed. It wasn’t too different for Rohit Sharma, who had to do the same when it came to Jasprit Bumrah.A week on, the focus and hype from the outside seems to have veered towards the teams, not just individuals, or the camaraderie they share and show. There is the realisation that all the ingredients have come together to make one more fascinating T20 contest. Sample these: Virat Kohli vs Naseem Shah. Babar vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Hardik Pandya vs Fakhar Zaman. These are fascinating subplots to the game.Kohli has had two starts and is looking build on some fluency. On Friday, two days out from the match, he had a lengthy chat with head coach Rahul Dravid during a training session. He then batted for a long time. Towards the end, he mimicked Suryakumar Yadav’s 360-degree game, much to everyone’s amusement.On Saturday, India had an optional nets session, but Pakistan didn’t train at all, owing to a short turnaround from their game against Hong Kong in Sharjah on Friday.Haris Rauf talked about the calmness in the camp; he spoke of how individuals are preparing for a big game in their own ways – mixing rest and recovery, with some fun, and not fretting over this being “another big game”.6:11

Do Pakistan have the world’s best T20I attack?

But there are questions for both teams to answer.How will India deal with the absence of Ravindra Jadeja? And will KL Rahul find his old form? Pakistan, meanwhile, won’t have Shahnawaz Dahani either. Which means Axar Patel and Hasan Ali could get in.Naseem is every bit that kid in a sweet shop, who has been given the new ball and told to simply do his thing. Babar is looking for a score of substance, while Fakhar’s effectiveness has everyone, including their former coach Mickey Arthur, wondering about the kind of damage he could do if he opened the batting.India’s focus has firmly been on the present. Pakistan haven’t once spoken of the banana peel their game against Hong Kong had the potential of being. There’s a sense of assuredness about Babar’s men that hasn’t come easily. For this, much of the credit should go to the captain and the coaching staff.If Round 1 was exciting, Round 2 offers more of the same. High stakes, high pressure. Yet, it feels different because of the calm – far removed from the chatter that usually dominates the narrative.

Pakistan’s bowlers were splendid in Mount Maunganui, but Williamson and Taylor were just a little bit better

Danyal Rasool26-Dec-2020This is just about acceptable. Yes, New Zealand are on top, and yes, Pakistan’s answer to Kane Williamson is currently nursing a thumb injury, while Pakistan’s answer to Ross Taylor disappeared down the same cracks as Azhar Ali and Asad Shafiq’s potential over the years. Yes, that means the template New Zealand followed against West Indies is still very much on, particularly given the vulnerability of Pakistan’s batting order and the confidence surging through New Zealand’s quick bowlers. But for all of that, and the frustrations Pakistan will be nursing now that a grinding day is over, few, even in the bitter, scapegoat-y world of Pakistan cricket analysis, could throw much blame Pakistan’s way.Mohammad Rizwan won the toss – the sixth successive time a coin has bested a New Zealand skipper this summer – and bowled on a surface greener than most outfields in Pakistan are this or any other time of the year. Unlike West Indies, Pakistan’s new ball bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Abbas took advantage of the grass on the wicket and the new ball, striking to remove New Zealand’s struggling openers early. They did so not because they went in search of magic deliveries, but because they stuck to that niggly line just outside off stump that has brought them success in most places they play.Clip that opening spell, set up a tutorial and use them to teach every visiting side how to bowl on the first morning in New Zealand. In a masterclass of execution, Afridi and Abbas appeared to be exploiting the conditions so expertly they might as well have been raised under the shadow of Mount Maunganui itself, rather than first time visitors to this place. Tom Latham floundered and Tom Blundell fiddled and both inevitably fell to Afridi, though Abbas could claim assists for both dismissals thanks to a six-over spell of metronomic efficiency in which no quarter was given. He might not have known it was one day out from Christmas for the lack of generosity on offer. Or he might have been auditioning for Scrooge’s part.Thirty of the 36 balls Abbas bowled in that opening burst were length balls outside off stump, with only three full deliveries, meaning he hadn’t been fooled by the grass on the surface and gone searching for phantom swing. Twenty-six of Afridi’s deliveries in his first six overs were length balls on or around off stump, with both wickets coming off those deliveries.Shaheen Shah Afridi was a menace throughout the day•Getty ImagesBut this isn’t a story of the ball getting older and the bowlers losing their discipline, allowing Williamson and Taylor to build that attritional partnership that dominated the best part of the day. The figures suggest that Pakistan’s lengths didn’t waver much at all throughout the first two sessions, with Faheem Ashraf justifying his inclusion as an extra seamer by turning in a rigidly disciplined performance, if not quite as penetrative as his more storied counterparts. Williamson left him particularly well, but it was telling that that was the New Zealand captain’s most secure option against a bowler some might have felt the hosts would target. Eighty percent of the balls he bowled targeted that fourth stump, and while the wickets column remained empty, 15 runs in 10 overs in the first two sessions suggested he wasn’t much of a downgrade to Abbas.All of this, as you might have picked up, is really rather good, but so, you’ll likely have noticed, are Taylor and Williamson. Taylor, overtaking Daniel Vettori to become the most-capped New Zealand cricketer in history, demonstrated why he’s hung around so long, taking a more assertive role as Williamson took his time settling in, and pouncing upon Pakistan’s genuine weak link, Yasir Shah, just before tea to secure control of the day for his side. Williamson, meanwhile, left what he could and dead-batted the rest in the first two sessions, undoubtedly only aggravating the frustrations of Pakistan bowlers who would have felt they deserved better for the discipline they showed.New Zealand’s two greatest living batsmen would refuse to leave the crease for the best part of 50 overs, as if having marked out the 22 yards as the place they would squat. They have done that often enough by now to be able to claim ownership rights; this was their tenth hundred partnership together, more than any other New Zealand pair has managed. Few will have felt as much of a grind; equally, few will feel as rewarding.Afridi would return to give Pakistan one more shot in the arm, removing Taylor with a bit of extra bounce, but Williamson was going nowhere. It wasn’t a completely chanceless innings – he was lucky an lbw shout wasn’t sent upstairs – and the two catches Pakistan put down in the slips barely count by their inexorably slipping fielding standards. The strike rate, once languishing around 20, had picked up, and the fluency was returning to his shots. Pakistan’s accuracy after tea had begun to fall away, as Williamson and Taylor will have known it inevitably would. That it lasted two sessions was a fairly impressive feat, one that on another day might have seen them well into New Zealand’s tail by now.Solid bowling performance? Yes. Bowlers dominating batsmen for large periods? Most certainly. The reward? Waking up tomorrow to get ready to bowl at Williamson, unbeaten on 94, with the scoreboard reading 222 for 3. If that’s what a decent day looks like, this short, two-match series might become an interminable one for Rizwan’s side.

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Após a classificação, o técnico interino do Botafogo exaltou o trabalho dos jogadores. Para Fábio Matias o clube está olhando para frente e deixou 2023 para trás.

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Nenhum. Acho que isso estava inserido dentro dos atletas. Os atletas, quando a gente começa o trabalho, entende que precisa arrumar e organizar algumas coisas. O trabalho do Tiago estava sendo bem feito, mas estava no modo oscilação, nós organizamos isso. Eu não vivi o passado, eu vivo o presente. Estou vivendo do dia 7 (de janeiro) em diante, tudo que acontecendo é do dia 7 em diante. Eu não estava presente, nós precisamos interpretar isso. Eu vendo algo para esses jogadores e eles compraram. E eles acreditam de forma fiel. A gente está conseguindo ter rodagem do grupo, é importante ressaltar isso. Domingo já tem uma nova batalha, a Taça Rio é importante por causa da Copa do Brasil. Depois, tem Copa do Brasil, Brasileirão e Libertadores. Não vejo detalhes ou coisas fundamentais. Esses caras trabalham demais, o grupo é comprometido. A gente consegue ser imbatível através do esforço de todos. Imbatível? Talvez não, uma hora vamos perder, mas é algo que faz parte do processo. O que passou, passou. Vida nova

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afirmou Fábio Matias

Fábio Matias segue invicto no comando do Botafogo. Ao todo são cinco vitórias e um empate em seis jogos. O técnico interino rasgou elogios a estrutura do alvinegra.

– Estamos reconstruindo tudo. Se tivesse uma proposta do Botafogo há três ou quatro anos eu talvez não aceitaria. Hoje eu aceitei com muita firmeza e é o melhor lugar em que já trabalhei. Tem um cara que tem uma cabeça de muita firmeza, que é o John. Peço paciência ao torcedor, sei o quanto o torcedor sofreu, faz parte. Mas estamos em um processo de reestruturação, tem muita coisa boa envolvida.

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🎙️ MAIS RESPOSTAS DE FÁBIO MATIAS:

TRABALHO COLETIVO
– Sempre temos que valorizar as questões coletivas. Boas parte das coisas que acontecem os atletas precisam estar focados e mais uma vez os atletas tiveram compromisso em relação ao jogo, mesmo na hora difícil. Em questão sobre a carreira, continuo dando seguimento nas questões do clube. É um momento prazeroso, um momento ímpar na minha carreira. O futebol acontece muito rápido. O Botafogo está em uma construção de dois anos, desde quando esse grupo que assumiu o clube.

– Quando você tem essas oportunidades, você só tem uma oportunidade para mostrar uma coisa. Não estou aqui para mostrar algo, estou aqui para fazer meu trabalho. O principal é o que a gente colocou em relação aos atletas e o compromisso que eles tiveram. Tem muita gente boa trabalhando no Botafogo e o clube está se transformando. A gente tem que estar onde querem que a gente esteja. E o clube está se transformando e estou trabalhando dentro da função de auxiliar para deixar as coisas da melhor forma possível.

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PEDRO CAIXINHA
– Falei para o Caixinha que adoro o trabalho dele, acompanhei de perto. Dentro do contexto dos trabalhos do Brasil é um dos melhores. Muitas vezes o trabalho não se mede por derrotas ou vitória, mas por sequência. Sabíamos que teríamos um jogo difícil hoje e que o Bragantino teria 25 minutos de pressão, nós tentamos equilibrar as coisas. A gente tem trabalhado as questões de jogo ofensivo, mas isso demora um pouco a se desenvolver. É um baita clube que enfrentamos hoje.

EXPULSÃO DE DAMIÁN SUÁREZ
– Quando tivemos um jogador a menos precisamos de algo a mais, os jogadores uniram as forças. As substituições deram certo e os jogadores entenderam o jogo. Nós até voltamos melhor do segundo tempo, não sofremos a mesma pressão dos 20 primeiros minutos, mas tivemos a infelicidade da expulsão, isso mudou a característica do jogo, aí tivemos que fechar os corredores. A entrada de todos nos ajudou a conquistar (a classificação).

FANTASMA DE 2023
– Resposta curta? Sim. Semanas atrás. Há muito tempo.

RECONSTRUÇÃO DO BOTAFOGO
– É um Botafogo muito forte e que vai brigar nas competições que disputar. Ainda temos coisas para ajustar. Um ponto que preciso colocar aqui é que tivemos uma situação muito chata no último final de semana aos nossos gestores. Nós precisamos mudar a chave. Eu só estou aqui por causa deles, os jogadores só estão aqui por causa deles, o Mazzuco e o Alessandro. Estamos reconstruindo tudo. Se tivesse uma proposta do Botafogo há três ou quatro anos eu talvez não aceitaria. Hoje eu aceitei com muita firmeza e é o melhor lugar que já trabalhei. Tem um cara que tem uma cabeça de muita firmeza, que é o John. Peço paciência ao torcedor, sei o quanto o torcedor sofreu, faz parte. Mas estamos em um processo de reestruturação, tem muita coisa boa envolvida.

GOLS MARCADOS
– Existe a expectativa de gols, que é o número de finalizações etc. Muitas vezes você finaliza alto e no meu processo de base eu sempre tive bons números disso. No contexto do jogo profissional, que é mais tenso, você acaba tendo mais deficiência. Falo muito do caminho do gol, é a percepção em relação a eficiência. Eu adoro o jogo ofensivo, de controle, mas tudo tem que ser equilibrado. A partir do momento que os atletas entendem isso nós geramos eficiência. Nossa equipe hoje é muito eficiente e equilibra bem o jogo. Falamos muito de propor o jogo, em alguns momentos nós propomos sem bola.

CARREIRA NO BRAGANTINO
– Quando eu venho para o Red Bull é através do Thiago Scuro, que era o gestor da época. Tínahmos a percepção que com a saída do Barbieri não era a minha vez. O Thiago acabou indo para o Monaco, é acima da média. E o processo acaba não acontecendo, e acaba surgindo a oportunidade do Botafogo. Para mim, a experiência de visualizar o Caixinha foi muito boa. Ele é acima da média. Também é aprendizagem. Vim para cá no projeto, o Thiago saiu, e vim para o Botafogo para dar continuidade na minha carreira.

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