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Fábio e Romero podem sair do Maracanã como heróis ou vilões caso a final da Libertadores, entre Fluminense e Boca Juniors, seja decidida nos pênaltis. Enquanto o goleiro do argentino cresce nas penalidades, o retrospecto do goleiro brasileiro não é animador.

RelacionadasNotíciasQuatro dos seis títulos de Libertadores conquistados pelo Boca foram contra brasileirosNotícias03/11/2023LibertadoresBoca Juniors x Fluminense: onde assistir ao vivo, horário e escalações do jogo pela LibertadoresLibertadores03/11/2023Fora de CampoVÍDEO: Dona Nizete, a Vovó Tricolor, declara amor ao Fluminense e se emociona com final da LibertadoresFora de Campo03/11/2023

+ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Fluminense

Desde que foi contratado pelo Boca, em 2022, Romero já defendeu dez cobranças, sendo quatro no tempo normal e seis em disputas de pênaltis. O goleiro argentino foi vazado oito vezes em pênaltis pela equipe xeneize.

RETROSPECTO DE ROMERO EM PENALIDADES

Pênaltis Defendidos – canto inferior direito do batedor (3), canto inferior esquerdo do batedor (7)

Pênaltis que não foram defendidos – canto superior esquerdo do batedor (2), canto superior direito do batedor (2), canto inferior direito do batedor (1), canto inferior esquerdo do batedor (2) e canto médio direito do batedor (1) 

Já Fábio defendeu apenas duas cobranças e sofreu nove gols de pênalti desde que chegou ao Fluminense. A primeira defesa foi contra o Millionarios-COL, na última edição da Libertadores, e a mais recente foi diante do seu ex-clube, o Cruzeiro, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro.

RETROSPECTO DE ROMERO EM PENALIDADES

Pênaltis defendidos – canto inferior esquerdo do batedor (2) 

Pênaltis que não foram defendidos – canto superior esquerdo do batedor (2), canto inferior direito do batedor (3), canto inferior esquerdo do batedor (3) e canto médio direito do batedor (1)

+ Veja tabela e simule os resultados do Brasileirão

Romero é um dos principais nomes do Boca Juniors na Libertadores, defendendo uma cobrança na fase de grupos, contra o Deportivo Pereira, e seis no mata-mata, contra o Nacional, Racing e Palmeiras. Caso o Fluminense vença no sábado, Fábio se tornará o jogador mais velho a faturar a Libertadores,

The ECB has ditched a controversial batch of white Kookaburra balls that was blamed for low scores in the Hundred last year after consistent negative feedback from players.Scoring rates in the men’s Hundred dipped to 1.37 runs per ball last season, significantly lower than other short-form leagues like the IPL, Major League Cricket and SA20 despite the shorter format in theory lending itself to more attacking batting. Specialist new-ball bowlers like Daniel Worrall and Tim Southee thrived, and players anecdotally blamed the batch of balls used.The balls used in the first four seasons of the Hundred had the tournament’s logo – a large ‘H’ – imprinted on them, which players felt required additional lacquer and gave them a ‘plasticky’ feel. “The seam seems to be massive,” Moeen Ali told the . “Every game, it seems the ball is nipping. Most teams are 30 for 5 in most games.”Kookaburra insisted that they were made to identical specifications as the white balls used in other domestic and international cricket, beyond the logo, while the ECB commissioned an extensive study over the winter which found minimal evidence that the balls behaved differently to those used in other white-ball cricket in England and Wales.Ball-tracking data did suggest a spike in seam movement and swing at the start of Hundred games in 2023 (compared to 2022), which continued last season. This was attributed primarily to pitches, weather, and the Hundred’s unique format – which allows bowlers to bowl 15 of the first 20 balls – rather than any change to the condition of the balls.But the ECB has opted to ditch the Hundred-branded balls regardless, reverting to the same batch used in the T20 Blast for the 2025 season. Their hope is that the switch will satisfy players after consistent negative feedback and that the perception of less assistance for bowlers will lead to higher scoring rates.The change made no apparent difference in Tuesday night’s curtain-raiser, with London Spirit’s men bowled out for 80 by Oval Invincibles on a slow, low surface. “It was a tough wicket to bat on,” Rashid Khan said, after taking 3 for 11 on debut for the two-time defending champions.

Andy Robertson has now reportedly made his decision on returning to Celtic with Parkhead chiefs already preparing to commence talks with the Scotland captain as early as January.

The Hoops could certainly do with his experience on the European stage, having been well-beaten once again in midweek. This time, it was Midtjylland who reaped the rewards, easing to a 3-1 victory in a game that saw them take a three-goal lead before half-time. Whilst Martin O’Neill has managed to turn things around so far domestically, he could do nothing to stop the rot in the Europa League.

The defeat laid bare the task that the next permanent manager has on their hands and those at Celtic Park are yet to even discover who that will be.

O’Neill once again distanced himself from the job when questioned, telling reporters: “I will be here as long as the football board wants me, it’s as simple as that. That could be at the end of the week, it could be after the Kilmarnock game. I just don’t know.”

Related Celtic schedule first interview with 37 y/o manager who dreams of Hoops job

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Whoever is next in the hotseat – whether it be Nicky Hayen, Kieran McKenna or another name – must turn towards the transfer window to welcome some much-needed experience and quality.

Andy Robertson makes Celtic return decision

As reported by TeamTalk, Robertson is now open to making a return to Celtic and signing a pre-contract agreement as soon as January. Sources told TeamTalk that “it’s a move that would make total sense for him personally” and the Hoops are now ready to swoop in to strike an early deal.

If the Scottish giants are after experience and quality, then Robertson is their man. The iconic Liverpool left-back arguably still deserves the starting spot over new man Milos Kerkez at Anfield, but has less than 12 months remaining on his current contract. Given that the Reds bought Kerkez to act as Robertson’s successor last summer, a new contract seems unlikely at this stage.

That, as things stand, should allow Celtic to seal a bargain deal for a Champions League winner who, even at 31 years old, would take the Scottish Premiership by storm.

Once dubbed the “complete player” by former Liverpool left-back Fabio Aurelio, Robertson would be one of the signings of the summer if the Bhoys secured his arrival on a free deal.

Their academy graduate has won it all in English football and is now open to coming full circle and returning to end some unfinished business in Scotland.

Celtic now considering McKenna move

All the runners and riders in Group A of the county 50-over competition, which returns this week

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay04-Aug-2025The Metro Bank One-Day Cup returns this week, with Glamorgan defending the title they won at Trent Bridge in 2025. Here are the runners and riders in Group A:DerbyshireCaptain: Brooke Guest
2024 Position: Fourth (Group A)
2024 Most Runs: Harry Came (281)
2024 Most Wickets: Zak Chappell (17)
Why they can win the competition: Although Wayne Madsen, Aneurin Donald and Pat Brown are playing in The Hundred, Derbyshire could go deep into the competition if players like Chappell and Australian opener Caleb Jewell fire. The return from injury of all-rounder Luis Reece adds quality and experience while Ben Aitchison brings a cutting edge to the seam attack.Player to watch: Martin Andersson has played some significant innings in the Rothesay County Championship since he made the switch from Middlesex and with Madsen and Donald missing, this is a chance for him to play a leading role with the bat in the white-ball game. An outstanding fielder, his seam bowling will provide Guest with another option.Young gun: Joe Hawkins impressed on his step up to the first team in the County Championship at Northampton and the 18-year-old off-spinning all-rounder is expected to get further chances to show his potential in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup. A recent call-up to the England Under-19 squad is a measure of his progress and this competition provides a platform for him to build on that.Final thought: The Falcons were expected to be a contender in the Vitality Blast but after a disappointing tournament, they now have another opportunity to show they are a better one-day side than those results suggest. On their day, they have the players to mount a strong challenge and the disappointment in the T20 format could be a motivating factor over the next few weeks.EssexCaptain: Tom Westley
2024 finish: Seventh (Group B)
2024 most runs: Robin Das (309)
2024 most wickets: Jamal Richards (15)Why they can win the competition: With only four players seconded to The Hundred – compared with six last year – Essex will in theory have a larger pool of players to pick from. However, their plans were disrupted when Indian pace bowler Khaleel Ahmed belatedly pulled out of his all-formats contract; Essex are busily trying to sign an overseas replacement for at least part of the competition.Player to watch: Robin Das top-scored last year, topped by an unbeaten century in a rare win at Trent Bridge. He has not built on that this season with only a couple of disappointing outings in both the Rothesay County Championship and Vitality Blast. If he finally rediscovers his form, it could reignite his career and lead to a memorable few weeks.Young gun: Though still only 20, Luc Benkenstein has been a mainstay of Essex’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup team since his 2021 debut. He made his mark the following year with 6-42 against Glamorgan, though barely bowled last season because of injury. Now a Blast regular, the leggie will boost the spin options as well as adding big-hitting cameos down the order.Final thought: Essex have won just seven of 24 One-Day Cup fixtures since they reached the semi-finals in 2021 – and four of 16 in the past two seasons – with some heavy defeats along the way. It is going to take a massive improvement in performance from essentially the same group of players, allied to some astute tactical acumen from captain Tom Westley, to turn around their white-ball fortunes after a torrid Blast campaign.Carlson raises the Metro Bank One-Day Cup for Glamorgan•Getty ImagesGlamorganCaptain: Kiran Carlson
2024 Position: Champions
2024 Most Runs: Colin Ingram (297)
2024 Most Wickets: Andy Gorvin & Dan Douthwaite (19)Why they can win the competition: As defending champions, the Metro Bank One-Day Cup has felt like a homecoming for Glamorgan, reaping their most success in recent years, winning in 2021 also. David Harrison will lead the team (Richard Dawson away with Welsh Fire) after he was interim head coach and assistant for their previous two success and can lean on a new exciting support staff including Ian Harvey who supported Dawson to success in this competition with Gloucestershire.Player to watch: Billy Root in a crucial stage in his career could have a more senior, important role to play. The 32-year-old in his final year contracted at Glamorgan has spent most of the season in the 2ndXI, often captaining, however came into his own with 296 runs in this tournament in 2024. With Mason Crane and Ben Kellaway selected in The Hundred, Root could be turned to with ball in hand also.Young gun: Jersey international Asa Tribe has shown significant signs of improvement from last year where he top scored with just 26 across six matches. A first red-ball century followed by an ever-present status in the Vitality Blast middle-order, Tribe’s influence on the Glamorgan side has come from nowhere. The 21-year-old with an ODI century on his record will look to play a big role at the top of the order this time around.Final thought: Glamorgan will be missing a key part of their team’s success in this competition of recent years – Colin Ingram. The 40-year-old South African taking up a first assistant coach role is still eligible but is expected to step back from playing for this competition. Despite the lack of a frontline spinner, Andy Gorvin and Dan Douthwaite were joint top wicket takers (with Ed Barnard) in 2024. Douthwaite will be missing early as a short-term injury replacement in The Hundred, but if they can replicate that success with the step up from younger squad members, there’s no reason why this side can’t go back-to-back.GloucestershireCaptain: Jack Taylor
2024 Position: Fifth (Group B)
2024 Most Runs: Miles Hammond (363)
2024 Most Wickets: Ajeet Singh Dale (13)Why they can win the competition: Less affected than most rivals by call-ups to The Hundred (only four), Gloucestershire proved themselves a one-day force by winning last season’s Vitality Blast. Despite making a nightmare start to that competition this summer, they reeled off four successive group wins at one stage, beating the likes of Hampshire and Essex.Player to watch: At the age of 32, Gloucestershire’s red-ball captain Cameron Bancroft boasts more than 3,000 runs in List A cricket at an average of over 40, with five hundreds, and will provide a wealth of experience at the top of the batting order. The Australia Test player has already produced innings of 163 and 176 in the Rothesay County Championship this season.Young gun: Seam bowler Aman Rao signed for Gloucestershire just before the start of the Vitality Blast and played in the first two group matches against Kent and Sussex. The 21-year-old Loughborough University student is sure to be given more opportunities in the Metro Bank One Day Cup and his height combined with an ability to swing the ball could see him make a significant impact.Final thought: With head coach Mark Alleyne involved in The Hundred, bowling coach Mark Thorburn takes charge for the second successive year and will be determined to make a better start that last season when the team lost their first two group matches before winning four of the next five and just failing to reach the knock-out stage.Fletcha Middleton in action for Hampshire•Getty ImagesHampshireCaptain: Nick Gubbins
2024 Position: Quarter-finals
2024 Most Runs: Ben Brown (286)
2024 Most Wickets: Brad Wheal (13)Why they can win the competition: Hampshire have been a force in 50-over cricket for a couple of generations, having only failed to qualify for the knockouts in one of the last six editions of the One-Day Cup. With largely the same set of players to pick from as 2024, Hampshire have experience at all ages. Scotland international Brandon McMullen’s arrival from August 13 knits the team together with bat and ball, while Indian sensation Tilak Varma will be around for the opening three fixtures.Player to watch: Eddie Jack might still only be 19, but he has certainly graduated from simply being a “young gun”. The tall and very quick fast bowler put Test players KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal in his back pocket when playing for England Lions earlier in the summer, where Andrew Flintoff became a big fan. Expect him to be in the top wicket-taking reckoning.Young gun: Given his first professional deal to play in the competition, Ben Mayes comes with a gigantic reputation in age-group cricket. The 17-year-old batter is on England’s long-term radar with Under 19s and Professional County Club Select XI recognition this summer. Come for the wristy hockey-influenced boundaries, stay for the big scores. Fast bowler Manny Lumsden is also worth keeping an eye on.Final thought: Three successive progressions from the group stages, three heartbreaks in the knock-outs – with the last two inflicted by Leicestershire. Could this be the year they take the final leap to silverware? Former captain Jimmy Adams – a winner in two List A finals and now a highly-regarded coach – will step up to lead the side, with Adi Birrell leading Southern Brave Men in The Hundred. It may well be a good audition to taking the top job full-time when it next becomes vacant.LeicestershireCaptain: Peter Handscomb
2024 Position: Semi-finals
2024 Most Runs: Peter Handscomb (539)
2024 Most Wickets: Tom Scriven (18)Why they can win the competition: Winners in 2023 and semi-finalists last year, Leicestershire are a side brimming with confidence and no shortage of quality. Current man-of-the-moment Rehan Ahmed will be otherwise engaged, but overseas batting stars Peter Handscomb and Shan Masood and explosive opener Sol Budinger will compete for the spotlight in his absence. Why would they not fancy themselves for more 50-over glory?Player to watch: After a relatively modest contribution to the Foxes’ Vitality Blast campaign, Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood will be keen to make his mark in this competition, playing a format in which he has enjoyed considerable success, averaging 52.48 with 15 hundreds. That could make the left-hander a dangerous opponent.Young gun: Josh Hull may be unavailable due to The Hundred, but Leicestershire can replace him with another 6ft 7ins fast bowler in Alex Green, who may still be growing at just 18 years old. Genuinely quick, Green took four wickets in three appearances in the competition last season and has further underlined his potential for England Under-19s against their India equivalents this summer.Final thought: The 2023 Metro Bank One-Day Cup Final will be forever remembered for wicketkeeper-batter Harry Swindells producing the match of his life, making a career-best 117 not out to rescue his side from 89 for six and set up an unlikely Foxes victory. It is a little poignant then, on the eve of this year’s tournament, that the Leicester-born player has had to announce his retirement from cricket at the age of just 26 because of a persistent finger injury.NottinghamshireCaptain: Haseeb Hameed
2024 Position: Fourth (Group B)
2024 Most Runs: Ben Slater (398)
2024 Most Wickets: Rob Lord (11)Why they can win the competition: The Outlaws lacked consistency last year but with confidence high after a good season with the red ball they have enough quality – especially in the batting – to mount a challenge, even if call-ups to The Hundred will test the depth of their bowling resources, with the likes of Rob Lord and James Hayes hoping for the opportunity to impress.Player to watch: Opener Ben Slater is a batter opponents always hope to see the back of early, given an apparent penchant for List A cricket. His 68 appearances in the format have yielded more than 3,000 runs at a remarkable average of 52.75. A career-best 164 in a win over Surrey at Guildford last year took his List A centuries tally to eight.Young gun: The outstanding batter in Nottinghamshire’s Second XI this season with close to 700 runs, 18-year-old right-hander Sam Seecharan is highly thought of at Trent Bridge and after making his senior debut in the last of the Outlaws’ Vitality Blast fixtures is likely to be given a chance to shine in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign.Final thought: The One-Day Cup sees Notts stalwart Paul Franks take on the role of head coach, with Peter Moores joining up with Trent Rockets for The Hundred. Franks – 20 years a Nottinghamshire player – has been assistant head coach since 2017, helping the county win the Blast (twice), the One-Day Cup and promotion to Division One in the Rothesay County Championship in that time. This is his first opportunity to lead the county to a senior title in his own right.Josh Blake struck a maiden List A century last season•Getty ImagesSurreyCaptain: Rory Burns
2024 Position: Eighth (Group B)
2024 Most Runs: Ryan Patel (363)
2024 Most Wickets: Cameron Steel (17)Why they can win the competition: It will be a tough ask given the absence of 15 leading players at The Hundred, but as in previous seasons Surrey will be approaching the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with a positive vision of the competition giving precious first-team experience to a raft of youngsters. There is still a hard core of senior players, too.Player to watch: Cameron Steel will be looking at this year’s competition as the perfect opportunity to showcase his proven all-round talents as a middle-order stroke-maker and leg-spinner with a knack of taking important wickets. A comparative lack of game time in Surrey’s Rothesay County Championship side this summer will only add to that desire.Young gun: Ollie Sykes has already been blooded in all formats, including making 11 appearances to date in the Vitality Blast. But it was in last year’s One-Day Cup, when the big-hitting 20-year-old left-hander made his first three starts in the competition, that he initially gave notice of his huge promise with 87 not out against Essex at Chelmsford.Final thought: With no overseas player available, Surrey will be relying on the international experience of skipper Rory Burns, Dom Sibley, Ben Foakes and fast bowler Matt Fisher – plus the know-how of Steel and Ryan Patel – to steer a predominantly youthful line-up in which the performances of the likes of Sykes, Josh Blake, James Taylor and Yousef Majid will be carefully monitored.WorcestershireCaptain: Jake Libby
2024 Position: Quarter-final
2024 Most Runs: Jake Libby (526)
2024 Most Wickets: Jack Home (16)Why they can win: Worcestershire are blessed with the availability of many first-team regulars who are not affected by selection in The Hundred, meaning the majority of Alan Richardson’s first-choice eleven will be involved for the Rapids across the tournament. Skipper Jake Libby and mid-season signing Khurram Shahzad will look to show their quality and blend with some exciting youngsters to compete for silverware.Player to watch: Tom Taylor. Having registered the most wickets for Worcestershire so far this season, the right-arm seamer has been in stand-out form across all formats this summer for his side. The 30-year-old has made his name as a frugal opening bowler and will be looking to continue his consistent performances that have yielded him an impressive average of under 25 across both formats.Young gun: Henry Cullen. The exciting 22-year-old wicketkeeper featured during this year’s Vitality Blast having been on the radar for some time at Visit Worcestershire New Road. His eye-catching displays for the 2nd XI have forced an opening into the senior set-up, with this competition the perfect platform for the cultured and efficient young batter to show off his skills.Final thought: A promising end to the Vitality Blast campaign will offer supporters hope that the Rapids white-ball form can extend further into the summer, with the likes of Ethan Brookes central to any hopes of bettering last year’s encouraging quarter-final finish. Having lacked consistency throughout the summer, the exciting crop of youngsters will be looking to breakthrough and enjoy successful campaigns in a side more than capable of challenging deep into the tournament.

South Zone will count on a few big names to drive the batting, while the bowlers will have their task cut out against a confident North Zone top order

Ashish Pant03-Sep-2025

Auqib Nabi will be key in North Zone’s bowling unit•PTI

Big Picture: Both teams missing major namesA depleted South Zone without several key players due to injuries and national duty, will face North Zone in the semi-final of the 2025-26 Duleep Trophy in Ground A of BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, on the outskirts of Bengaluru.Already missing captain Tilak Varma (Asia Cup selection) and R Sai Kishore (finger injury), South Zone have been dealt another setback with fast bowler Vijaykumar Vyshak ruled out of the semi-final due to a side strain. Fast bowler Vasuki Koushik has replaced him in the squad.With KL Rahul also not around, South Zone will count on Devdutt Padikkal, N Jagadeesan and captain Mohammed Azharuddeen to drive the batting, while the bowlers will have their task cut out against a confident North Zone top order.North Zone come into the semi-final after a stellar quarterfinal where they qualified after a first-innings lead against East Zone. They scored 405 in the first innings and then bowled East Zone for 230. Having taken a 175-run lead, the North Zone batters piled on the runs in the second innings, with captain Ankit Kumar and Yash Dhull recording centuries and Ayush Badoni scoring an unbeaten double ton.While the batting unit is likely to remain unchanged, North Zone will be without two of their primary fast bowlers in Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana, with the duo part of India’s Asia Cup squad. Punjab’s Gurnoor Brar and Haryana’s Anuj Thakral have been added to the squad as replacements.Related

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South Zone have made a direct entry to the semi-final by virtue of playing the Duleep Trophy final the last time the tournament was played in the zonal format in the 2023-24 season. The semi-final will not be televised.In the spotlight: Padikkal, Nabi, BadoniDevdutt Padikkal came back from an injury layoff and finished as the highest run-scorer at the recent Maharaja T20 Trophy. He will be looking to get back into the red-ball grind, with a busy season coming up. Padikkal hasn’t played for India since November 2024, when he played the Perth Test against Australia, and will want to return to the fray by scoring big.Despite Arshdeep and Rana in action, it was the four-in-four man Auqib Nabi who turned heads in the only innings North Zone bowled in the first game. He was nippy, extracted plenty of bounce off the surface and got the ball to move both ways. Nabi was the highest wicket-taker at the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy for a fast bowler and has retained that form at the start of the season. He will lead the North Zone bowling attack and could prove to be a handful against a weakened South Zone batting unit.Ayush Badoni scored a double century for North Zone in the quarterfinal•PTI

Ayush Badoni was Delhi’s highest run-scorer in the last Ranji season. While he didn’t have the most productive Delhi Premier League 2025, his red-ball form has been on point. He made a counterattacking 60-ball 63 in the first innings of the quarterfinal and then an unbeaten 204 in the second. Having had the hang of the surface at Ground A of BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, he will want to build on his form.Team news North Zone could bring in Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Yudhvir Singh Charak and Punjab pacer Gurnoor Brar into XI to replace Arshdeep and Harshit. The rest of the unit is unlikely to change from the first game.North Zone (probable): 1 Ankit Kumar (capt), 2 Shubham Khajuria (vice-capt), 3 Yash Dhull, 4 Ayush Badoni, 5 Nishant Sindhu, 6 Kanhaiya Wadhawan (wk), 7 Sahil Lotra, 8 Mayank Dagar, 9 Auqib Nabi, 10 Yudhvir Singh Charak, 11 Gurnoor BrarTanmay Agarwal, Padikkal, Ricky Bhui and Jagadeesan are expected to form the top four of the South Zone XI, while they could go with three fast bowlers and two spinners in the mix.South Zone (probable): 1 Tanmay Agarwal, 2 Devdutt Padikkal, 3 Ricky Bhui, 4 Narayan Jagadeesan (vice-capt), 5 Mohammed Azharuddeen (capt & wk), 6 Shaik Rasheed/Salman Nizar, 7 Ankit Sharma, 8 Tanay Thyagarajan, 9 Vasuki Koushik, 10 Gurjapneet Singh, 11 Basil NP / MD NidheeshPitch and conditionsThere was some seam movement and bounce in the morning on all four days of the quarterfinal for the fast bowlers in Ground A at CoE, but the pitch eased out as the day progressed. Expect much of the same for the semis as well. There has been plenty of rain in and around Bengaluru over the last few weeks, and with cloudy conditions expected all through the semis, fast bowlers should get some help off the surface.

Paul Merson slammed a Chelsea star after the bitterly disappointing 2-1 defeat against Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday.

Blues suffer setback against newly-promoted Sunderland

Sunderland have surpassed expectations so far this season, but the Blues would’ve been expecting to take all three points against a newly-promoted side, and the 2-1 defeat is a setback, especially after winning their previous four games on the bounce in all competitions.

Alejandro Garnacho opened the scoring for Enzo Maresca’s side after just four minutes, with the winger netting his first goal since arriving at Stamford Bridge, but Wilson Isidor’s equaliser and a stoppage-time winner from Chemsdine Talbi turned the game on its head.

A number of the home side’s players struggled, with Marc Guiu failing to make any impact on the match, and there have since been calls for Maresca to drop the striker, who touched the ball just ten times prior to being withdrawn on the 75-minute mark.

Guiu was given the nod at centre-forward, in order to accommodate Joao Pedro in an attacking midfield role, despite the Brazilian starting almost exclusively at striker so far this season.

Maresca would’ve been hoping the position change would allow the 24-year-old to rediscover his top form, but it wasn’t to be, with Merson left very unimpressed by his performance.

Speaking on Sky Sports (via Metro), the former Arsenal man said: “They need Delap back badly, they need a focal point.

“Guiu played up front and I think he touched the ball nine, ten times. You can’t do that in a team that are supposed to be dominating the ball.

“Chelsea ran out of ideas. They had winger after winger but half of them don’t go past anyone. Joao Pedro looked lost as a number ten. They struggled and were pretty poor.”

Injury may have impacted Pedro's performance

The Blues have been forced to deal with a number of injury issues in the early stages of the campaign, and Maresca revealed the former Brighton & Hove Albion man is one of many players not at full fitness.

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The Italian said: “Joao is not training every day because he is managing an injury problem. Moi is the same, Enzo is the same,

“We have four or five players that have some problems and cannot work every day. They try to make the effort and play the game. Joao struggled a little bit today but all of the players did today, so it’s not just Joao.”

That said, there will rightfully be concerns about the display, with the forward losing possession nine times and failing to get a single shot away throughout the match.

Pedro’s performance levels have been going downhill for some time now, having failed to register a Premier League goal or assist since September, and Maresca will be hoping the £125k-a-week forward can turn the corner soon.

Joshua Zirkzee has been urged by legendary fellow Dutchman Ruud Gullit to leave Manchester United. The Netherlands international made his way to Old Trafford in the summer of 2024, with the Red Devils crying out for attacking inspiration. He has struggled for form in England and been told “everyone that leaves” United “ends up playing well”.

• Supposed Man Utd flops have flourished elsewhere

  That has been the case for several supposedly underperforming forwards at the so-called Theatre of Dreams. Marcus Rashford slipped out of favour under Ruben Amorim, only to rediscover his spark during a loan spell at Aston Villa and ultimately secure himself a move to Barcelona that has allowed further England recognition to be enjoyed.

  Brazilian winger Antony has quickly become a fan favourite at La Liga side Real Betis, after being branded an £85 million ($112m) flop in Manchester, while Scott McTominay is a Serie A title-winning hero at Napoli and now has Rasmus Hojlund scoring goals alongside him in Italy.

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  Why Zirkzee should push for a move away from Man Utd

  Alejandro Garnacho has also impressed of late after making a switch to Chelsea, and it could be that Zirkzee makes his own push for the exits in the January transfer window. The former Bologna star has seen a return to the Italian top-flight mooted – with Roma and AC Milan said to be among his suitors.

  Gullit believes that the 24-year-old should make a fresh start outside of Manchester, telling : “Everybody that leaves Man United ends up playing well. The problem there maybe is actually United. I should advise Zirkzee to go somewhere else and play more. Go back to Italy if you can on loan or whatever. Just play football. He's a good player. But at the moment, it's difficult at Man United. They found a little form in the past couple of weeks and I hope for Man United that they continue that. Because a good Man United is good for the Premier League as well.”

• Can the Netherlands win the 2026 World Cup?

  Zirkzee – who registered just seven goals for United last season and is yet to start a Premier League fixture this term – needs regular game time if he is to earn a place in Ronald Koeman’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.

  Quizzed on how the Netherlands could fare at that tournament, 1987 Ballon d’Or winner Gullit said: “We have a very good squad and I have a good feeling about the players. But they concede a lot of goals. We have so many good players. I just don’t know how it is possible that we concede so many easy goals? So we have to figure it out. I think Koeman is doing a great job, but you need a little bit of luck at some moment. I think they can win the World Cup.”

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  Why Gullit will not return to management

  Gullit will be watching that event from afar as he has no desire to get back into competitive football. He has previously spent time as manager of Chelsea, Newcastle, Feyenoord and MLS outfit the LA Galaxy, but has no plans to return to the dugout at 63 years of age.

  The iconic Dutchman said, with the stresses of coaching being highlighted by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s return to Manchester United: “I don't want to be a manager and I never wanted to be a manager. Then it worked out well, I never expected that. You can't enjoy yourself though. Look at these coaches. They're all bald, grey, grumpy. It's a horrible life. I remember Ole Solskjaer when he came to United, he was so happy. He came out afterwards looking like that thing from the Lord of the Rings, Gollum! Look how Jurgen Klopp looks now. He looks a lot happier.”

  Klopp, who left Liverpool in 2024, and Solskjaer are both out of management at present. The latter severed ties with Turkish side Besiktas in August. Solskjaer has been cleared to catch more of United in action, with Zirkzee and Co having seen Ruben Amorim’s side come through a slow start to the 2025-26 campaign to sit seventh in the Premier League table.

Chelsea are thought to be leading the race to sign FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, and a January transfer is now a possibility.

The Blues bounced back from the home defeat to Sunderland with an impressive victory on the road on Saturday, defeating London rivals Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in the Premier League, with Joao Pedro scoring what proved to be the winning goal in the first half.

Enzo Maresca will no doubt be happy with the result, while the manager will also be pleased that Pedro managed to break his duck, having failed to score since the 2-0 victory against Fulham at the end of August.

BlueCo invested heavily in the frontline in the summer, with Liam Delap also arriving from Ipswich Town, but the Englishman struggled with injuries at the start of the campaign, and Maresca wasn’t impressed with his red card against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Maresca said: “We had a very stupid red card that was completely unnecessary and was absolutely deserved,

“After the first yellow card I told him [Delap] four or five times to keep calm. But Liam is a player who, when he’s on the pitch, is probably playing the game for himself and struggles to realise and listen to those around him.”

Chelsea in pole position to sign Aghehowa

It has now emerged that Chelsea are looking to sign a new striker, having moved into pole position in the race for FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, alongside London rivals Spurs.

That is according to a report from Correio de Manha (via Sport Witness), which states the Blues are in the lead in the race for Aghehowa, with Porto now willing to sanction a departure as early as January.

Club president André Villas-Boas is prepared to cash-in for a fee of €80m (£70m), so the west Londoners will need to spend big in order to get a deal over the line.

That said, there are signs the Spaniard could be worth splashing the cash on, having maintained a fantastic record in front of goal across his opening two seasons in Portugal.

Season

Appearances (all competitions)

Goals

2024-25

45

27

2025-26

11

9

At 21-years-old, the youngster could be capable of leading the line at a top club for over a decade, with scout Ben Mattinson of the belief he is too good to be playing in Portugal.

There are question marks over whether Aghehowa would be a necessary signing, given that Maresca already has Delap and Pedro at his disposal, but he would undoubtedly be an exciting addition to the squad.

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ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025

Newcastle United and PIF have now made their first move in the race to sign Brentford striker Igor Thiago, who has matched Nick Woltemade all the way for goals so far this season.

Whilst the Magpies have clear problems in front of goal in the Premier League – proven by their 3-1 defeat against West Ham United last weekend – their problems once again disappeared on the European stage.

Easing to a 2-0 victory over Athletic Club, both Dan Burn and Joelinton got themselves on the scoresheet in a refreshing change for Eddie Howe. With a trip to face Brentford up next, the Newcastle boss will simply be hoping for a repeat.

Speaking to reporters after securing a third-straight Champions League victory, Howe said: “Yes, it’s a big prize for us and our eyes are very much on it, and I want the players to be feeling the same.

“We said at the start of the Champions League campaign that we didn’t want to have that feeling that we were just pleased to be in the competition. It’s serious. We want to progress. We’ve put ourselves in a stronger position now to do that after the first defeat, but there are still many challenges ahead.”

Progressing on the European stage has certainly been no problem for those in Tyneside so far, but there’s no denying that their Premier League form has suffered at the same time.

Howe must boldly drop Newcastle star who has now moved clear of Isak

Newcastle fought their way to a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 6, 2025

Finding the balance and squad depth needed to thrive in both competitions should be Newcastle’s priority in 2026. As things stand, they’re six points adrift of the top four and, to make matters worse, it is Sunderland who sit in fourth place.

Following a slow start, those at St James’ Park should set their focus on the January transfer window and potentially welcoming attacking reinforcements.

Newcastle launch first Igor Thiago move

As reported by Trivela and ESPN Brazil and relayed by Sport Witness, PIF have now launched their first enquiry to sign Thiago for Newcastle in an addition that would certainly help solve their recent goalscoring woes.

Just like in their search for a striker in the summer, however, the Magpies aren’t alone. Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa have also reportedly enquired about Thiago’s availability to spark an all Premier League race for his signature.

Appearances

11

16

Goals

7

7

Assists

0

0

Having matched Woltemade for goals so far this season, Newcastle’s interest in Thiago should come as no surprise. Dubbed “powerful” by Brentford boss Keith Andrews earlier this season, the towering forward also crucially earned Alan Shearer’s seal of approval.

The Newcastle legend said: “He barely played last season because of injury but he got his two goals in that half and that’s what a striker is going to get judged for. He looks like he can fill the void left by Mbeumo and Wissa.”

After signing Yoane Wissa in the summer, Newcastle should make a return to West London to sign Thiago when 2026 arrives.

Newcastle hold internal talks to sign Ederson

تم الكشف عن كافة المنتخبات المتأهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026 بعدما انتهت الجولة الأخيرة من تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة إلى المونديال.

ويشارك 48 منتخبًا في النسخة المقبلة من بطولة كأس العالم، صيف 2026، حيث تمتلك قارة أوروبا 16 مقعدًا في النظام المستحدث للمنافسة العالمية.

ويتأهل 12 منتخبًا بشكل مباشر، من قارة أوروبا، إلى منافسات كأس العالم وهم الذين يتصدرون المجموعات في إطار التصفيات.

أما المنتخبات التي تتواجد في وصافة مجموعاتها، في إطار التصفيات، فإنها تخوض مرحلة الملحق، بواقع 12 فريقًا، مع 4 منتخبات التي تحتل أعلى تصنيف في دوري الأمم الأوروبية وسوف تحدد قبل القرعة.

وتأهل منتخب بلجيكا مباشرةً إلى بطولة كأس العالم 2026 بعد فوزه على ليختنشتاين بعدما فاز بسباعية نظيفة، ليتصدر مجموعته بالعلامة الكاملة برصيد 18 نقطة.

اقرأ أيضًا | المنتخبات المتأهلة من أوروبا إلى كأس العالم 2026 (محدث باستمرار)

سجل أهداف بلجيكا كلًا من ثنائية بأقدام جيريمي دوكو وشارل دي كيتيلير، وهدفًا لكل من هانز فاناكين، براندان ميشيل، أليكسيس ساليمايكيرس.

وتأهل منتخب سويسرا مباشرةً إلى بطولة كأس العالم 2026 بعد التعادل مع كوسوفو بهدف لكل منهما ليتصدر مجموعته برصيد 14 نقطة.

وسجل هدف مباراة سويسرا الأول هو اللاعب روبن فارجاس في الدقيقة 47، وفي الدقيقة 74 سجل فلوران موسليا هدف التعادل لصالح منتخب كوسوفو.

وتأهل المنتخب الاسكتلندي بشكل مثير ورائع للغاية مباشرةً إلى كأس العالم 2026 لأول مرة بعد 28 عامًا بعدما فاز على نظيره الدنمارك برباعية مقابل هدف.

سجل أهداف منتخب الدنمارك كلًا من سكوت ماكتوميناي، لاورينس شاكنلاند، كيران تيرني في الدقيقة 93 وماكلين في الدقيقة 96، أما أهداف منتخب اللدنمارك أتت عن طريق كلًا من راسموس هويلاند وباتريك دورجو.

وتصدر منتخب اسكتلندا مجموعته برصيد 13 نقطة، فيما احتل منتخب الدنمارك المركز الثاني برصيد 11 نقطة. أهداف مباراة اسكتلندا والدنمارك في تصفيات كأس العالم

وتأهل منتخب النمسا مباشرةً إلى كأس العالم 2026 بعد التعادل مع نظيره البوسنة والهرسك بهدف لكل منهما.

بتلك النتيجة، تصدر منتخب النمسا المجموعة برصيد 19 نقطة، فيما أتى منتخب البوسنة في المركز الثاني برصيد 17 نقطة.