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The Bangladesh captain came out to bat with an injured hand and was peppered by bouncers, and one hit him behind the left ear

Mohammad Isam in Wellington15-Jan-2017Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim was hit on the back of the helmet on the fifth day and had to be taken to hospital. The incident took place in the 43rd over of Bangladesh’s second innings when Tim Southee bowled a bouncer that hit Mushfiqur just behind his left ear as he was trying to duck. Initial X-rays and scans to his neck suggested he was out of immediate danger.He returned to Basin Reserve later in the day and, though he did not take the field, attended the post-match presentation where he said he was “feeling much better” though “a bit of pain” persisted.For a moment or so after being hit, Mushfiqur seemed stunned, kneeling at the crease, trying to clear his head. As soon as he went down on his back and lay spread-eagled on the pitch, it became clear he was in trouble. Medical staff from both teams came out to offer him first aid and the ambulance on standby at the ground was asked to come on and take him off the field. He was taken to Wellington Hospital about 300 metres from Basin Reserve for further treatment.Tamim Iqbal, who was with Mushfiqur while he was receiving first-aid, said “He is fine. He spoke to us. He has been taken for precaution.”That Mushfiqur was out in the middle in the first place was remarkable considering he had injured his hand while batting in the first innings and did not take the field on days three and four. For the 53 balls he faced on Monday, he was peppered with bouncers as New Zealand tried to make life uncomfortable for him in an effort to push for a come-from-behind victory.While Mushfiqur was nervous against the short ball early in his innings, with time at the crease, he was able to pick the length early and duck under them comfortably. It was the fuller deliveries that caused him problems, his bottom hand flew off the bat in response to the pain from the jarring of ball hitting bat, which hinted at the possibility of a broken finger.The short balls didn’t stop though and with less than half an hour to go to lunch one kept lower than Mushfiqur anticipated and he was hit. He was the second Bangladeshi batsman to retire hurt in their second innings after Imrul Kayes seemed to suffer a thigh strain late last evening.

The Supreme Court of India has directed the BCCI not to distribute funds to its state associations until they comply with the Lodha Committee’s recommendations

Nagraj Gollapudi21-Oct-20165:23

Kalra: Supreme Court giving BCCI as much breathing space as it can

The Supreme Court of India has passed an order that limits the BCCI’s financial freedom and power until the board and its state associations comply with the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.In a 25-page order issued on Friday, the court directed the BCCI not to distribute funds to its state associations until they submit affidavits stating compliance with the recommendations to the court and the Lodha Committee in two weeks. The order was passed by a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of India TS Thakur and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud.The court also asked BCCI president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke to meet the Lodha Committee before November 3. They were required to submit an “affidavit of compliance” in the court by December 3, elaborating on the recommendations already implemented by the BCCI and what it had done to persuade the state associations to adopt the recommendations. The court scheduled the next hearing for December 5.BCCI’s financial wings clipped

The Supreme Court has asked the Lodha Committee to oversee financial transactions undertaken by the board by putting in place the following measures:
♢ Appoint an independent auditor to check the income received and expenditure incurred by the BCCI
♢ Fix a threshold value for BCCI contracts which would be overseen by the auditor from the tender stage
♢ Approve or disapprove BCCI contracts above the threshold value and obtain the advice of the auditors on the fairness of the tendering process
♢ Formulate the terms of engagement and reference for the auditors. The BCCI shall bear the costs, charges and expenses of the auditors

In another significant decision, the court asked the Lodha Committee to appoint an independent auditor to verify the BCCI’s accounts. The Lodha Committee was also asked to set a “threshold value” for various contracts the BCCI enters into, and all contracts in excess of that amount would need the committee’s approval. The next major contract for the board is the IPL broadcast deal, set to be finalised on October 25.”I’ve always maintained that we have the highest respect for judiciary. We have welcomed the Lodha Committee recommendations, we more than welcome them because we have nothing to hide,” Thakur told after the order came out. “I’m very optimistic in my approach and I am sure some of the issues that we have requested for a re-look will be addressed. We are not fighting against anyone. All I have been saying is that there is confusion regarding certain recommendations. I am sure a dialogue can be had in the interest of the game.”Friday’s order is the second one issued this week by the court, after an interim order on October 17 in response to the Lodha Committee’s status report, which had recommended that the BCCI office bearers be “superseded” and a panel of administrators be appointed because the board was impeding the implementation of the court-approved recommendations.In its order the court noted that there was “substance in the status report”. It also said the BCCI was in “breach” of the July 18 court order that had approved the majority of recommendations in the Lodha Committee’s report and asked the board and states to implement them in four to six months. “Implementation of the final judgment of this Court dated 18 July 2016 has prima facie been impeded by the intransigence of BCCI and its office bearers,” the court order said.The court said that “at this stage” it was refraining from approving the Lodha Committee’s suggestion to supersede the BCCI office bearers because the board had said in a submission to the court that “it would make every genuine effort to persuade the state associations” to comply with the recommendations.The BCCI’s position had been that it could not implement the Lodha Committee’s recommendations without a majority of its state associations agreeing to do so. The key recommendations the board said the states were reluctant to accept were the one-state-one-vote policy, the age cap of 70 for administrators, and the limit of three, three-year terms with cooling-off periods in between for office bearers.The court order put the states under pressure to comply by cutting off their funding. “The BCCI shall forthwith cease and desist from making any disbursement of funds for any purpose whatsoever to any state association until and unless the state association concerned adopts a resolution undertaking to implement the recommendations of the Committee as accepted by this Court in its judgment dated 18 July,” the court order said. A state was to receive funds from the BCCI only after the resolution, signed by its president, was submitted to the committee and the court.The court said it had taken cognisance of the argument raised by the board’s legal counsel Kapil Sibal, who had said the BCCI would “demonstrate” to the Lodha Committee how it had already fulfilled some of the recommendations. The court asked the committee to verify whether there had been “full compliance”.

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur produced a seven-goal thriller at Anfield on Sunday in which Jurgen Klopp’s men scored a last-gasp winner and further boosted their hopes of securing a European spot for next season.

The Reds raced into a three-goal lead and while a Harry Kane strike just before the break reduced the deficit, they still looked in control. By injury time at the end of the second half, however, Spurs were level, and it was looking like a result that summed up Liverpool’s season.

Step forward Diogo Jota. The Portuguese forward scored a dramatic winner which sparked boisterous scenes from the stands and the bench, with Klopp even injuring his hamstring celebrating the winner.

The German persisted with his new tactical system which sees Trent Alexander-Arnold take up a role in midfield, yet this leaves the team fragile defensively, and it’s fair to say a few players struggled with this yesterday, none more so than Andrew Robertson, who looked all at sea during the first half performance.

How did Andrew Robertson against Tottenham?

Robertson’s attacking abilities have seen him shine under Klopp previously, registering a whopping 11 assists this season alone. However, with this new system, more defensive maturity will be required going forward as he and Virgil van Dijk have to work out how best to cover the space vacated by Alexander-Arnold.

With the Englishman moving into midfield as an inverted full-back, it means that Robertson has to fill in to form a make-shift back three. Unfortunately, he’s not exactly thriving in this role.

Indeed, the Scot received a Sofascore rating of just 6.4/10 for his troubles, which ranked him as statistically the joint-worst player for the Anfield side during the tie alongside Harvey Elliott.

With 132 touches and an 89% pass success rate, there was nothing wrong with his desire or passing ability, yet he made two errors which led to Spurs taking shots and only made two tackles throughout the match, allowing them a way back into the match while also losing possession a staggering 19 times.

Usually so reliable in an attacking sense, he disappointed on this occasion, proving successful with just two crosses from six attempts and succeeding with only one dribble attempt, far below the standards expected from him.

It may take time for the 29-year-old to get up to speed with the new tactical tweak, yet against Spurs that looks like it could take longer than anticipated, with writer Dave Hendrick describing him as “horrific” for a ten-minute period during the first half.

His display was perhaps best summarised by The Tactical Times, who Tweeted: “If Klopp is going to run with this rough shape long term, I think he might do well to think about a third centre back. Robertson is much better than he was today, but this back 3 doesn’t suit him. He is the definition of a full back.”

The last few games of the season will be crucial in terms of which European competition Liverpool will compete in next season, but the team will need to defend better ahead of much tougher tasks and Robertson is the key protagonist in this regard.

There are many outrageous Roses takes told long into the night and Jordan Clark and Kyle Jarvis have produced another one with a resounding last-wicket stand at Old Trafford

Paul Edwards14-Aug-2016
ScorecardJordan Clark is better known for his white-ball exploits•PA Photos

Lancashire’s former players met for their annual reunion on the second day of this match and over thirty of the old boys turned up for the bash. No doubt tales were told and mayhap some had grown in the telling. “An’ you know what they said / Well some of it was true!” sang Joe Strummer, although probably not too many of the ex-cricketers meeting in the Emirates Old Trafford pavilion this warm Sunday will be familiar with The Clash’s rich oeuvre.But however outrageous the stories of white on green might have been as the late-morning claret slipped down they would have been tall indeed to eclipse events taking place in the middle. For as if to heighten the strangeness of Lancashire’s rapid subsidence on Saturday evening, the home side’s last three wickets added 195 runs in 37.2 overs during an extended session in which both Jordan Clark and Kyle Jarvis made career-best scores and the pair broke the county’s tenth-wicket record for Roses matches.That mark was established in 1991 when Peter Martin and Ian Austin added a very rapid 82 at Scarborough, partly, so another tale goes, to expedite a rapid return home in a game Lancashire were going to lose. As it turned out, the visitors went down by a mere 48 runs.Clark and Jarvis’s stand was worth 107 when the latter was leg before to Adil Rashid for 57 and the partnership was thus a single run shy of the tenth-wicket record in all Roses matches, which was set at Old Trafford by Lord Hawke and Lees Whitehead in 1903. Yet as the historians remembered long-dead cricketers and the former players recalled their own days of glory, the crowd – well, most of them, anyway – enjoyed the excitement offered by a morning which had begun when Clark and Arron Lilley rattled off a series of boundaries against an attack which pitched the ball up without employing, or maybe perfecting, the yorker.Lancashire’s eighth-wicket pair put on 87 in a mere 13 overs and they established a completely fresh tempo for their side’s innings. Instead of calling on Rashid – “Henry the Hoover” is just one of the leg spinner’s domestic appliance nicknames – to clean up Steven Croft’s later batsmen, Yorkshire bowlers had to cope with two perfectly capable stroke-makers who employed the old tailender’s maxim, “if it’s up, it’s off” to very good effect.And even after Lilley had been caught behind off Patterson for 45 when attempting an uppercut to third man and Buck had been leg before to a full length delivery from Bresnan five balls later, Yorkshire had to deal with the galling frustration that always comes when an attack believes its work is done, only to discover that an hour’s irritiation lies ahead.One man’s irritation is another’s joy, of course, and so it was at Old Trafford late on the second morning of this game when Jarvis hit Rashid for a couple of big sixes over long on during an innings in which he took an equal share of that last-wicket stand with Clark.Yet the exuberant hitting and the uninhibited sense of fiesta during the morning session threw the rest of the day into sharp relief as Yorkshire’s batsmen made their way carefully to a 136 for two off 62 overs against an accurate attack and in a typically lively Roses match atmosphere. The only successes enjoyed by Lancashire bowlers were the dismissals of Adam Lyth, who was leg before to Jarvis for 25 and Jack Leaning, who was caught at slip by Liam Livingstone off Tom Smith for seven two balls after being dropped by Lilley, also in the slip cordon. Lyth walked across his wicket and hardly waited for the umpire’s decision while Leaning was discomfited by a little extra bounce.For the rest of the day Alex Lees and Andrew Gale accumulated runs in a fashion and tempo much more recognisable to those watching from the pavilion and, indeed, to Lord Hawke as well. A morning session that had seen 195 runs scored at 5.22 runs an over was followed a few hours later by an evening in which Lees and Gale, perfectly understandably, managed 61 in 35 overs, a rate of 1.74.Yorkshire have their eyes on the follow on target which lies a distant 209 runs away; Gale may also be relieved to score what would be only his second fifty of the Championship season, although it is probably three figures that he craves rather more and the return of the famous pennant most of all. Lancashire know that the new ball is only 18 overs away and are still nursing fond hopes of what would be their first victory in a four-day Roses match at Old Trafford since 2000.

For Jonny Bairstow, even on the grandest days the debate about whether England should utilise him as a wicketkeeper or specialist batsmen seems destined to ring loudly

The Report by David Hopps10-Jun-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKaushal Silva continued to enjoy batting at Lord’s•Getty Images

The highest Test score ever lodged by an England wicketkeeper in a home Test followed by a perplexing dropped catch. For Jonny Bairstow, even on the most exultant of days the debate about whether England should utilise him as a wicketkeeper or specialist batsmen is destined to ring loudly.Bairstow was left unbeaten on 167 as England were dismissed for 416, 45 minutes into the afternoon session on the second day at Lord’s, but Sri Lanka ended the day strongly by reaching 162 for 1 with Kaushal Silva becoming just the second player to score half-centuries in his first three Test innings at Lord’s.Spritely of mind and stroke, Silva delighted in every opportunity to dart his runs between cover and third man. All three England pace bowlers – James Anderson twice at Headingley, Stuart Broad and Steven Finn at Chester-le-Street – had shared in four successive catches from Silva for Bairstow in this series, but on a surface with few devils his outside edge this time looked less compromised. He played with positive intent from the outset to spearhead Sri Lanka’s most productive batting display since they arrived on these shores.Bairstow’s innings was the highest by an England wicketkeeper on home shores and only six runs short of Alec Stewart’s all-time record. His authority as a batsman is growing apace. With three Test hundreds in eight knocks, it was a time for celebration. Here, said some, was England’s Adam Gilchrist.Then came the wobble. Whether it was the Lord’s wobble – the ground is notorious for the ball swinging late after passing the batsman – or the Bairstow wobble – equally notorious – will be debated long into the night. Bairstow did have to contend with some late dip after the ball shaved Dimuth Karunaratne’s edge, but he missed the ball by a considerable distance as it hit him on the thigh.Chris Woakes, an undemonstrative sort, cast his hands apart in disbelief as he was denied a wicket with his first ball; Bairstow widened his eyes as if the ball had turned into a Christmas pudding upon its final approach. Karunaratne was reprieved and Sri Lanka, scooting ahead on another placid Lord’s Test pitch, closed with deserved satisfaction. After two heavy defeats in the frozen north they have thawed out impressively. Sri Lanka love Lord’s.Bairstow is not the first wicketkeeper to be embarrassed by Lord’s capricious ways. Mention of Stewart invites discussion of another England player whose career constantly shifted between a role as batsman or batsman-keeper. Bairstow openly resents the debate surrounding his role far more than Stewart ever did – Stewart preferred a straight-backed Do My Best For England barked response, but it will be discussed all the same.Long before the close of the second day, he looked exhausted. His body ached after 408 minutes at the crease, a bruised finger was on his mind no matter how much he tried to block it out and, considering that his valiant efforts had provided a get-out clause for poor England batting, some of the throws he received from England teammates were lazy enough to have deserved a bawl-out. He was a man in need of an early night.Karanaratne, 28 when he was reprieved, is not the type to punish such an error: his Test career is awash with 20s and 30s. Spared an lbw verdict three runs later when England unsuccessfully reviewed Woakes’ inducker he then became becalmed, as if aware of his reputation, then suddenly spurted like a tap with a faulty washer with three successive boundaries off James Anderson.”Keep going,” tweeted Sri Lanka’s chairman of selectors, Sanath Jayasuriya, as both batsmen reached half-centuries in the same over, Sri Lanka’s first century opening stand raised for two-and-a-half years Instead, Karunaratne nudged Steven Finn off his hip to Bairstow. Tweets are yet to be read between balls by batsmen at the crease, although one suspects it is only a matter of time.Silva did graze contentedly to the end against an England attack where only Woakes, the fastest England bowler in terms of a single ball and average, possessed much exuberance.Tranquillity washed over the day from the outset. Matt Prior, after ringing the bell at start of play, was invited on to the England balcony to catch up with old mates and down below Bairstow and Woakes made serene progress to their highest Test scores against a Sri Lanka attack that was as unthreatening as England’s was to prove later.England’s slightly dicey overnight position of 279 for 6 was suitably refined to 384 for 7 by the time the clock reached 1pm. Woakes was the only wicket to fall before lunch, frustrated by Herath’s over-the-wicket approach into the footholes outside his leg stump and advancing to chip a return catch. But he did have his first Test half-century, 66 from 142 balls, an innings characterised by genial off-side drives.England have got 400 in the first innings in a home Test and lost before, but not since 1998 when Muttiah Muralitharan was rampant at The Oval and his 16 wickets in the match enabled Sri Lanka to pull off an unlikely heist. A dominant Sri Lankan Saturday, with few wickets lost, would cause a quiver or two.But these days Sri Lanka have no Murali and, indeed, one wonders how long they will have the benefit of the excellent Herath. He is 38 now, and remains a master of little subtleties, drawing one or two nods of appreciation from Bairstow as he coaxed him into minor errors of judgment.Serenity is hardly Bairstow’s calling card. Watch him bat at his most combative and one imagines he could fight his own shadow. But with a century gathered in 11 balls before stumps on the first day, his appetite to take advantage of placid batting conditions was evident from the outset and the moments of fortune that had helped him through the opening day were absent.Woakes shared in a sixth-wicket stand of 144 in 40 overs as Sri Lanka’s seamers made no impression. He is very much the anti-Stokes, as peaceful as Stokes is belligerent; as unobtrusive as Stokes is the centre of attention. If he saw a locker door upon dismissal, he would check it was safely closed not punch it in anger. In such, he does not fit modern fashions, but his first fifty – at the 11th attempt – will have won him respect, if not celebrity status.England’s innings subsided quickly after lunch with the last three wickets falling in the space of six overs. Stuart Broad made a typically insecure appearance before slashing Suranga Lakmal to gully, Finn – after surviving an lbw decision for Herath on review – top-edged the same bowler to deep backward square and Anderson was caught at the wicket, defending a short ball from Shaminda Eranga.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has threatened pulling out of the World Twenty20 if they did not get a clear message about the security situation from the Indian government

Umar Farooq03-Mar-2016The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has threatened pulling out of the World Twenty20 if they did not get a clear message about the security situation from the Indian government. Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, called for India to publicly acknowledge Pakistan’s participation in the tournament and to also promise full security to their cricket team.No Plan B – Anurag Thakur

BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur is confident that the India-Pakistan match on March 19 will take place in Dharamsala. Thakur said that Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh had, on Wednesday, assured him that he would facilitate the staging of the marquee match of the tournament.
According to Thakur, Virbhadra assured him that he would speak to families of the martyrs who lost their lives fighting in the Pathankot terrorist attacks recently as well as in Jammu & Kashmir in the past. “I am very hopeful [of the match taking place],” Thakur said at a media briefing while announcing a BCCI tie-up with a sponsor in Delhi. “The meeting [with the CM yesterday] was held in a very positive atmosphere. The state government will also try and speak to those [families and few others] who have raised concerns. I am very hopeful of a positive outcome. The state government have to announce that the match is on. From the BCCI’s side, the match is on,” Thakur said.
Thakur pointed out that while he “condemned” the Pathankot attacks, it was not appropriate to mix politics and sport. Even though Virbhadra had sent a missive to the Indian Home Minister few days ago stating the Himachal government was not in a position to provide security for the match, Thakur said the chief minister had told him the state had an adequate safety mechanism in place. “I asked the CM that if there is a shortage of security personnel in HP, you can also take the help of the central government. But he has assured that the state has enough policemen to provide security,” Thakur said.
Thakur made it clear that that the BCCI had no back-up plan or venue for the match. “There is no Plan B. It is anyway not easy to make changes at the last moment.”

The Pakistan government had initially granted the PCB permission to play in India, but the board has decided to put the visit on hold until they are guaranteed foolproof security. The PCB’s move was prompted after the Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh had expressed his state government’s difficulty in providing security for the India-Pakistan clash in Dharamsala, on March 19.”We have concerns and the threats are Pakistan-specific. Even now, the Himachal Pradesh chief minister has also said that they will not guarantee the security,” Shaharyar said during a press conference at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. “We have been informing the ICC on a daily basis about these threats which is not encouraging for us.”Although our government has already given permission, these latest threats need to be taken seriously. Political parties like Shiv Sena [threatened us], now even the Congress has also said they will not let us play along with some other groups. Those are the ones creating agitation.”It has been reported that Virbhadra, who heads the Congress government in the northern state, wrote to the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) saying that the match should not be played in Dharamsala. Virbhadra’s concerns were regarding the prevailing local sentiment in Himachal over recent terrorist attacks in Pathankot, which lies close to the Pakistan border near the intersection of the states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir.”We have told the ICC that there is only one step that the Indian government needs to take and that is to issue a public statement that they are ready to welcome Pakistan and ensure full security for our team, which hasn’t come as yet,” Shaharyar said.”We have already been given permission [to travel] and we want to come, but we need reassurance and they should give a statement that will create a sense of security among us. I spoke to the BCCI and they are giving us a private assurance, claiming that it’s all about internal politics, nothing else, and that Pakistan should come.”But a public statement is important and it should come, as there are threats and we can see them. We have written to the ICC that they should come forward and we’ve asked the Indian government to assure us and give a statement. If they won’t give the statement, then I see it’s very difficult to go to India. There is no deadline in making the decision but we will have to monitor till the end and can even pull out at the eleventh hour.”Pakistan are currently in Bangladesh, where they failed to qualify for the final of the ongoing Asia Cup. They are set to return to Lahore on March 5. Nisar Ali Khan, Pakistan’s interior minister, said that a report about the team’s visit to India will be presented to the Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif after consulting with Shaharyar.

Tottenham Hotspur crashed out of the Champions League knockout stages as Antonio Conte’s poor record in Europe continued on Wednesday evening.

The north Londoners were held to a 0-0 draw by defending Serie A champions AC Milan, meaning they failed to overturn a one-goal deficit from the first leg and are now left with very little to play for in 2022/23.

Spurs and Conte were handed more misery when Cristian Romero reverted back to his old tricks by receiving a second yellow card in the 77th minute, to all but thwart their chances of getting a positive result.

The Italian hardly helped himself either, opting to bring on inconsistent centre-back Davinson Sanchez to bafflingly replace the Lilywhites’ main creator on the night, Dejan Kulusevski, instead of Arnaut Danjuma during the final stages of the game.

And similarly, it’s the same culprits that have let Tottenham down for many, many years…

How did Ben Davies perform vs AC Milan?

One of those guilty of just that is long-serving and versatile defender Ben Davies, who this time was deployed in a back three in the absence of the suspended Eric Dier.

On the face of it, a clean sheet looks good but truthfully, Milan rarely threatened throughout the 90 minutes, with the visiting side not even managing one corner whilst they only mustered up three shots on target too.

As per Alasdair Gold’s post-match ratings column, the Wales international was one of the poorer players on the pitch, earning a 4/10 for his disappointing efforts and the reliable football.london reporter even claimed that he got ‘sloppier in his play as the match wore on’ – even Clement Lenglet was graded better.

However, reporter Marcelo Courrege was a little more scathing in his assessment, suggesting that Davies is “a Championship player,” which would echo the thoughts of Darren Ambrose, who told talkSPORT: “The defence of Dier, Davies and Sanchez. It’s not good enough for a top-four side.”

The 29-year-old, who earns a reported £80k-per-week at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, has certainly been one of Conte’s poorer players this campaign, particularly being exposed at the very highest level such as in the Champions League, where he has earned a WhoScored rating of just 6.39.

This makes him the worst Spurs player to have started three or more matches in the competition and only adds weight to the argument that he’s just not good enough for this standard of football.

Despite Sofascore handing him a 7.1 rating for his efforts against Milan on Wednesday, the Welshman only won 50% of his duels and managed just the solitary tackle.

He was also dribbled past on one occasion, which is disappointing considering he was up against an old veteran in Olivier Giroud. Davies even failed to provide an accurate cross or more than one successful long ball throughout the time he was on the pitch.

Given the Rossoneri’s own domestic struggles this campaign, Spurs would have seen this as a major opportunity to advance in such a prestigious competition but once again, players like Davies have shown themselves to not be up to the standard required, subsequently letting the club down on yet another occassion.

AND in other news, Paratici eyeing Spurs swoop for “complete” £20m “machine man”, imagine him and Kane…

علّق مدرب أتلتيكو مدريد، دييجو سيميوني، على الفوز المهم الذي حققه فريقه أمام برشلونة في الدوري الإسباني، مشيدًا بالأداء الدفاعي القوي للاعبيه في مواجهة فريق يلعب بكفاءة عالية.

سيميوني تحدث عن صعوبة المباراة وأهمية صمود فريقه أمام هجمات برشلونة المستمرة، مشيرًا إلى أن الفوز تحقق بفضل تماسك المجموعة واستغلال الفرص.

وفي حديثه عن منافسه برشلونة، أكد سيميوني أن الفريق الكتالوني لا يستحق الخسارة في المباريات التي خاضها مؤخراً، مشيرًا إلى أن كرة القدم لا تمنح دائمًا المكافأة للأداء الجيد إذا لم يتمكن الفريق من التسجيل.

ويتصدر أتلتيكو مدريد الترتيب الآن برصيد 41 نقطة، ويليه برشلونة برصيد 38 نقطة.

اقرأ أيضًا | ترتيب الدوري الإسباني بعد هزيمة برشلونة أمام أتلتيكو مدريد

وقال سيميوني في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “سعيد، لا أستطيع أن أكذب، الفريق عانى، برشلونة يلعب بشكل جيد جدًا، يهاجم طوال الوقت، اليوم كان لدينا ليلة دفاعية رائعة من عدة لاعبين، وأوبلاك تحديدًا، هذا سمح لنا بالبقاء على قيد الحياة”.

وأضاف: “الشوط الثاني كان أكثر تنافسية، كانت لدينا فرصة باريوس مع التعادل 1-1، هم كان لديهم العديد من الفرص، كان لدينا حظ كبير في الحسم، من كثرة الهجوم قد تصبح الأمور فوضوية، لكن الفريق كان صبورًا واستغل الهجمة المرتدة لتسجيل هدف رائع، هدف سورلوث كان هدفًا رائعًا”.

وواصل: “اللاعبون مستعدون للمنافسة، أقوى شيء لدينا هو المجموعة، المجموعة تظهر ذلك بالأفعال، التغييرات عندما يدخل اللاعبون، يفعلون ذلك بشكل حقيقي، هذا ما يريده المدربون. أن يكون الجميع بنفس الطريقة، طريقتنا في المنافسة مع عملاقين مثل ريال مدريد وبرشلونة هي أن نكون جميعًا في أفضل مستوى”.

واستطرد: “بدأنا نجد أنفسنا مع مرور الوقت، يجب أن ندعم ما يفعله اللاعبون بشكل جيد ونحاول تحسينه ومنح الفريق هيكلًا، رؤية أن الفريق يمكنه التقدم، ذهبنا إلى باريس وكان نفس الشيء الذي حدث اليوم، ما تركه النادي من إرث لجميع اللاعبين الذين مروا هنا هو ذلك”.

وعن لاعبه جالان، أفاد: “ما يفعله جالان شيء مذهل، لم نأخذ ذلك في الاعتبار عندما بدأ الموسم، كنا نعلم أنه قد يظهر، كنا نراه يتدرب ونشاهد أنه يمتلك موهبة رائعة، حصل على فرصة، ويلعب كرة القدم رائعة، إنه يقوم بذلك بطريقة رائعة”.

وأتم: “ليس لدي أي شك في أن جميع المباريات التي خسرها برشلونة، لم يكن يستحق الخسارة، ضد ليجانيس ولاس بالماس كان لديهم العديد من الفرص للتسجيل، لكن كرة القدم تحتوي على هذه المواقف، عندما لا يأتي الهدف، يبدأ الأمر في أن يصبح مشكلة”.

Liverpool are in the running to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe next year, and a fresh report has revealed the club’s stance on bringing him to the Premier League.

How valuable is Kylian Mbappe?

According to Transfermarkt, Mbappe’s current market value is €180m (£153m), and whilst that’s a huge amount of money for any player to be worth, he’s more than proved why he’s one of the best talents on the footballing stage during his 263 appearances since putting pen to paper at the Parc des Princes.

The France international’s contract is set to expire in June 2024 meaning that January will be the final time for Luis Enrique’s side to cash in should they not want to risk losing their prized asset for free, and having established himself as their overall best-performing player so far this season with a WhoScored match rating of 8.36, he won’t be short of potential suitors should he depart.

Back in July, The Mirror reported that Jurgen Klopp and Jorg Schmadtke had opened talks regarding a loan swoop for the 24-year-old, with club chiefs getting encouragement that he’d want to join due to his mother, who is also his agent, Fayza Lamari, being a huge fan of the side at Anfield.

Are Liverpool signing Kylian Mbappe?

According to French outlet L'Equipe (via TEAMtalk), Liverpool are genuinely "firmly in contention" to sign Mbappe in 2024 when his contract expires, and whilst Real Madrid are also plotting a move, Carlo Ancelotti's side are set to be "strongly challenged" from Merseyside.

The Reds "cannot be discounted" from the race, especially if Mohamed Salah eventualy does seal a switch to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad. However, it's worth noting that the Frenchman could demand a large signing-on fee, not to mention his huge wages as he currently pockets £1.1m-per-week (£57m-a-year). FSG "could not reach those heights", but they would be able to offer him a hefty salary if they were able to get the Egyptian King off their books.

How many goals has Kylian Mbappe scored?

During his time at PSG, Mbappe has racked up an extraordinary 315 contributions (217 goals and 98 assists) in just 263 appearances, with this outstanding form having seen him labelled a “generational talent” by football scout Jacek Kulig, so it would be a massive coup if he was ever to put pen to paper at Liverpool.

Sponsored by Nike, the striker also ranks in the 99th percentile for most attacking touches in the opposition’s penalty area and has recorded a total of 13 shots so far this season which is more than any other of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, highlighting the fact his goalscoring exploits are not likely to slow down any time soon.

Mbappe, who has the versatility to operate everywhere across the frontline, is additionally one of the players who will most know what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured 35 senior pieces of silverware for both club and country, including individual accolades, so he would be able to match the winning mentality of the current squad who are already on Merseyside.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has received a major update in his pursuit of Aris Thessaloniki winger Luis Palma as speculation continues to rumble over his future, according to reports.

Is Luis Palma joining Celtic?

Greek journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos has issued a major update on the future of Palma amid reports linking the 23-year-old with a move to Celtic, as he stated on X: "Not confirmed 100% yet, but seems Luis Palma will be out of Aris Thessaloniki squad for the match v Lamia on Sunday. Celtic and two non European clubs offers are on the table. Palma wants Celtic."

The journalist, who works for Greece-based outlet Sportime, has since dropped further insight on Palma's potential next career steps and has indicated that the Honduras international is now closing in on a switch to Parkhead, stating: "Celtic are really close to sign Luis Palma from Aris Thessaloniki. Agreement in principle between the clubs, €4,1m. plus some bonuses. Palma 's contract €650.000 per season, probably for a 4 years contract."

Palma has been a coveted presence this summer, attracting interest from the Hoops' city rivals Rangers, Anderlecht and Watford among others; however, he now looks set to link up with former Liverpool boss Rodgers in Glasgow following a whirlwind couple of days where swift negotiations between both parties now look to be veering toward their conclusion.

Of course, Celtic have been in the hunt this window to find a replacement for Portuguese winger Jota, who was sold to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad for £25 million earlier in the summer, as per Sky Sports.

Rodgers has already signed off on six signings since returning to Parkhead in the form of Gustaf Lagerbielke, Maik Nawrocki, Odin Thiago Holm, Marco Tilio, Kwon Hyeok-kyu and Yang Hyun-jun, as per Transfermarkt.

In light of Palma's seemingly impending arrival, Celtic fringe man Sead Haksabanovic could find himself further down the pecking order at Parkhead and Football Insider claim that the Montenegro international is looking for an exit before the transfer deadline.

Is Luis Palma a good fit for Celtic?

Palma certainly fits the profile in terms of the style of recruitment Celtic have adopted this window, which has entailed bringing in young stars with potential with the aim of eventually selling them on in the future for a considerable profit.

His statistics also make for pleasant reading in his time at Aris, where he has notched 17 goals and 11 assists in 52 appearances for the Greek outfit encompassing all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

The Honduran arriving at Celtic would also spell the end to a long, drawn-out search for another wide option at Parkhead. Wolverhampton Wanderers star Daniel Podence was considered according to reports; however, it always seemed unlikely that the Hoops would fork out anywhere near the funds needed to satisfy his mooted £12 million price tag.

Scotland international Ryan Fraser was also courted by Celtic, though he is on the verge of completing a season-long loan move to Sky Bet Championship side Southampton, as per The Daily Echo.