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West Indies, however, have plenty of problems of their own, coming off a humiliating home series defeat to Australia

Karthik Krishnaswamy01-Oct-20259:01

Chopra: At home against West Indies ‘should be a relatively easier series for India in this WTC’

Big pictureEvery home season brings the same expectations from India, but this one also brings a set of new anxieties. They’re about to play their first home Test since 0-3, their first home Test under Shubman Gill’s captaincy, and their first home Test since the retirements of R Ashwin, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. An unusually green pitch in Ahmedabad adds another layer of anxiety, potentially magnifying the importance of the toss.India’s anxieties, of course, pale in comparison to those of their opponents: injuries to key fast bowlers, the loss of a T20I series to Nepal (albeit with a second-string team that has no overlap with their Test squad), the emergency review of the team’s Test-match performances that followed 27 all out in Kingston, and the existential questions around the team’s future in the World Test Championship. West Indies can’t turn anywhere without fear of getting punched in the face.But it could give them the license to throw a few punches of their own. Their captain Roston Chase put it simply on the eve of the Test match. “When you have nothing to lose, you can just go and play freely, because, I mean, everyone is expecting us to lose.”Related

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One of the greenest Indian pitches likely for Ahmedabad Test

India's selection headache: Two slots, multiple contenders

Everyone expects West Indies to lose. Everyone expects India to win. Everyone always expects India to win at home. From the start of 2013 to roughly the same point last year, India kept meeting these expectations again and again and again.Until they didn’t. Until New Zealand visited and won in a manner that showed just how much skill and effort it had taken for India to create and sustain the illusion of invincibility over such a long period. You might be the best team in the world, but you have to keep going out and proving it again and again, each time against a set of highly skilled athletes throwing a new set of challenges at you.Man to man, in personnel terms, this Test in Ahmedabad looks like a mismatch. But it will begin with the scorecard reading 0 for 0, in conditions from which no one quite knows what to expect.Form guideIndia WDLWL (last five Tests, most recent first)
West Indies LLLWLIn the spotlightThe last time India went into a home Test without Ashwin was all the way back in November 2010. As good as their spin attack is even without him, India will only really know what his absence means when they actually deal with it. In this scenario, Ravindra Jadeja becomes even more important than he usually is, with ball, bat, and as a leader, and not just because he’s vice-captain for this series.There is grass on the Ahmedabad pitch, but West Indies do not have Alzarri Joseph and Shamar Joseph. They do, however, have one of the world’s best young fast-bowling talents in Jayden Seales, whose 88 Test wickets so far have come at the hugely impressive average of 22.32. He’s quick, skillful, and bowls a fullish natural length that could bother India’s batters considerably if there’s any help available. If he gets on a roll, Seales has the potential to make the kind of impact that Suranga Lakmal did in Kolkata in 2017 or Matt Henry and Will O’Rourke did in Bengaluru last year.2:50

‘Nothing is pre-decided’ – Gill on Bumrah’s workload

Team newsIndia, as always, kept their selection cards close to their chest on the eve of the match, but Gill suggested they are considering playing a third seamer given the greenness of this red-soil pitch in Ahmedabad. Does this mean a third frontline quick in Prasidh Krishna, or does it mean the allrounder Nitish Kumar Reddy? And what does it mean for the spin attack, and for Kuldeep Yadav?India (possible): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 B Sai Sudharsan, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 6 Nitish Kumar Reddy/Axar Patel/Devdutt Padikkal, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav/Prasidh Krishna, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed Siraj.Jediah Blades, who replaced Alzarri Joseph in West Indies’ squad, had not yet joined his team-mates in Ahmedabad by Wednesday. This means Seales will be partnered in their pace attack by Anderson Phillip and/or the uncapped Johann Layne, as well as the allrounder Justin Greaves. Khary Pierre could also make his debut at 34, as one of two left-arm fingerspinners alongside Jomel Warrican.West Indies (possible): 1 Tagenarine Chanderpaul, 2 Kevlon Anderson, 3 Alick Athanaze, 4 Brandon King, 5 Shai Hope (wk), 6 Roston Chase, 7 Justin Greaves, 8 Khary Pierre, 9 Jomel Warrican, 10 Anderson Phillip/Johann Layne, 11 Jayden Seales.Pitch and conditionsIndia begin this new home season on an unusually green pitch, with potentially 4-5mm of grass on it. Selections and toss decisions could come down to how much moisture it retains on the morning of the match. The teams will also keep a wary eye on the sky and the forecast, with Ahmedabad experiencing intermittent rain in the lead-up to the Test and with showers expected on day one.2:10

Chopra: ‘I hope India don’t prepare rank turners’ against West Indies

Stats and trivia Since winning by 243 runs in Mohali in December 1994, West Indies have played 10 Tests against India in India, drawing two of them and losing the other eight. Roston Chase, Shai Hope and Jomel Warrican are the only members of West Indies’ squad who were part of their previous Test series against India in India, in 2018. All three of them, as well as John Campbell, also returned to India a year later for a one-off Test against Afghanistan in Lucknow. Ravindra Jadeja is 114 runs away from becoming only the fourth player in Test history to achieve the double of 4000 runs and 300 wickets. Ian Botham, Kapil Dev and Daniel Vettori are the three allrounders presently in that club. John Campbell is six runs away from the 1000 mark in Test cricket.Quotes”I’ve mostly played T20 here and I think it’s very different from playing a Test match, because obviously the wicket, over a period of five days, plays differently from a T20 match. The last Test match that we played here was on a black-soil [pitch]. We’re playing this one on red soil. So I’m also looking forward to seeing how the wicket is going to play over the next five days.”
“This is a new series, it’s a new day, so we just have to put everything behind [us] that has happened before, and just come out with the mentality that we’re looking to dominate, we’re looking to win, and just go out there and give your best, ask god for guidance, and stick together as a team. Obviously, we’re in India, we’re not going to have much support, so we have to stick together as a unit — coaching staff, players, management, we all have to support one another through the tough times and through the good times as well.”

واصل نادي ليفربول نتائجه السلبية بتعادل جديد أمس الأربعاء أمام سندرلاند على ملعب آنفيلد بهدف لمثله في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وربما لم يكن التعادل مفاجئاً بسبب المركز الذي يقع فيه الفريقان في الدوري الإنجليزي حيث يحتل الفريق الضيف المركز السادس ويحتل ليفربول المركز الثامن.

ويستعد ليفربول لمواجهة ليدز يونايتد أحد الفرق الصاعدة هذا الموسم على ملعب إيلاند رود يوم السبت المقبل.

أقرأ أيضاً.. بعد جلوسه بديلا مع ليفربول.. تقارير تكشف عن الوجهة المحتملة لـ محمد صلاح

وكشفت “ليفربول دوت كوم” عن تحديثات جديدة بشأن موقف بعض اللاعبين وإصابتهم، حيث لم يشارك كونور برادلي في أي مباراة منذ فترة التوقف الدولي في نوفمبر الماضي بعد تعرضه لإصابة في العضلات.

وكان سلوت قد أعرب قبل مباراة سندرلاند عن رغبته بأن يكون اللاعب صاحب الـ25 عاماً جاهزاً للعودة ضد ليدز يونايتد.

أما عن جيريمي فريمبونج والذي لم تبدأ مسيرته بشكل جيد مع ليفربول بسبب مشاكل في اللياقة البدنية ويبتعد حالياً عن المشاركة بسبب إصابة في أوتار الركبة يتوقع عودته الأسبوع المقبل، وسيستغرق وقتًا أطول قليلاً قبل أن يعود للمشاركة في الملعب.

وسيغيب جيوفاني ليوني عن الملاعب لفترة طويلة بسبب إصابة خطيرة في الركبة تعرض لها خلال مباراة كأس الرابطة ضد ساوثهامبتون في سبتمبر، وسيغيب لأشهر أخرى ومن المرجح ألا يعود حتى بداية الموسم المقبل.

The allrounder continued her stellar year with the ball in women’s ODIs as she helped India sweep West Indies 3-0

Namooh Shah27-Dec-202412 – the number of times India have swept the opposition in a bilateral women’s ODI series of three or more matches now, equalling England’s record in the process.3 – five-fors taken by Deepti Sharma in women’s ODIs is the most by an Indian bowler, with Ekta Bisht, Neetu David and Jhulan Goswami the next best with two each.3 – occasions when only two bowlers (Deepti and Renuka Singh) picked up all ten wickets in a women’s ODI. The other two pairs are Khursheed Jabeen and Sajjida Shah of Pakistan, and Shabnim Ismail and Moseline Daniels of South Africa. This is also the first time it has happened since 2011.Related

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6 for 31 – by Deepti makes her the second player to claim a six-for twice in women’s ODIs. Sune Luus is the other.10 – wickets by Renuka in the series is the joint-second-best for a fast bowler in a three-match bilateral women’s ODI series, bettered only by Ellyse Perry and Ismail, who have had 11 wickets each. It is also the second-best by an Indian with Deepti at the top with 12 wickets in a series.24 – wickets by Deepti are the most by any player in 2024 in women’s ODIs, with Sophie Ecclestone second in the list with 21 wickets. It is also the most wickets Deepti has taken in a single year, bettering the 22 she took in 2017 and 2022.2006 – the last time when an Indian was the leading wicket-taker in women’s ODIs in a calendar year, when Nooshin-Al-Khadeer and Jhulan Goswami both took 23 wickets.

The harsh winter months have proven to be Manchester United’s recent undoing in the Premier League.

Since the 1st of November hit, the Red Devils have reverted back to their inconsistent selves under Ruben Amorim, with three wins on the trot in October then followed up by two unwanted draws on the spin, before a ten-man Everton got the better of Amorim and Co on their own patch 1-0.

They did respond to that home humiliation at the hands of the Toffees with a much-needed 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, but an unsatisfactory 1-1 draw last time out against West Ham United only saw the misery pile up once more.

How will the up-and-down outfit fare across their remaining five fixtures to come across a jam-packed December? Only time will tell.

Whatever does take place, United will be able to take some solace in the January transfer window reopening, as several bumper deals are alleged to be in the works…

Man United's list of transfer targets

Indeed, it does appear as if the red half of Manchester will be very busy during January, as Amorim’s men hunt down some improvements all across the pitch.

A clear priority, when looking at the rampant rumours coming to the surface, is United’s desire for a new central midfield talent, with both Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson incessantly linked to the Theatre of Dreams.

Away from bolstering their personnel in the middle of the park, United also look to be on the prowl for some fresh winger additions, with a spectacular swap deal perhaps in the offing.

As per Football Insider, Paris Saint-Germain are keen on picking up Marcus Rashford in the summer as his Old Trafford future hangs in the balance. To smooth out a potential deal, the French giants could offer Bradley Barcola to the Red Devils who has shone in spurts at the Parc des Princes as a promising attacking talent.

The faltering Premier League side could have to wait it out until the summer for this swap deal to come into play, but it might well be a deal still worth persisting with, as Amorim potentially wins himself his next Amad Diallo in the blistering Frenchman.

How Barcola can be Amorim's next Amad

Amad hasn’t always found his stay at Old Trafford to be smooth sailing.

Under Erik ten Hag, the tricky Ivorian only managed to muster up a paltry three goals and two assists from a limited 24 appearances.

Amorim

41

9

11

Ten Hag

24

3

2

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

8

1

1

Ruud Van Nistelrooy

4

2

1

Ralf Rangnick

1

0

0

Transition to the here and now, however, and the 23-year-old is very much a consistent first-team presence under his hot-and-cold Portuguese manager, with an impressive haul of nine goals and 11 assists next to his name under Amorim’s reign, seeing him be described as an “explosive” threat by analyst Statman Dave.

Barcola would aim to reach these same heights under Amorim’s guidance if he were to swap Paris for Manchester shortly, having also been noted as being an eye-catching winger at the peak of his powers, with “devastating pace” to burn, as per U23 scout Antonio Mango.

Thankfully, the 18-time France international also has some lethal end product to back up all his entertaining tricks and flicks, much like Amad, with Barcola up to 31 goals and 33 assists in total now for his current employers.

Last season saw the 23-year-old put away a stunning 40-goal contributions in all competitions, with United praying that Barcola’s possible entry on the scene can take them to that next level, away from folding at the hands of Everton, as the left winger’s stunning exploits have even seen Luis Enrique’s men lift the Champions League trophy.

Off the back of helping his team clinch this unbelievable honour in Europe’s elite competition, Barcola had certainly lived up to his hype as “one of the best left wingers in Europe” which was handed to him by Como scout Ben Mattinson. The Premier League would be the next big test, though, for the slick number 29.

Looking at what Amad has managed to achieve under Amorim on the flanks, Barcola should be able to enter into a new daunting division and succeed.

It certainly won’t be a cheap deal to pull off, with a whopping £87m price tag previously touted, when Barcola was on Arsenal’s reported shopping list.

But if United want to make their attack even more of a mouth-watering prospect – away from already possessing Amad and the likes of Bryan Mbeumo – sealing a statement move for Barcola could be a phenomenal next step.

He’s "better than PL players": Man Utd have bigger academy star than Mainoo

This academy ace is a player Man Utd fans will see in the first team before long

ByJoe Nuttall 6 days ago

The Dodgers' superstars showed up when it counted most.

Los Angeles entered this weekend's series against the Padres on a four-game losing streak and just 10-14 since the All-Star break. San Diego had risen to the top of the division, with a chance to extend its lead during the series.

Instead, the Dodgers stepped up and swept the Padres to reclaim the division lead. On Sunday, former MVPs Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, who have both dealt with slumps this season, rebounded from their woes to lead the Dodgers to their third victory of the series.

Freeman hit a three-run home run in the first inning to give the Dodgers an early lead. The Padres tied up the game by the top of the eighth inning, but Betts responded with a home run of his own to give the Dodgers the final 5–4 lead, and ultimately, the win.

Betts had not logged a hit during the series until that home run, and has been hitting a career-low .242 this season, but came through during the clutch against Padres All-Star closer Robert Suarez.

"It's about time I did something," Betts told Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA after the game. "It's been all year, I'm just glad I was able to help the team win. … It felt great. I really haven't been driving the ball, last couple of games have been a lot better, hopefully we can turn the corner."

"I think Mookie's been very good for a couple weeks now," Freeman said following the win. "Anything he can take with confidence-wise, that was huge. 2-0 fastball, and he was able to stay through it, backspin the ball and hit it over the fence in a big situation. … Mookie Betts is gonna be Mookie Betts, and no one here is worried about him. Good to see him get some results, he's been working hard."

Sunday's performance should provide an added boost of confidence for the veteran stars, but the Dodgers' division lead is far from secure. They will need the momentum to carry through to next weekend, when they play their final series of the regular season against San Diego. That series will take place on the road at Petco Park, and winning it could go a long way for the Dodgers to try to claim the National League West.

Even amid a lean run of scores he has continued to take the positive option and it paid dividends against CSK

Vishal Dikshit21-Apr-20251:35

‘Once Rohit gets going, no one can stop him’

When Mahela Jayawardene and Kieron Pollard sauntered out to the middle in the strategic first time out of Mumbai Indians’ (MI) chase of 177 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), their team was comfortably poised on 88 for 1 after nine overs. The asking rate was within their grasp, enough wickets were in hand, and they were on their way to a third win on the bounce, which reflected in the duo’s body language and beaming smiles.But the big grins were not only for the imminent win. It was partly because Rohit Sharma was among the runs. A batter in his 18th IPL season, averaging under 14 at the halfway stage, struggling to get past 20, and often falling to soft dismissals when the batters around him had started to do what their roles asked of them.The noise around Rohit had started to get louder, and he acknowledged after the nine-wicket win that the lack of runs had made it “very easy to start doubting yourself, start getting worried, and start doing different things”. Desperate times call for desperate measures, as the cliché goes, and Rohit could have taken that route. But he didn’t.Related

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He chose to stick with his approach of trying to give his team rapid starts, and not letting their run rate suffer by taking his time to get out of the rut, whether batting first or chasing below-par totals against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and CSK. And he had the backing of his support staff because they took confidence from his approach and strike rate of over 143 before Sunday, even if he was not getting the big scores.As much as Rohit would have rued his mode of dismissal against SRH – he middled a full toss to cover – he did score 26 off 15 balls with three sixes (and no fours). He was not abandoning the high-risk approach.Against CSK, too, he started his boundary hitting with towering sixes off Jamie Overton and Khaleel Ahmed, the second of which was not as easy to middle as the first. Rohit would have known he didn’t have a great match-up against Khaleel in the IPL: 28 runs (without a six) off 43 balls before Sunday with three dismissals. He still chose to flick the left-armer’s offcutter on the stumps and send it flying behind square, before getting a half-volley and some room later in the over for two fours that took MI’s scoring rate over 10. By the time Rohit got to his half-century off 33 balls, he had smashed two more sixes, while having just those two fours to his name.”For me, it was important that I keep doing what I am doing, which is practise well, hit the ball well, which is what I’ve been trying to do,” Rohit said after being named the Player of the Match. “And when you back yourself and you’re clear in your mind, things like this can happen. I know it’s been a little while but, like I said, if you start doubting yourself, you’re only going to put pressure on yourself and actually the experience of being here for such a long time helps.”

“Once he comes off like that, you know that he’s going to change the game, the momentum, and that’s going to filter down to the rest of the boys as well. So pretty happy how he never changes [his] approach, that was there from day one even though he was failing”Mahela Jayawardene on Rohit Sharma

Jayawardene and Pollard, meanwhile, knew they didn’t need to have long conversations with Rohit or make him sweat it out in the nets. Rohit didn’t even bat in training on Saturday or the day before their SRH fixture. “You leave them be,” Jayawardene said after Sunday’s game about handling such situations with experienced players. And when you must talk, you only stick to the “positive conversations”.”[You] say that let’s do the match-ups and then see how he gets going and keep the positive intent,” Jayawardene said in the press conference after the game. “He knew what he needs to do and [it’s] just a tiny thing that he gets going and then gets through the first three-four overs… even after starts he had a couple of shots which probably just mistimed a little bit. But that’s how the game goes, so you need to be understanding, and we have played enough cricket to know that as well.”Once he comes off like that, you know that he’s going to change the game, the momentum, and that’s going to filter down to the rest of the boys as well. So pretty happy how he never changes [his] approach, that was there from day one even though he was failing. So that was good for us that he was trying to play for the team and how we wanted to do it and we just back him to do that.”He’s been playing this tempo for a while and that’s something that he understands himself, but at the same time, he will understand the game better in situational awareness as well.”Rohit Sharma struck his first fifty of IPL 2025•BCCIThat awareness, which Rohit has gathered in all the years of T20 cricket, helps him choose the moments and bowlers to target, and makes sure he doesn’t get carried away when he finally get going. For example, when CSK gave the ball to R Ashwin after three overs, Rohit, on 22 off 10 then, chose to play out the accurate deliveries for nothing more than singles, but MI still scored 62 in the powerplay without losing a wicket.”Those are experienced players making those good decisions out there,” Jayawardene said of Rohit’s approach against Ashwin. “So he’ll still play with that tempo and we’ll be encouraging him to do that. He’s a damn good player, so we wanted to take control of that and then he’s got a couple of other guys who’s going to follow him, who will bat around him as well.”Soon after joining Rohit in the seventh over, Suryakumar Yadav started taking on the spinners by manufacturing room and sweeping them away to the boundary. The packed Wankhede crowd had already seen two local boys – Ayush Mhatre and Shivam Dube – belt out six sixes between them for the opposition earlier, and the way Rohit and Suryakumar hit 11 more sixes gave the crowd their money’s worth.Rohit will agree his unbeaten 76 off 45 was hardly as attractive as one of his top T20 knocks, but with runs under his belt again and a healthy strike rate of nearly 155 this IPL, he and the MI think tank have the confidence and belief that all cylinders of their batting engine are now firing, and they will be ready to switch gears as the playoffs race heats up.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United and Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have been put on high alert after 16-year-old Hertha Berlin sensation Kennet Eichhorn's release clause was revealed. Eichhorn has created history in Germany after establishing himself in the first team and is expected to be on the radar of Europe's elite next summer.

• Eichhorn has already created history in Germany

  After an impressive pre-season, Eichhorn has made rapid strides at Hertha. Having signed his first professional contract just weeks before turning 16, he made his professional debut on the second matchday of the 2. Bundesliga, Germany's second division, coming on as a substitute against Karlsruhe. In the process, he became the youngest player ever in the history of the league, aged just 16 years and 14 days. Just over a month later, he created further history, becoming the youngest player to ever start a game in 2. Bundesliga after being named in the XI for the match against Hannover. Having been with Hertha's youth academy since his Under-9 days, Eichhorn is also the youngest professional in the club's entire history. 

  While Eichhorn’s talent is undeniable, head coach Stefan Leitl was forced to turn to the teenage prodigy after his squad – particularly the midfield – had been ravaged by injuries for months. However, as things stand, Eichhorn is the only midfielder with a guaranteed role in the starting XI, with the rest of the squad fighting for their spots. "We're happy that everyone is available again. We'll decide tomorrow after the final training session. Let's put it this way: who will play alongside Kennet Eichhorn in midfield?" said Leitl last month. The Bernau bei Berlin-born midfielder has already started in eight of the 10 games he has featured in this season. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Eichhorn on the radar of Europe's elite as release clause is revealed

  His performances have not gone unnoticed, despite spending just over three months with Hertha's senior squad. Numerous reports have already mentioned about the interest from some of Bundesliga's biggest clubs such as Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen. Not too long ago, representatives from Bayern, Dortmund and Leipzig – including sporting director Marcel Schafer and sporting co-ordinator Daniel Baier – were in attendance for one of Hertha's games. All three clubs are eager to sign him as early as next summer, with Leipzig showing the strongest interest.

  "It's an unprecedented market," an insider revealed to , with Premier League giants Manchester United and Arsenal, La Liga rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona, as well as Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain keeping a keen eye on Eichhorn's development. 

  According to , Eichhorn's contract – which runs until 2029 – has a release clause which will undoubtedly tempt Europe's biggest clubs. Per the report, said release clause will come into effect next summer, with the exact amount dependent on several factors. The upper range is believed to be around €10–12 million (£9-11m/$12-$14m) – a figure applicable, for instance, to clubs competing in the Champions League. The final valuation will vary based on whether Hertha earn a promotion to the Bundesliga, the destination country, and the level of competition the buying club participates in.

  For now, Eichhorn’s camp remains relaxed about his future. Their priority is ensuring the youngster continues to receive regular playing time to aid his development. No negotiations are currently underway with any club, though discussions are expected to take place next summer.

• Felix Kroos urges Eichhorn to stay at Hertha BSC

  Eichhorn's performances and his style of play have drawn early comparisons to Germany and Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos, whom he idolises. Standing at 1.86m, he operates deeper in the midfield with an exceptional passing range and an ability to orchestrate the tempo. His physique also allows him to be a physically imposing midfielder capable of breaking plays. 

  Toni Kroos' brother Felix, who has played in the Bundesliga, recently urged Eichhorn to not rush into any decisions regarding his future. “The way Eichhorn plays is remarkable. He radiates calm, gains valuable experience, and is allowed to make mistakes," he said. "He has the quality, yet he will sometimes sit out. You have to give such a young player a break because it’s a lot for the mind.

  “That’s the beauty of football: there isn’t one right path, no magic formula. Still, Eichhorn, at 16, is a special case and should remain in his familiar environment. That’s what brought him to where he is now. A move to Bayern or Dortmund in the next two to four years would be too early. I hope he develops at Hertha for a few more years. Ultimately, you can’t plan anything in football.

  “If it goes well and Eichhorn stays another two or three years, those €6 million could become €60 million. That would be even better for the books in Berlin. And with the sums circulating today, six million is too little anyway.”

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  What next for Eichhorn?

  After accumulating five yellow cards, Eichhorn will sit out of Hertha's next game against Eintracht Braunschweig on November 21 due to suspension. Die Alte Dame are currently in eighth position with 20 points from 12 games.

MatériaMais Notícias

A semifinal da Copa do Brasil entre Vasco e Fluminense, nesta quinta-feira (11), às 20h, no Maracanã, carrega não apenas o peso de uma vaga na decisão, mas também memórias de um dos confrontos mais marcantes da história do clássico. Em 2000, em São Januário, Roger Flores, então com 21 anos, protagonizou uma das grandes atuações de sua carreira e ajudou o Tricolor a eliminar o rival dentro da Colina.

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

Na época, o Flu ainda voltava ao cenário nacional após subir da Série C, mas superou um Vasco considerado tecnicamente superior. Em entrevista ao Lance!, Roger lembrou a tensão, a pressão da torcida vascaína e bastidores daquele confronto.

— Tive uma atuação individual espetacular. O Vasco tinha uma seleção, um time muito superior. Eu lembro de algumas declarações do Eurico, dizendo de bicho, que não aceitava perder, que era time de segunda divisão e realmente foi uma das grandes noites minhas. Tive uma atuação individual espetacular — disse o ex-jogador, antes de relembrar alguns lances:

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— Lembro que domino uma bola no meio de um monte e depois faço uma jogada, tiro da cartola uma mágica onde todo mundo achava que a bola ia sair. Não tive espaço com a perna direita e toquei com a esquerda em cima da linha de fundo pra Agnaldo fazer o segundo gol. Logo depois faço outra jogada, driblo o goleiro, bato, ela corre em cima. Tivemos alguns problemas, o Zetti não estava em um bom dia. Levamos um gol contra, outro de falta com falha nossa. Teve uma briga com Viola, César, Régis… jogo foi uma loucura.

O empate por 2 a 2 classificou o Flu na época, graças ao critério do gol fora de casa. A atuação de Roger foi tão marcante que Abel Braga, treinador do Vasco à época, admitiu, ao Lance!, que o meia “acabou com o jogo”.

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— Mas o que o Roger Flores fez no jogo foi um absurdo. Eu lembro que tinham provocado o Fluminense. Falei: “Não provoca os caras, deixa eles”. Fomos eliminados ali — revelou Abel Braga, que foi demitido do Cruz-Maltino logo após o resultado negativo.

Na preparação para a semifinal, a história de 2000 reaparece como referência, especialmente para os atletas mais jovens. Roger acredita que o ambiente decisivo exige personalidade — algo que, para ele, pode se transformar em combustível.

— Eu sempre preferi jogar com torcida contra. Quando o estádio pressiona, você cresce. É jogo grande, e jogo grande não se joga tímido.

Duas décadas depois, o clássico decide novamente um mata-mata na Copa do Brasil. Em 2006, os tivais já tinham se encontrado mais uma vez. Assim como nesta quinta-feira (11), valendo vaga na final. O cenário agora é outro, mas o clima de tensão permanece. O Vasco chega pressionado, com apenas uma vitória nos últimos oito jogos. Do outro lado, Fluminense vive seu melhor momento na temporada, invicto há sete partidas e embalado pelo trabalho de Luis Zubeldía, que recuperou a equipe no Brasileirão e ampliou o desempenho como mandante.

Apesar disso, há um tabu em jogo: o Flu nunca venceu o Vasco na Copa do Brasil, carregando eliminações em 2000 e 2006. O Tricolor terá ainda o desfalque de Canobbio, suspenso. Soteldo, que participou de três gols nos últimos jogos e vive seu melhor momento desde que chegou ao clube, deve assumir a vaga.

Vasco X Fluminense: como chegam as equipes?

O Vasco da Gama chega para a partida a primeira partida da semfinal em um momento conturbado. A equipe venceu apenas um dos últimos oito jogos. A equipe concluiu sua participação no Brasileirão no último final de semana, quando o treinador Fernando Diniz optou por utilizar um time alternativo contra o Atlético-MG e acabou goleado por 5 a 0.

Na Copa do Brasil, a equipe segue invicta. Ao todo, são três vitórias e cinco empates na competição. O Gigante da Colina iniciou sua trajetória vencendo União Rondonópolis e Nova Iguaçu (ainda em partidas únicas) e, depois, superou Operário-PR, CSA e Botafogo em jogos de ida e volta.

Ao contrário do Vasco, o Fluminense vive seu melhor momento após o Mundial de Clubes. A equipe comandada por Luis Zubeldía está em uma sequência de sete jogos sem perder (cinco vitórias e dois empates). Na última rodada do Brasileirão, o treinador optou por escalar o time titular e venceu o Bahia por 2 a 0, no Maracanã.

Nesta edição da Copa do Brasil, o Tricolor foi derrotado em apenas uma oportunidade. No primeiro jogo das quartas de final contra o Bahia, na Arena Fonte Nova, o clube baiano venceu por 1 a 0. No total foram oito jogos (seis vitórias, um empate e uma derrota).

Tudo sobre

Copa do BrasilFluminenseRoger FloresVasco

For a decade, Blue Jays pitcher José Berríos had navigated big-league life without ever landing on the dreaded injured list.

Unfortunately, that streak is over. Toronto has placed Berríos on the injured list with right elbow inflammation, the team announced Thursday afternoon.

Berríos is finishing off his 10th big-league season; he's 9-5 this year with a 4.17 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 166 innings. Over the course of his solid career, he's made two All-Star teams, won a Gold Glove, and finished ninth in the American League Cy Young voting—all in different seasons.

The Blue Jays are currently locked in a tie with the Yankees atop the AL East, one of several high-profile races to close the season. Toronto owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Berríos could hypothetically return by Oct. 10, near the end of the American League Division Series. He is 0-2 lifetime in the playoffs with a 3.60 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 15 innings.

Former Liverpool star Sadio Mane explained exactly why he's blown away by 'incredible' Al-Nassr team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo. Mane has shared a dressing room with Ronaldo for more than two years and has built a formidable partnership with the Portuguese legend in the Al-Nassr attack. Mane moved to Saudi Arabia in the summer of 2023, just six months after Ronaldo arrived at the club.

Mane and Ronaldo Al-Nassr's brightest stars

Al-Nassr set the trend of signing top players from across the world in January 2023 when they shocked everyone by securing a transfer for Ronaldo, who was a free agent at that time after leaving Manchester United by mutual agreement in November 2022. The former Real Madrid, Juventus and United star's arrival in the Kingdom created quite a stir and also opened new avenues for the other Saudi Pro League clubs.

In the subsequent summer, top stars from European football headed to the Middle East, with the likes of Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante joining Al-Ittihad, while Neymar moved to Al-Hilal. Al-Nassr too further bolstered their attack by signing Mane from Bayern Munich.

In the last two seasons, Al-Nassr have made several high-profile signings, especially in the last transfer window as they landed Joao Felix, Inigo Martinez and Kingsley Coman. However, Mane and Ronaldo continue to remain the brightest star in their squad.

AdvertisementGetty'I've never seen another player like him'

Speaking highly of his Portuguese colleague, the ex-Liverpool winger said via : "I didn't know him, but I read and saw on television things about his dedication, his mentality, and his professionalism. When I arrived in Saudi Arabia, that's exactly what I saw. It's incredible. Even at 40 years old, you can see that. He's an athlete, a complete athlete. He's an example for all footballers in the world. That's Cristiano. His mentality, his thirst for victory… His professionalism is impressive. I've never seen another player like him."

Ronaldo told he is 'the best in history'

A couple of weeks ago, a former Al-Nassr team-mate of Ronado, Anderson Talisca had told : "It was an incredible two years. When he arrived, I had already been there for two years. I spent four years at the club, an incredible story. Playing with him was surreal, it was a dream for me. For me, he is the best in history. We trained together and did incredible things. Working with him, for me, as an athlete and as a human being, was about maximising the athlete's potential, being more professional, caring more about himself. It was incredible."

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Getty Images Sport1000 goals and titles on Ronaldo's mind

After failing to win a single major trophy in Saudi Arabia in his first two and a half years, Ronaldo is determined to end his wait for silverware this season. He urged the club to sign quality players like Felix and Coman, alongside former Barcelona defenderMartinez and so far the investment has paid off. Al-Nassr, under the tutelage of Jorge Jesus, have won their first eight matches in the Saudi Pro League and are three points clear at the top of the table.

Ronaldo will also aim to reach the 1000-goal mark at the end of the season, although it will be difficult to achieve the feat this season itself as he is still 47 goals short of the magic figure. Al-Nassr will next face Al-Khaleef in the SPL on Sunday.