Real Madrid's stars, including Jude Bellingham, carefully avoided stepping on the Manchester City badge before training at the Etihad Stadium.
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Real Madrid train at Etihad ahead of blockbuster second-legVideo shows Madrid stars avoiding stepping on City shieldGesture follows tradition in Spain of respecting badgeWHAT HAPPENED?
As the players made their way through the tunnel out on to the pitch for their final training session ahead of Wednesday night's Champions League quarter-final second-leg, cameras caught the squad, including Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, diligently avoiding stepping on the City shield embossed on the floor of the corridor.
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The gesture follows something of a tradition in Spain of not stepping across a club crest and will be second nature to most of the Madrid squad and has been quickly picked up by Bellingham. Similar footage emerged from a quarter-final clash in 2022 when Atletico Madrid's Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul neatly avoided the same badge in the Etihad tunnel.
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It will be fascinating to see how long the off-field respect can hold when the action gets underway in Manchester on Wednesday evening, with the tie finely balanced after their epic 3-3 first-leg draw.
Maddinson was struck by a short ball from Jhye Richardson and was forced to retire hurt
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Dec-2018Victoria’s progress into a strong position against Western Australia was overshadowed by a nasty injury to Nic Maddinson who suffered a fractured arm after being struck by a short ball from Jhye Richardson.An early tea was taken when Maddinson suffered the blow on his right forearm, immediately dropping his bat and reeling away in pain. The physio and doctor were quickly in the middle and Maddinson was soon being taken to a nearby hospital for scans which showed a fractured ulnar – the long bone in the forearm – which is expected to sideline him for four to six weeks.It was a cruel blow for Maddinson who had marked his Sheffield Shield debut for Victoria with a brilliant 162 in the first innings and it also comes less than two weeks before the start of the Big Bash.Either side of Maddinson’s injury, Victoria kept themselves in control as they secured a 128-run first-innings lead which they extended to 240 by the close.Will Pucovski, in his first match back since taking a break from the game, replaced Maddinson after tea and was unbeaten on 51 at the close alongside captain Travis Dean who overcame a lean run of form to reach 50.Ashton Turner provided resistance for Western Australia with 80 as the last four wickets added 111 to remove the threat of the follow-on with Josh Inglis and Richardson providing solid support. Turner was lbw to Jon Holland when in sight of a century as the left-arm spinner, capped for times at Test level, claimed 5 for 65 from 38.3 superbly controlled overs.
Arsenal have made contact to express their interest in an overseas striker ahead of January, according to an update from a reliable journalist.
Victor Osimhen links
The Gunners are known to be in the market for a new centre-forward next year, and one of the candidates that they have recently been linked with is Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, with the talisman facing an uncertain future having not yet signed a new contract.
Edu and Mikel Arteta are reportedly leading the race to secure Nigeria’s international as it stands ahead of Premier League rivals Chelsea and Real Madrid, but should a deal for him fail to come to fruition for whatever reason, the hierarchy may have identified an ideal alternative who could be a more realistic target.
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Santos FC's Marcos Leonardo has firmly established himself as Marcelo Faria Fernandes’ best-performing offensive player so far this season (WhoScored – Santos statistics), and the 20-year-old’s impressive form has caught the eye of the board at the Emirates Stadium.
Back in October, Brazil’s youth international was the subject of interest from chiefs in the capital who were at the time considering making an offer for him, and if the following update is to be believed, the club have now taken their admiration one step further prior to the upcoming window opening.
Arsenal want to sign Leonardo
Taking to X, Rudy Galetti revealed that Arsenal are interested in Leonardo and are one of the clubs who are hoping to strike a deal for him having made their interest known. He wrote:
“Real Madrid, Arsenal, Newcastle and AS Roma are among the clubs that showed interest in Marcos Leonardo by contacting his entourage. Santos were adamant last summer, but now – with a suitable offer – they are open to let him go.”
Santos striker Marcos Leonardo.
Leonardo can be "deadly" in the final third
Since the start of his career, Leonardo has posted 65 contributions, 54 goals and 11 assists, in 167 appearances across all age levels, showing how prolific he can be in the final third, and how he’s constantly able to pose a threat to the opposition’s defence (Transfermarkt – Leonardo statistics).
The Itapetinga native has recorded 73 shots over the course of the current campaign which is more than any other of his fellow teammates (FBRef – Santos statistics), highlighting what a standout performer he is in the attacking areas of the pitch compared to his peers.
Sponsored by Nike, Arteta’s target even only pockets £9k-per-week as it stands (Santos salaries), so he would be a more than affordable player to recruit because that would make him the lowest earner on the books should he put pen to paper in N7 (Arsenal salaries).
As hailed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Leonardo is “deadly” with his movement off the ball and has a natural “instinct” in the penalty area, so it could be a coup if he decided to join the current league leaders over their fellow competitors in January.
Aston Villa truly are dreaming at the moment. After finishing seventh last season, having flirted with the relegation zone early in the campaign, Villa are now third in the Premier League table, just four points off the top.
Unai Emery has transformed this team from a side battling it out in mid-table to one that can genuinely compete among the very best that English football has to offer.
An incredible 1-0 win over treble-winners Manchester City on Wednesday night was a testament to this. The Villans limited Pep Guardiola’s well-oiled machine to merely two shots on goal and managed to clinch all three points with a late strike from Leon Bailey.
However, Villa do not have time to rest on their laurels as Emery’s former side Arsenal come to town this weekend. Here is the predicted line-up that the Spanish coach could put out against the Gunners.
11 GK – Emiliano Martinez
Normally, when a goalkeeper keeps a clean sheet against Man City, they come away bruised and battered, having made save after save.
Interestingly, this was not the case in midweek. City had two opportunities and Emiliano Martinez saved both. The shots recorded an xG of 0.17 and 0.58 respectively, which is quite high so the Argentine goalkeeper still did well to keep the opposition out. As a result, Martinez is a shoo-in to start at home to his old club.
10 LB – Lucas Digne
Lucas-digne-aston-villa
Despite having been in the Premier League for several seasons, Lucas Digne is playing the best stuff of his career under Emery. This season alone, the Frenchman has averaged a 7.03 match rating, according to Sofascore.
Versus the European champions on Wednesday, Digne won 80% of his ground duels and 67% of his aerial duels, created one opportunity for Villa and put more crosses into the penalty area than any other player for the home side. The 30-year-old should start once more and will be key to shutting out the high-flying Bukayo Saka.
9 CB – Pau Torres
Just like he was during Villa’s 2-1 win away Tottenham Hotspur a fortnight ago, Pau Torres was superb yet again when City came to Villa Park, completing seven passes into the final third, winning 100% of his aerial duels and making five ball recoveries, showcasing his offensive and defensive qualities as a centre-back.
The £35m summer signing is one of the first names on Emery’s teamsheet and this will be no different against Arsenal, whom he helped knock out of the Europa League en route to winning the competition back in 2021.
8 CB – Ezri Konsa
ezri-konsa-aston-villa
Diego Carlos is one player from Villa’s most recent starting lineup that could fall to the bench. The Brazilian was the only Aston Villa player to receive a lower score on FotMob than 7.0.
The £26m centre-half had a calamitous display at Bournemouth on Sunday as Emery’s men scraped a draw late in the game. The Athletic’s Aston Villa writer Jacob Tanswell described Carlos’ performance at the Vitality Stadium as “sloppy”.
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ByAdam Scully Dec 3, 2023
Emery’s favourite experiment in recent weeks has been to deploy Ezri Konsa over on the right, keeping Carlos and Torres together at the back. This decision worked on Wednesday as the former Brentford defender won 100% of his duels and made six ball recoveries, keeping City’s left side very quiet.
However, against Arsenal, he could put Konsa back in his preferred position next to Torres to make way for the next player.
7 RB – Matty Cash
matty-cash-aston-villa-injury-poland
Matty Cash has not started in the Premier League for Villa since a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur right after the international break. The Polish fullback will be desperate to get back out on the pitch and prove his worth to the manager.
In the past, Emery has described Cash as a “versatile” player as he can play on the left and even as a winger, but it could be a good option to keep him at right-back to defend against Gabriel Martinelli.
6 LM – John McGinn
John McGinn
John McGinn is almost guaranteed starter for Villa because he is the club captain, has been in tremendous form, and was stellar against Man City.
No player completed more dribbles or won more duels during Wednesday night’s clash at Villa Park than the Scotland international did.
The 29-year-old ace is also Villa’s third-highest-rated performer of the season, according to Sofascore, showcasing to the world why he was given the armband as the gem has lead by example.
5 CM – Douglas Luiz
joao-palhinha-douglas-luiz-liverpool-opinion
Moving onto Villa’s highest-rated performer of the season, as per Sofascore, Douglas Luiz was one of Emery’s best players during the week. The Brazilian created four chances and had five of Villa’s 22 shots on goal, hitting the woodwork on one occasion against his former club.
It would be cruel of the manager to not reward Luiz with another start this weekend, even if his gas tank is emptier than before Wednesday.
4 CM – Boubacar Kamara
Boubacar Kamara’s display in midweek was not as thunderous as his midfield partner, but the Frenchman oozed class once again, creating three chances during the game, while also boasting seven passes into the final third.
Kamara and Luiz have struck up a nice partnership in the middle of the park this season and Emery certainly won’t want to upset the apple cart ahead of the league-leaders’ visit to Villa Park.
3 RM – Leon Bailey
Aston Villa forward Leon Bailey.
Leon Bailey was the man of the moment on Wednesday, with his goal stunning the league champions fifteen minutes from time. This was the Jamaican’s eighth goal in all competitions for Aston Villa this season, with only Ollie Watkins finding the net more times for the Lions.
The winger’s impressive form as of late has kept £52m club-record signing Moussa Diaby out of the team and will likely continue to do so against Arsenal.
2 AM – Youri Tielemans
Youri Tielemans in Astom Villa training
Youri Tielemans has not been a regular starter for Villa in the top-flight this season, having made merely three starts in 15 games. However, he was superb at home to City on Wednesday and grabbed the assist for Bailey’s winning goal.
The midfielder, once called “elite” by Statman Dave, also put a shift in defensively, making two ball recoveries and winning 50% of his ground duels and 100% of his aerial duels. Emery will likely reward the Belgian with another start on Saturday.
Phil Parkinson will not be joining the Wrexham squad at their latest Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney-funded promotion party in Las Vegas.
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Back-to-back promotions for Red DragonsReturning to Sin City courtesy of co-ownersCoaches opting for more relaxing breakWHAT HAPPENED?
The Red Dragons are heading back to Sin City after claiming a top-three finish in League Two. They have bounced straight through that division after landing the National League title in record-breaking style last year.
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Hollywood co-owners Reynolds and McElhenney recognised that triumph with an all-expenses-paid trip to Nevada, and a similar trip has been put in place for 2024. Quizzed on whether he will form part of the travelling party, Parkinson has said: “It felt like a once in a lifetime opportunity last year but they are off again! It is a nice reward for promotion. Their job has been done and they are looking forward to three or four days in Vegas, and who can blame them.”
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Parkinson has revealed where he will be heading instead, having also opted out of the Vegas shenanigans 12 months ago. He added on a relaxing break in Spain: “I said last year, it is good to let the players have their own time. The staff are going to go away for a few days together like we did last year and we are happy with that. We are very grateful to the owners for sticking to what they said to the lads and also looking after the staff as well.”
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Once everybody has returned from their respective vacations, plans can be put in place for the summer transfer window. Reynolds and McElhenney are expected to make more funds available, while it has been confirmed that Wrexham will be heading back to North America for another pre-season tour.
Interim coach full of praise for captain Jason Holder and spinner Roston Chase after crushing Barbados win
George Dobell in Barbados27-Jan-2019Richard Pybus has urged his West Indies team to “keep their feet on the floor” after a thumping victory over England in Barbados.West Indies defied the Test rankings to inflict a 381-run win over England. But while Pybus, the interim head coach, was full of praise for the performance, he has warned his team that England will attempt to hit back in Antigua, location of the second Test starting on Thursday.”One swallow does not make a summer,” Pybus said. “Is it my job to keep their feet on the floor? Absolutely. We have our goals for the series and we have ticked off the first Test. But England will be hurting. They are a quality side and I have huge respect for them. They will come back at us in Antigua. Our game has to be at the highest level for them.”Pybus was particularly full of praise for Roston Chase, who claimed eight wickets in England’s second-innings, and Jason Holder, the captain, but pointed out that the overall bowling performance built pressure upon the England side.ALSO READ: Holder-Dowrich behind only Dhoni-Laxman”Chase was wonderful,” he said. “Roston bowled exceptionally well. His control was good, he set good fields and exerted a huge amount of pressure throughout the game with his consistency.”But I think the pressure created by the bowing unit was great, which is what happens when you have four good quick bowlers. As a unit they complemented each other. Roston bowled well but when you have pressure at both ends it is pretty tough for the batters.Pybus added that West Indies’ complete performance was down to the leadership of Holder, whom he described as “incredible”. Holder produced with bat, ball and in the field, lifting him to No. 1 in the ICC’s allrounder rankings.”We delivered on a gameplan with precision,” Pybus said. “The team kept their cool and did what we have looked to do strategically. That is all credit to Jason. He is a calm and composed guy. It is one thing to lead strategically, it is another to lead with performance. There were many special performances but his was exceptional. It was just an incredible performance.”Meanwhile Johnny Grave, the CWI chief executive, has branded criticism of the West Indies team from former England players such as Geoff Boycott and Andrew Flintoff as “borderline disrespectful”.”I saw Andrew Flintoff say he can’t believe Jason Holder got a double-hundred,” Grave told the BBC. “Yet I think Jason Holder is a fantastic cricketer and has been performing so over the last 18 months. He’s a brilliant captain.”
Former director of cricket said West Indies are “focused, positive and motivated” and that there were no issues in the camp
George Dobell in Barbados20-Jan-2019There wasn’t much of a honeymoon period for Richard Pybus. No sooner had he been announced as West Indies’ interim head coach – even before he had been announced, really – the criticism started to flow. And if that was, in part, due to an allegation that due process had not been followed in making the appointment – an allegation rejected by CWI – it was also down to his history.Whether Pybus likes it or not, he brings baggage to the role. Yes, his experience, both as a coach and in the region, is undeniable. But so is the fact that he was at the centre of the dispute that saw West Indies abandon their 2014 tour of India. As a result, several prominent figures in Caribbean cricket are sceptical about him and seem unafraid to vocalise those views. And, as Peter Moores found in his second stint as England coach, such baggage can drag a man down pretty quickly if results don’t go his way.One of the more vocal critics of Pybus’ appointment has been former captain Darren Sammy. He responded to a CWI press release that referred to Pybus as “the architect of the West Indies trifecta of 2016 World Cup titles” – the men’s World T20, the women’s World T20 and the Under-19 World Cup – by saying the teams won “in spite” of him, not because of him. And, when Jimmy Adams, West Indies’ director of cricket, drew up a shortlist for the interim coaching position, Pybus was a noticeable absentee from the list of 11 names.All in all, it seems an oddly incendiary appointment, and a distraction West Indies could do without. But Pybus is having none of it. Talking to the media at the Kensington Oval on Sunday, he insisted the team were “focused, positive and motivated” and that there were no issues within the West Indies camp.”Darren Sammy is entitled to his opinion,” he said. You’ll have to ask him about that. Criticism is part of the game, part of the tapestry and the drama around sport. We’ve just got to get on with the job really. I don’t really want to unpack the past.”The team are very focused, positive and motivated. You guys will write your stories, create a bit of an angle and drama but, from my side, I’m not really worried about that. The guys are focused on the series coming up. There are no issues.”I don’t want to sound too ‘zen’ but I’m really focused on the first day coming up and making sure we’re ready for it.”Pybus did suggest, however, that some of the structures he had put in place during his tenure as director of cricket – not least broadening the base of the professional game – were starting to pay dividends.”I’ve done three years as director of cricket and what’s in the results bank is in the results bank,” he said. “We put programmes in place. It’s fantastic to see some of these guys come through the programmes. It’s the coaches who work with them, the support staff around them, it’s the system which supports to ensure we deliver on-field excellence.”It’s very much a work in progress. Nobody involved in cricket in the Caribbean can say we’re where we want to be; the region has been playing catch-up. But we’re starting to have the depth to support the players properly.”There’s two sides to it. The players in the past would have criticised delivery and support and there may be some truth in that. On the other side the board would be saying ‘we’re doing our best’ and there’d be some truth in that, too.”I don’t know about trifectas. It’s the players on the park who deliver but I was satisfied at the time with how the programmes supported players.”He also hinted that the character of West Indies cricket, with teams selected from across a wide region and several different counties, lent itself to a certain amount of debate, discussion and disagreement.”It’s the Caribbean,” he said. “You’ve got 16 countries. It’s not like England, Australia or South Africa. With the internal politics there’s always discussion. It really is a unique part of the world. Unless you’ve spent a considerable amount of time in the region it’s difficult to understand quite how challenging it is. London to Birmingham is a couple of hours in the car; Antigua to Jamaica can be three days.”
Manchester City currently find themselves in somewhat unchartered territory. Pep Guardiola's side haven't won in four Premier League games and defeat against Aston Villa left them fourth and six points adrift of league leaders Arsenal. Of course, the treble winners shouldn't be ruled out of the title race just yet, with plenty of time to turn things around, but for the first time in three seasons, City's crown looks up for contention in England's top flight.
Now, with January approaching, one particular player could potentially be heading for the exit door.
Man City transfer news
Manchester City are rarely away from the headlines during transfer season. Even after their treble win, the Citizens welcomed the likes of Jeremy Doku, Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes, as they looked to improve even further. That improvement is yet to come, however, with City instead struggling to reach their usual standards and falling behind in the title race as a result. Now they could be set to suffer an exit blow in January.
According to The Athletic, Colorado Rapids are in advanced talks to sign Zack Steffen, who has endured several loan spells away from the Etihad over the years, before suffering a knee injury which sidelined him for the first half of the current campaign and put an end to the potential of another short stint elsewhere. The goalkeeper could be set for a permanent move this time, however, and a return to his home country, as Colorado Rapids attempt to rebuild after a disappointing MLS season last time out.
Whilst Steffen's potential exit is not a major blow for City, they will want to ensure that his transfer is the only one they have to deal with during the January window.
"Excellent" Steffen impressed when given the chance
Whether it be through loan moves away or in domestic cup competitions, Steffen impressed when given the chance at Manchester City. Steffen's Premier League clean sheet rate stands at 50%, whilst only conceding 16 goals in 21 games for Guardiola's side in all competitions. The American's longest loan spell came at Middlesbrough, where he kept 10 clean sheets in 45 games and earned plenty of praise.
Zack Steffen for Middlesbrough.
This includes from former teammate Darragh Lenihan, who said: "He's been excellent since he came to the club. He made some really good saves in the second half (against Stoke). Sometimes you have to rely on the goalkeeper to make those saves which thankfully he did. We'll need everyone in the squad chipping in from now until the end of the season to contribute and hopefully do well and win games."
Should he complete his move to Colorado Rapids, Steffen will hope to do enough to earn his place back in the USA team, having missed out on a spot at the 2022 Qatar World Cup in heartbreaking fashion, leaving City with Ederson and Stefan Ortega as City's senior options.
Aymeric Laporte netted the winner as Al-Nassr beat Al-Khaleej despite Cristiano Ronaldo failing to deliver.
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Ronaldo has a night to forgetLaporte nets winner in the second halfAl-Nassr beat Al-Khaleej 1-0Getty TELL ME MORE
Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Al-Nassr's starting lineup after serving a one-match suspension against Al-Fayha. However, Sadio Mane missed out on the clash due to the accumulation of four yellow cards. The first half witnessed an evenly-poised contest where both teams had their share of chances to break the deadlock.
Five offside calls were taken by the linesman which involved two Ronaldo moves from one of which he found the back of the net. At the stroke of half-time, Al-Nassr players appealed for a penalty after Abdulelah Al-Amri was brought down inside the box but VAR rejected the plea.
The second half saw Al-Nassr dominating proceedings as they looked to break the deadlock. At the hour mark, Ronaldo squandered arguably the easiest chance of the match as he failed to score from close range with his header going off target.
Laporte finally opened the scoring in the 68th minute when he converted a clinical header from Marcelo Brozovic's free-kick. A pinpoint pass found the former Manchester City defender inside the box who cleverly kept his header on target. In the 82nd minute, the 39-year-old made a brilliant solo run with the ball as Al-Nassr broke on a counter but the forward failed to score once again after his effort hit the side netting.
The Saudi giants eventually emerged triumphant as they registered their sixth consecutive win in the league and reduced their gap with league leaders Al-Hilal to nine points.
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Laporte stole the show for his side in the second half as he scored the all-important goal and secured a crucial win. The Spain international looked solid in the backline while also contributing to the attack when his team needed him the most.
GettyTHE BIG LOSER
It was a night to forget for Ronaldo as the Portuguese star failed to find the back of the net despite getting multiple opportunities. Three of his attempts were ruled offside while he failed to bury an easy chance in the 60th minute and then hit the side met after making a brilliant solo run in the 82nd minute.
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WHAT COMES NEXT?
Luis Castro's side will now shift their focus to the King Cup of Champions where they are set to meet Al-Khaleej once again in the semi-final on Wednesday.
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola and Aston Villa's Unai Emery are among five nominees for the award.
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Premier League Manager of the Year nominees revealedIraola and Emery make five-man shortlistArteta, Klopp and Guardiola also in contentionWHAT HAPPENED?
Iraola has made it onto the shortlist after an impressive first season with Bournemouth. The coach has overcome a tough start to make it into the top half of the table and join the likes of Arteta, Guardiola and Klopp in being nominated for the prestigious award. The quartet are joined by Emery who has also enjoyed a strong season with Aston Villa who currently sit fourth in the table.
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Guardiola has already won the award four times in his career, including last season, while Klopp has picked up the gong on two occasions. Arteta has yet to win but is a strong contender with his Arsenal team top of the table heading into the final weeks of the season. Meanwhile, Iraola has steered Bournemouth out of the drop zone and into the top half, while Emery's side sit fourth and could be playing Champions League football next season.
DID YOU KNOW?
Bournemouth failed to find a win in their first nine games of the season. Iraola's side finally picked up all three points against Burnley on October 23rd.
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The Premier League resumes at the weekend with all five managers and their teams back in action. Arteta and Klopp will continue to battle it out for the title, as City face Fulham and Arsenal head to Manchester United. Meanwhile, Liverpool face Aston Villa on Monday with Emery's side able to secure a top-four finish if results go in their favour.