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في كل معركة هناك جندي مجهول، وهذا ما يمكننا أن نطلقه دائمًا على لاعب الوسط في مباريات كرة القدم، ولكن في لقاء ريال مدريد وبايرن ميونخ، لم يكن لاعبًا.

فاز ريال مدريد 2-1 على بايرن ميونخ في إياب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا بعد أن كانت النتيجة تشير لتقدم العملاق البافاري حتى الدقيقة 88.

حوّل ريال مدريد كل شيء من خلال دخول خوسيلو الذي سجل الثنائية في الدقيقتين 88 و91، ليقود الملكي لنهائي بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

طالع أيضًا.. أنشيلوتي يرشح لاعبا من ريال مدريد للفوز بالكرة الذهبية.. ويؤكد: هذه لحظة الملكي

قناة “موفي ستار” الإسبانية، كشفت عن الحديث بين كارلو أنشيلوتي ونجله دافيدي أنشيلوتي الذي يشغل منصب المدرب المساعد في فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي ريال مدريد.

كان يحاصر ريال مدريد نظيره بايرن ميونخ في منطقة الجزاء، ولم يتمكن من التسجيل، ليقرر دخول مهاجم ويذهب لـ دافيدي يخبره بذلك.

دافيدي أطلق صافرته على خوسيلو، وأخبره بأن يستعد للدخول في تبديل مزدوج مع إبراهيم دياز، حيث كان يرى أنشيلوتي الصغير أن دخول مهاجم 9 كلاسيكي، سيجعل الضغط أكبر على المدافعين، مع لعب بايرن حينها بـ 5 لاعبين في الخلف.

دخول خوسيلو غيّر كل شيء، سجل هدفين، وتأهل ريال مدريد للنهائي، لكن الفضل يعود لـ دافيدي، الذي يعتبر من أهم صناع القرار في الملعب مع كارلو.

The former India allrounders are part of Jo’burg Giants and Bloem City Blazers respectively

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Aug-2017

S Sriram and Robin Singh are set to coach Jo’burg Giants and Bloem City Blazers respectively in the inaugural edition of South Africa’s T20 Global League in November.Sriram, who played eight ODIs for India between 2000 and 2004, is currently the spin consultant with the Australian team on their tour of Bangladesh. It is a role he performed during their tours of India and Sri Lanka last season, as well as the World T20 in 2016. Giants, incidentally, is owned by GMR, the parent group that owns Delhi Daredevils, where Sriram has worked as an assistant coach.Robin Singh, who played 136 ODIs and one Test for India, has coached T20 sides across the globe in the past. He was the head coach of Deccan Chargers in 2008 before assuming duties with Mumbai Indians, with whom he has been associated since, first as head coach and later as batting coach. He has also worked with Barbados Tridents in the CPL, Khulna Titans in the BPL and Uva Next in Sri Lanka’s T20 competition.On Monday, Graeme Smith, the former South Africa captain, was unveiled as head coach of Benoni Zalmi. Jacques Kallis (Cape Town Knight Riders), Mark Boucher (Nelson Mandela Bay Stars), Paddy Upton (Durban Qalandars) and Stephen Fleming (Stellenbosch Monarchs) are the other high-profile appointments.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in Championship starlet Jordan James, as Julen Lopetegui desperately seeks reinforcements this summer.

The Spaniard admitted he was “worried” about the future of his squad during the Old Gold’s pre-season festivities, with Wolves struggling to raise the finances to bring in much-needed improvements.

Could Wolves sign Jordan James?

As reported by journalist Alan Nixon, the Midlands club are eyeing a move for Birmingham City midfielder James.

The 19-year-old is a player Wolves have been ‘keeping tabs’ on, in a move that could suit Lopetegui with him being valued around £4m by Football Transfers.

Contracted until 2025, the Old Gold are joined by Tottenham and Everton as the Premier League representatives eyeing the young talent.

Who is Jordan James?

Praised as being a “tremendous asset” by former Blues boss Lee Bowyer aged just 17, the midfielder has become an integral part of the rotation in Birmingham’s squad.

Making 33 appearances in the Championship last season, the teenager showcased his talents and added to his tally of 20 appearances in the second tier the year prior.

While Wolves would’ve ideally wanted to replenish their side with a player of the same calibre as Ruben Neves following the captain’s departure, the young Welshman could be an ideal addition to Lopetegui’s squad.

The Old Gold received £47m for the sale of the Portuguese gem, however, due to ongoing financial struggles, the club are facing great difficulty in securing the signatures of players this summer.

A relegation-threatened season that ended with a relieving 13th place finish thanks to the expertise of Lopetegui, however, the Spaniard is facing a denial of resources to improve this side ahead of the new campaign.

The potential move for James could add a much-needed presence in the midfield at Molineux, with a player that has similar strengths to the departed captain.

A combative midfielder with an eye for a good pass, the 19-year-old could develop his game in the Midlands, at a time when a glimmer of hope in a young signing could be fundamental to the progression of the transitioning squad.

As per FBref, the Blues academy graduate averaged 1.72 tackles and 1.46 clearances per 90 in the Championship last term, highlighting his defensive stability in the engine room.

The youngster’s numbers also suggest his potential in distribution, where he recorded an average of 4.12 progressive passes and 3.52 passes into the final third per 90.

For context, Neves averaged 6.50 progressive passes per 90 in the Premier League over the last year and 2.36 tackles, giving a perspective on how efficient the teenager could be in Lopetegui’s side with room to grow from the early stages of his budding career.

The Welshman has acted as the natural successor to former Blues sensation Jude Bellingham, and could now opt for pastures new to fill the void left by Neves in the top tier.

If the teenager performed at a level as sufficiently as he has at St Andrew’s at Molineux, the deal could give Lopetegui some breathing space as he prepares for a challenging term ahead.

English cricket will return to the BBC for the first time in more than two decades, with Sky Sports holding off the challenge of BT Sports to extend its coverage of the sport for at least another seven years, after the ECB announced the results of its bro

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Jun-2017

English cricket will return to the BBC for the first time in more than two decades, with Sky Sports holding off the challenge of BT Sports to extend its coverage of the sport for at least another seven years, after the ECB announced the results of its broadcasting auction for 2020-2024.The new deal, worth £1.1 billion over a five-year period, cements Sky Sports’ position as the home of live cricket broadcasting in England and Wales, a role they have held since becoming the ECB’s exclusive broadcast partner in 2006.However, the return of the BBC to live cricket broadcasting for the first time since 1999 is a recognition of the sport’s need to re-engage with a wider audience.From 2020, they will broadcast two men’s and one women’s T20 internationals per year, as well as ten matches from the ECB’s new domestic T20 competition, and eight from the women’s. They have also extended their radio broadcasting deal, and secured primetime evening highlights and digital clip rights.”This is a great result for cricket,” Tom Harrison, the ECB chairman, said. “ECB has secured the reach, revenue and relevance the game deserves, to help it to grow.”Together, these new deals will deliver the partnership, distribution and investment that will fuel the future of our game, driving recreational, professional and international cricket for years to come.”Right through this process we’ve been excited to witness a fresh approach to the game and what it offers. This has transformed our relationships and our media deals. I want to thank everyone who has talked with us, shown their enthusiasm and added to our vision for the future.”Colin Graves, ECB Chairman, added: “Through these exceptional new partnerships with Sky Sports and BBC we have a unique opportunity to give cricket a very bright future.”It is vital that the game now takes time to plan ahead and invest strategically in all the right places. The ECB Board will lead on this, working closely with all of our stakeholders at every level of the game.”The professional players – the men and women who entertain us, inspire people to play and draw us to the grounds – will rightly be part of these conversations.”

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Posteocoglou and star striker Harry Kane are set for "crucial" sit-down talks as reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano shares an "important update".

Will Harry Kane leave Spurs?

The 29-year-old, once again, is at the centre of a transfer saga – two years after treble-winning Man City attempted to prise him away from Spurs in 2021.

Pep Guardiola's side lodged bids over £100 million for Kane that summer but chairman Daniel Levy was in a strong position to refute any advances for Tottenham's star player.

Fast forward to now, and the situation is far more precarious, as the England striker's current deal is due to expire in the next 12 months. Interested sides could sign Kane on a Bosman deal next summer if he doesn't pen fresh terms, motivating the Lilywhites to make him a mammoth new contract offer recently.

Kane, however, apparently won't sign it this transfer window and his future remains up in the air – with German giants Bayern Munich chasing the forward.

According to Romano, who spoke to CaughtOffside recently, Kane is set for "crucial" sit-down talks with Postecoglou after Bayern's latest approach to sign him.

While Tottenham remain firm in their desire not to sell him, Bayern have no intention of quitting, as Spurs have still received no update from Kane over his future intentions.

"An important update from Tottenham," said Romano.

“From Bayern’s end, they remain convinced that Kane is prepared to make this move, but again it really depends on Daniel Levy and at the moment there is no green light. Kane will also speak to new manager Ange Postecoglou in the next days. Tottenham have received no communication yet from Kane over his future or his plans, so these talks will be crucial.”

How good is Harry Kane?

Scoring 30 league goals in 38 games last season, Kane also stood out as Tottenham's best-performing player by average match rating, with there being no queastion he is their most crucial asset.

If Postecoglou were to lose him, either this summer or next, it would come as an almighty blow to Spurs – regardless of whether they do in fact recieve a fee for him.

There are few alternative strikers in world football who can replicate Kane's quality, and certainly not for an achievable price, as reports suggest the likes of Victor Osimhen could cost an eye-watering fee.

Manchester United are considering signing Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, who shares a similar profile to that of current club target Andre Onana, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Zion Suzuki?

Suzuki is a 20-year-old shot-stopper who currently plays for Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds in the J-League.

The United States-born player has been with the club for the duration of his senior career to date and has made 28 appearances for the first-team squad since his debut in March 2021. However, he has struggled for game time in the current term compared to previous seasons, managing just five appearances in the J-League Cup and zero appearances in the league so far this campaign.

When Suzuki broke into the first team, he had a bright start between the sticks, keeping three clean sheets in his first three league games for the club.

The keeper is also a capped international for Japan, making his national team bow in a 6-0 win against Hong Kong in 2022.

Despite not making as many appearances this season compared to the previous one, Suzuki is thought of very highly at his current club, with current coach Maciej Skorza telling reporters: "The Reds have four very interesting goalkeepers. Among them, Shusaku [Nishikawa] and Zion [Suzuki] are of a very high level, I think Zion is taller than Shusaku, and I think he’s a young player with a lot of future potential."

Reports state that he first caught the Red Devils' eye during the U17 World Cup back in 2017, with the club now prepared to make an offer to bring in the Japanese shot-stopper after "witnessing his growth against the Dutch national team" where he had a strong performance.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that United do have an interest in bringing the 20-year-old to Old Trafford this summer, with him having a profile that the club desire.

“They are also considering Suzuki. This goalkeeper, who plays for Urawa Red Diamonds in Japan, born in 2002, a Japanese goalkeeper. Suzuki is a concrete possibility for Manchester United. They have him on the radar; he could become the new second [choice] goalkeeper. He has a really similar profile to Andre Onana, this kind of goalkeeper, and this is why Suzuki is a possibility.”

Why are Manchester United interested in Zion Suzuki?

The Red Devils are set to undergo their biggest overhaul in the goalkeeping department since the days of Sir Alex Ferguson this summer.

David de Gea recently announced that his 12-year stay at the club is over following a breakdown in contract talks, whilst youth product Dean Henderson is also rumoured to depart this summer, with a return to Nottingham Forest – where he spent last season on loan – the most likely outcome at this point.

In response, United are closing in on an agreement with Inter for the transfer of Cameroonian Onana. The 27-year-old previously worked with current Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag at Ajax and had a stellar season last year as Inter won two trophies and made the Champions League final for the first time in over a decade.

The club would need an able backup for the former Ajax man, with the current option being Tom Heaton, and that's where Suzuki steps in. The Japanese player has drawn comparisons to Onana due to their similar playstyles and how both of them are incredibly comfortable playing out with their feet.

Bringing in Suzuki could be a fantastic call by the club and would set the precedent for what attributes are required by a United shot-stopper for years to come. It would also be beneficial for the players in the squad as they would not have to change how they play if Suzuki had to step in for a couple of games, allowing Ten Hag's side to take the next step forward in their evolution.

Glasgow Rangers have had to resort to finding some bargains from south of the border over the last few years in order to limit lavish spending, and there have been a few gems unearthed by Steven Gerrard and Michael Beale.

In January, Todd Cantwell was signed for just £1.5m having struggled at Norwich City during the early stages of last season, yet he sparked into life upon joining the Ibrox side, registering 11 goal contributions in just 20 matches.

His rise to prominence in the SPFL is reminiscent of Calvin Bassey, who arrived in Glasgow for a compensation fee of just £230k in 2020, and having amassed 65 appearances in his two seasons at the club, he was sold for a remarkable £23m to Ajax last summer, turning out to be an excellent signing in terms of profitability.

Could Beale perhaps repeat that masterclass by making a move for Leeds United defender Charlie Cresswell during the summer transfer window?

According to Football League World, the Gers recently had a bid rejected for Cresswell, yet this shouldn’t stop Beale from pursuing the youngster.

Could Rangers sign Charlie Cresswell?

The Ibrox side have a plethora of central defensive options, with Connor Goldson, John Souttar, Ben Davies and Leon King in the first-team squad, although there has been some interest shown in Davies from the English Championship, and if he did move on, Beale will require another defender in his squad.

Cresswell could certainly follow in Bassey’s footsteps should he make the move to the Premiership, as he has the ability to shine in Scotland and potentially secure the Light Blues a decent profit should he depart after a few years.

The 20-year-old enjoyed an excellent campaign at Millwall during 2022/23 while on loan from Leeds, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.13/10 for his 28 appearances while adding four goals, suggesting he could be a goal threat.

Across the whole season, he ranked second in the Millwall side for overall rating, accurate passes per game (28.1) and clearances per game (3.1), while also finishing in the top three for interceptions per game (1.3), implying that he could have the maturity to shine in the senior ranks at such a young age – and by moving to a club like Rangers, not only will he challenge for honours, but he may also have the opportunity to play in the Champions League.

The £2k-per-week starlet was lauded as a player who has “amazing attributes” by Gary Rowett, and with Bassey making the move from Leicester City to Rangers and grabbing his opportunity with both hands, Cresswell could soon represent another stroke of genius by the Ibrox side.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in the running to sign Fiorentina sensation, Sofyan Amrabat this summer, with new boss Ange Postecoglou seemingly seeking to strengthen his midfield ranks ahead of next season.

What's the latest on Amrabat to Tottenham?

According to French outlet Foot Mercato, the 26-year-old is said to be among those who the ex-Celtic manager is targetting ahead of the upcoming window, with the Lilywhites attempting to 'overtake' their rival suitors in the race for the Morocco international's signature.

The report suggests that while the former Club Brugge ace has also spoken to Barcelona boss Xavi, regarding a potential move to Camp Nou, the north Londoners are seemingly intent on putting themselves at the front of the queue, with the likes of Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich also sniffing around.

The piece goes on to add that the Netherlands-born maestro – who has just a year left to run on his existing deal in Florence – could command a fee of around €30m (£26m), making him a potentially affordable option for Postecoglou and co.

Should Tottenham sign Sofyan Amrabat?

The signing of the in-demand ace – who was hailed as the "best centre midfielder" at the World Cup in Qatar by journalist Carlo Garganese – could well help Postecoglou to find a dream partner to current Spurs star, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

With the latter man offering a destructive and dominant force at the base of the midfield, having averaged 1.6 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game this season in the Premier League, Amrabat could well be a perfect foil due to his innate ball-playing prowess.

The one-time Utrecht ace notably ranks in the top 8% among his European peers for progressive passes as well as in the top 5% for pass completion as a marker of that ability to dictate play in the centre of the park, having also averaged a standout 90% pass accuracy rate in Serie A in 2022/23.

The 48-cap titan's quality was notably on show in the recent Europa Conference League final clash with West Ham United, with journalist Muhammad Butt writing that the Fiorentina gem had taken midfield counterpart, Declan Rice "to school" as a sign of his dominance, despite ending up on the losing side.

Hailed as "criminally underrated" by Butt in contrast to Rice – who could fetch around £92m this summer amid interest from Arsenal – the £32k-per-week star put on an "absolute clinic" in that showpiece tussle, according to writer Zach Lowy.

That outing notably saw Amrabat win nine duels and make 99 touches as a marker of his influence on the game, while the West Ham man, by contrast, won just five duels and was restricted to only 41 touches, as per Sofascore.

That ability to win back possession would suggest that the 6 foot 1 ace would also aid Hojbjerg in carrying out his defensive duties, having also averaged 1.3 tackles per game in Serie A this season.

While unlikely to offer much in an attacking sense – as he ranks in just the bottom 6% for touches in the opposition penalty area – Amrabat could then allow the current Spurs man the opportunity to get forward more freely, with the experienced Dane having bagged four goals and five assists in the league in 2022/23 to illustrate his attacking potential.

Although Postecoglou may have a fight on his hands to win the battle for the coveted ace's signature, it could be of real benefit to both himself – and to Hojbjerg – if a deal can be completed.

A Wrexham side made up of former, current and guest players beat a similarly assembled US Women's side 12-0 during a seven-a-side game at The Soccer Tournament (TST).

What is the latest Wrexham news?

The Welsh outfit has grown massively since celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney bought the club in 2021, helping the club gain promotion up into League Two and triple in value along the way.

Riding along the crest of their newfound fame, Wrexham have been over in North Carolina allowing fans to get an up-close glimpse of some of the stars.

As per The Athletic, former striker Lee Trundle – who played for Wrexham’s between 2001-2003 – scored four times in the win when coming up against former USWNT players such as Heather O’Reilly, Cat Whitehill and Lori Lindsey. Men’s first-team coach David Jones also scored seven goals during the match.

Current goalkeeper Mark Howard took part in the game and spoke about the overwhelming support for the Red Dragons in America, saying: “The growth of the club, especially out here, is massive.

“That’s one of the reasons why as a current player I volunteered myself. I wanted to embrace what we’ve got going on now. It’s enjoyable. It’s amazing to come out and see the fans. You expect a little bit but you don’t know how much you’ll get because you’re not used to that exposure.

“Obviously we’re lower-level English tiers, so to come out here and we’re treated like the top Premier League teams, it’s an amazing feeling. The American supporters are so positive. The tournament’s amazing. We’re really enjoying our time.”

Some highlights of the game were shared on Twitter by TST.

What is the TST?

The TST is a seven-a-side friendly tournament featuring taking place between 1-4 June. Premier League teams like West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers – as well as German outfit Borussia Dortmund – are all involved. And the teams are made up of current, former and guest players.

There is a pot of $1m (£807,000) for the eventual winners of the tournament. This is just shy of the £1m Wrexham picked up after winning the National League recently.

Speaking after the game, O’Reilly told NBC Sports Soccer (via The Athletic): “We’re super proud. Hopefully we’ve proved to anybody, just go for it, just live. What’s the worst that could happen? We lose 16-0 to Wrexham?

“We don’t care because we’re living, we’re being bold and we’re being brave. Here we have two amazing products that American soccer fans are getting behind. It’s just a ton of fun and it’s brought all of us together.”

Match facts

October 2, Sharjah
Start time 1500 local (1100 GMT)Babar Azam is part of a young brigade that has driven Pakistan’s recent success•Getty Images

Big picture

A change of formats has not brought a change in fortune for a faltering West Indies side. Having been blanked out in the T20I series, they lost the first ODI in Sharjah by 111 runs. While West Indies continued to struggle to get enough runs on the board in spin-friendly UAE conditions, Pakistan would be cheered that many of their younger players are at the forefront of the winning momentum they are starting to build.Among those young guns is 21-year-old top-order batsman Babar Azam, who stroked his maiden international century in the first ODI. Opener Sharjeel Khan and left-arm spinners Imad Wasim and Mohammad Nawaz are other less experienced players who have shown signs that they may have bright careers ahead of them. For the time being, they are fueling Pakistan’s progress and West Indies’ demise in a tour that has so far been utterly one-sided.For West Indies, one of the main stumbling blocks has been their failure to put up competitive totals on tracks that are not conducive to their free-spirited, big-hitting game. As captain Jason Holder acknowledged, they need to rotate the strike better and show the application to build an innings.A win in the second ODI would seal the three-match series for Pakistan, but there is more riding on it than that. A 3-0 series victory for Pakistan would displace West Indies from the No. 8 position in the ODI rankings. As both teams eye direct qualification for the 2019 World Cup (for which they would need to be in the top eight on September 30, 2017) such encounters acquire added significance.

Form guide

Pakistan WWLLL (completed matches, most recent first)
West Indies LLWLL

In the spotlight

In the opening ODI, Pakistan captain Azhar Ali nicked the first ball of the match, and his first of the tour, to depart for a golden duck. Azhar, who averages 38.69 in 26 ODIs as captain, will be under mounting pressure to prove that he can juggle the responsibilities of captaincy and opening the batting. At issue is not just whether he can churn out enough runs, but whether he can do so at a strike rate in tune with the new brand of cricket that coach Mickey Arthur wants to inculcate in his charges. Given that Azhar had earlier declined the PCB’s request to relinquish the captaincy and focus on his batting, he would doubtless feel he has a point to prove.While Holder has spoken of the need for his batsmen to play spin better, he would also want more from his own lead spinner, Sunil Narine. After going wicketless in the T20I series, Narine returned figures of 1 for 58 in 10 overs in the first ODI. He was outbowled not only by team-mate Sulieman Benn but also by Pakistan’s far less experienced spinners. If it is unrealistic to expect West Indies’ batsmen to dramatically improve against spin overnight, then at least a better showing by Narine could narrow the gap between the sides.

Team news

Umar Akmal must be itching to break back into the ODI side, but Pakistan are unlikely to change their winning combination as they seek to build consistency and stability in their limited-overs set-up.Pakistan (possible): 1 Azhar Ali (capt), 2 Sharjeel Khan, 3 Babar Azam, 4 Shoaib Malik, 5 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 6 Mohammad Rizwan, 7 Mohammad Nawaz, 8 Imad Wasim, 9 Wahab Riaz, 10 Mohammad Amir, 11 Hasan AliIn West Indies’ continuing quest for top-order runs, they may consider replacing the scratchy Kraigg Brathwaite, who made his ODI debut in the first match, with Jonathan Carter or Evin Lewis. The rest of the XI is not expected to change much.West Indies (possible): 1 Evin Lewis/Jonathan Carter, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Jason Holder (capt.), 8 Carlos Brathwaite, 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Sulieman Benn, 11 Shannon Gabriel

Pitch and conditions

Nearly 80 minutes were lost due to a floodlight failure during the first ODI. With Sharjah set to host the second match as well, it is hoped that those issues have been adequately tackled. The weather has been consistently hot and the pitch is likely to be similar in nature to that of the first match. Expect a flat, batting-friendly surface with assistance on offer for disciplined spin bowling. Given the afternoon heat, bowling first might be best avoided.

Stats and trivia

• Kieron Pollard is one match short of completing 100 ODI appearances for West Indies. He has played 99 matches, scoring 2256 at 25.93 and picking up 49 wickets at 38.63
• Four of Pakistan’s six biggest ODI wins against West Indies (in terms of runs) have come in Sharjah. Friday’s 111-run win was their fourth largest.
• Sharjeel Khan has a strike rate of 150 in ODIs in 2016, the best among batsmen who have scored 150-plus runs this year. He has scored 306 off 204 balls in seven innings.

Quotes

“I have had the experience of playing in Sharjah, and it worked well for me to score a maiden hundred. What I did was just to stay till the end and get as many runs as I could; the coach had asked me to play my natural game.”
“Spin has played a heavy part in our downfall. We need to find a way to tick over the scoreboard then maximise our boundary options. We need to buckle down better against spin.”