Former Real Madrid captain Nacho is not considering moving back to the Spanish capital as he is happy earning 'much more money' in Saudi Arabia.
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Nacho ruled out Real returnHappy in Saudi ArabiaReal did not sign replacementFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The 34-year-old defender parted ways with his boyhood club at the end of the 2023-24 season after his contract expired. After spending 13 years at Santiago Bernabeu, Nacho Fernandez left Europe to move to Saudi Arabia and joined the newly promoted Saudi Pro League club Al-Qadsiah.
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The Spaniard has been asked about his decision to move to the Middle East and if he would consider returning to Los Blancos in future. It has been reported that Real could consider re-signing Nacho amid a defensive injury crisis, but he insists he is happy in Saudi Arabia on a higher wage packet.
WHAT NACHO FERNANDEZ SAID
Speaking to , the defender said: "They haven't called me, but I don't even think about it. Now I have to suffer with Real Madrid as a fan. It is a decision that I was very clear about, I felt that my time had come.
"I'm super proud of everything I experienced at Real Madrid, but I don't regret it [leaving]. I don't have to lie either, logically I earn much more money here than at Real Madrid. No one is going to change me for telling me that I came here for the money."
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After Nacho's departure, the Spanish champions did not make a defensive signing in the summer and that decision is proving to be costly for the club at the moment as Eder Militao recently ruptured his ACL and has been ruled out of action for the entire season. Los Blancos, however, are likely to sign a new defender in January with Al-Nassr's Aymeric Laporte linked with the club.
Australia lost at the Gabba for the first time since 1988 and it was their second consecutive series defeat at home to India
ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jan-2021Tim Paine conceded that Australia had been outplayed at key moments throughout the series against India as he was left presiding over a second consecutive series defeat against them and became the first Australia captain to lose at the Gabba since 1988.Having set India 328 for victory, nearly 100 more than had even been successfully chased at the ground before, Australia were favourites heading into the final day but never took wickets in groups as India built the perfect run chase.Pat Cummins gave them hope when he struck with the new ball, but Rishabh Pant brilliantly marshaled the closing stages against a forlorn home side.”Absolutely disappointed, no doubt about that,” Paine said. “[It was] probably a bit of a trend the whole series, in the key moments, whether with bat or in the field we were found wanting and completely outplayed by a disciplined really tough India side who really deserved this series win.””I thought India turned up today, their batting group put their bodies on the line. Wore balls in the hand, arm, chest and just kept soldiering on so full credit to them.”After the final day in Sydney when Paine was left under the spotlight for his on-field behavior – for which he later apologised – this result will add further pressure on him. For the second time in two Tests Australia could not bowl India out on the last day and Nathan Lyon was left on 399 Test wickets.Their next Test cricket is due to be in a few weeks time with a tour to South Africa although details of the trip are still to be confirmed. They now need at least a 2-0 victory in that to earn a spot in the World Test Championship final.”There’s a lot of things we can look back on over the whole series and do better, there’s no doubt,” Paine said. “What’s done is done. We’ll go through it. We’ve got to look forward now, got a big series coming up in South Africa. We’ve been outplayed by a better side in this series. They’ll be some areas we need to improve, no doubt about that.”
The “strange” saga surrounding Kylian Mbappe and the France squad is, according to Louis Saha, “like if Argentina turned on Lionel Messi”.
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World Cup winner searching for spark in SpainLeft out of successive squads by DeschampsTalk of rift leading to international retirementFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
While World Cup winner Mbappe has not been performing at the peak of his powers since becoming another ‘Galactico’ at Real Madrid, with the odd knock being nursed along the way, he was expected to remain a talismanic presence for his country – with the captain’s armband being passed in his direction.
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Didier Deschamps has, however, taken to leaving the superstar forward out of back-to-back squads. Questions are now being asked of a working relationship there, with Mbappe seemingly cutting a frustrated figure. There have even been suggestions that he could head into international retirement at just 25 years of age.
WHAT SAHA SAID
Former France star Saha – speaking to , who offer the latest Premier League odds – has said of the mess that Les Bleus are creating: “Things are very strange between Kylian Mbappe and the France national team, he has fought with the federation in the past and has been like a politician at times. What is happening between them is really sad, it’s like if Argentina turned on Lionel Messi. Mbappe has an issue with Didier Deschamps but it isn’t a bad thing for him to take a rest, the issue will come if he decides to step back from the national team going forward.”
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Saha went on to say of the Blancos star potentially quitting international football: “If Kylian Mbappe steps away from the national team it will be a disaster. That’s how bad the situation is. At some point he does need to take some responsibility and realise that he isn’t playing the way he can and isn’t scoring the amount of goals he can. It’s now up to him to prove people wrong and prove he is the player Real Madrid signed. It’s all down to him now but it will take time because the task is enormous.”
Chelsea finished the 2023/24 Premier League campaign with five straight victories, but Mauricio Pochettino was still dismissed at the end of the term and Enzo Maresca, viewed as the club's 'project manager', has been appointed.
Whether Todd Boehly and Co were correct to part ways with the Argentinian tactician is uncertain, but the jury will not be called to question until Maresca's squad commence their campaign.
The Blues, as ever, have been active in the transfer market this summer, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall signed from Leicester City for £30m and Tosin Adarabioyo welcomed on a free transfer, along with a host of younger signings to continue to reinforce Stamford Bridge's foundations.
Leicester midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
It's common knowledge that Chelsea are in the market for a new centre-forward, and amid several months of scouring the market, there's an update arriving for one of the outfit's lesser-known targets.
Chelsea eyeing new striker
As per journalist Ben Jacobs, Chelsea are still hoping to sign Atletico Madrid striker Samu Omorodion this summer despite seeing multiple bids rejected already, suggesting that another approach could well be in store.
Whether the Londoners would be willing to meet Atleti's €70m (£58m) demands is unclear, but the 20-year-old seemingly has the world at his feet and could bloom into one of the Premier League's finest forwards.
What Samu Omorodion would bring to Chelsea
Chelsea have been desperately seeking a new centre-forward this summer, with Aston Villa's rising phenom Jhon Duran of a vested interest back in June before talks simmered down and West Ham United moved ahead in the race.
Duran is similar to Omorodian in that both are hulking forwards with top strength and clinical attacking games, but Omorodian has already proved himself as a first-team regular in a top-five European league, scoring nine goals from only 22 starting appearances on loan with Alaves in La Liga last season, his very first taste of sustained senior action.
Matches played
35
Matches started
22
Goals
9
Assists
1
Shots per game
1.9
Key passes per game
0.5
Duels won per game
3.5
Duran, conversely, was consigned to a bit-part role with Aston Villa last season, scoring eight goals across all competitions but also only being entrusted with ten starting berths.
Of course, this makes a telling comment on the Colombian's prolificness, but it also suggests that he is not ready for a starring position at the front of a team such as Chelsea.
As The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell ponders over the good call to sever ties with Duran at Villa Park, so too have Chelsea concluded that a raw talent with an issue of temperament might prove to be more trouble than he's worth if brought to west London for a big fee.
Omorodion outscored the Lions striker, and while he did play more football, nine goals from 22 starts is hardly a bad tally for a player just starting their career. With a little fine-tuning, he could blossom into an extraordinary attacking outlet.
Speaking of Omorodion's qualities, Alaves head coach Luis Garcia said: “He’s a player with a privileged physique, imposing just looking at him. Big, strong, fast, wants to learn and improve. His movement into space is very good, and he wins a lot of duels. He needs to demand more of himself to become a really top player.”
It's understandable that Omorodion is not yet the finished package, but it's exciting to think that he has already proven himself a high-level goalscorer, with analyst Ben Mattinson already claiming that he is capable of scoring an "[Erling] Haaland-esque goal".
Haaland is of course the gold standard when it comes to goalscoring in the Premier League, having scored 63 goals and added 13 assists across 66 outings in the English top flight.
The Manchester City goal machine is one of Omorodion's most comparable players, as per FBref's statistical ranking, with both adept in using their pace and power to terrorise opponents and burst into space.
Samu Omorodion for Alaves
Let's not forget that this time 15 months ago, Omorodion was an 18-year-old hopeful without a senior showing to his name. As far as debut campaigns go, he didn't do half bad.
Chelsea will need to weigh up whether they have the requisite firepower to allow the Spaniard to seamlessly integrate and polish his instincts to a fine point, but if so, there's no reason why Omorodion shouldn't be signed, for he could become the 'Haaland-esque' phenomenon that the Blues need at Stamford Bridge.
Imagine him & Palmer: Chelsea can land £152k-p/w ace who's like Bellingham
The star has caught the attention of multiple sides across Europe this summer.
She took two early wickets and made an unbeaten 26 as the visitors claimed a seven-wicket win
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Mar-2021Natalie Sciver made a decisive impact with ball and bat at either end of a commanding seven-wicket win as England took a 1-0 lead in their three-match T20I series against New Zealand. This display extended Sciver’s impressive form from the ODI series, in which she was England’s leading wicket-taker apart from scoring a match-winning 63 in the second ODI in Dunedin.Related
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Choosing to bowl first at the Westpac Stadium, England got off to a brilliant start, with Sciver dismissing Sophie Devine and Amy Satterthwaite within the space of her first two overs as New Zealand slipped to 10 for 2. There was no real recovery thereafter, despite a 32-ball 36 from Katey Martin, as England’s bowlers kept striking at regular intervals to bowl the hosts out for 96 in 19.4 overs. Sciver, her new-ball partner Katherine Brunt, and spinners Sophie Ecclestone and Sarah Glenn finished with two wickets each.England’s chase was never in doubt, once Tammy Beaumont and Danni Wyatt put on 59 for the first wicket in 8.3 overs. A brief flutter followed as the offspinner Leigh Kasperek dismissed both openers in successive overs before Heather Knight was run out for a duck. But Sciver ensured there was no more panic, scoring an unbeaten 26 off 25 balls and seeing England home in the company of Amy Jones, with whom she put on an unbroken 32 for the fourth wicket. Sciver hit the winning boundary, off Devine, off the final ball of the 16th over.Wyatt was particularly pleased to have top-scored for England after a lean ODI series and set the chase off to a strong start with Beaumont, who carried over her excellent form from the 50-over series, in which she was the leading run-scorer with three half-centuries from as many matches.”I spoke to the captain last night and she said, ‘just go out there play with freedom,” Wyatt said. “I just thought about two key words, just focus and watch the ball, and that’s what I did today, because it was a really tough wicket to bat on but I thought the way to get there was just to be attacking and play my game.”In the team meeting last night we spoke about starting really well. In the last 12 months, I feel we’ve not had the start that we wanted so me and Tammy wanted to do really well, get us off to a good start, set a good platform, and then we did that today.”Sophia Dunkley didn’t get the chance to bat after expressing a desire to establish herself in England’s batting line-up, having returned to the fold last year after 18 months on the fringes of selection. But Wyatt praised her efforts in the field along with Mady Villiers, the youngster who added a wicket to the tourists’ haul with her offspin.”Sophia Dunkley’s come in and showed us what she can do in the field, Mady Villiers is an outstanding fielder, and that just sets the tone and makes everyone up for it,” Wyatt said.Dunkley took a nerveless catch on the square leg boundary to remove dangerous New Zealand opener Devine for just two and Villiers held a sharp chance to dismiss Hayley Jensen before the pair combined for the dismissal of Leigh Kasperek, Dunkley claiming a catch off Villiers’ bowling. Freya Davies also snaffled an excellent chance off Sciver, running and diving at mid-on as Satterthwaite fell cheaply.The second and third T20Is will also be played in Wellington, on Friday and Sunday.
“It’ll be certainly nice to work under Virat and will certainly enjoy batting with him – that’s for sure”
ESPNcricinfo staff15-Feb-20212:48
Glenn Maxwell looks back at his first IPL auction experience
Three days before the IPL 2021 auction, Australian allrounder Glenn Maxwell has said he wouldn’t mind playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore as that would allow him to fulfil the desire of playing alongside his “idol”: AB de Villiers.”That’ll be awesome. AB [is] one of my idols and one of the guys I’ve always tried to watch the way he goes about [things],” Maxwell said during a media interaction on Thursday from New Zealand, where he is part of the Australian squad for the upcoming T20I series. “It’ll be awesome to work with him, and he’s always been really helpful to me along the journey. Whenever I’ve caught up with him, he’s been brilliant. So to be able to work with him first hand will be pretty cool.”Having released several players including Chris Morris, Shivam Dube and Moeen Ali – the Royal Challengers are likely to be on the lookout for an allrounder. Maxwell is a batsman who can go in at the start of the innings and play the finisher’s role, while also providing a solid fingerspinning option. Maxwell said that he “gets along” well with the Royal Challengers’ captain Virat Kohli, too. “I get along with Virat pretty well. It’ll be certainly nice to work under Virat and will certainly enjoy batting with him – that’s for sure.”Related
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If the Royal Challengers do manage to hire Maxwell, they will become the fourth franchise the Australian would play for in the IPL. In the past, he has turned out for the Mumbai Indians, the Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) and twice with the Kings XI Punjab.The key question for the Royal Challengers team management – comprising Kohli, Mike Hesson (team director) and Simon Katich (head coach) – would be whether they want to spend a large chunk of their purse on Maxwell in case rival teams enter into a bidding war, as was the case in past auctions, especially the smaller ones.In 2013, Maxwell was the only IPL millionaire after being picked by Mumbai for US$ 1 million. The next most expenisve buy that year was Sri Lanka’s Ajantha Mendis at US$ 725,000.
“The Australian team is generally together for a one-day series somewhere in Australia and we get to watch it together and congratulate and commiserate each other depending on what they went for or if they didn’t go. So it’s stressful day for a lot of people, and I’ve been lucky to be on the good side of it a fair few times”Glenn Maxwell
In 2018, the Daredevils released Maxwell, just a season after paying INR 9 crore (US$ 1.4 million approx then) for him. Maxwell opted out of the IPL to focus on the home season in Australia and the ODI World Cup, but that did not hurt Maxwell’s stocks much. In the 2020 auction, he ended up being the second-most expensive buy after the Kings XI paid INR 10.75 crore (US$1.514 million approx) for him.Despite all the promise and potential, though, Maxwell struggled in the last IPL, which was played in the UAE, making just 108 runs and picking three wickets in 13 matches. It did not come as a surprise then, when the Kings XI released him. However, that did not stop Maxwell from listing his base price in the highest bracket of INR 2 crore (US$ 274,000 approx).Maxwell said he has cherished every IPL experience – whether for Mumbai or for the Kings XI or at the Daredevils – and he was even elevated to the Kings XI captaincy in 2017, a season in which he smashed 310 runs at a strike rate of 173.Glenn Maxwell wouldn’t mind having the other jersey on come IPL 2021•BCCI”I suppose to have the luck to go back there [for] most years has been awesome for my cricket,” he said. “It’s been great to have the experience of playing around the best players in the world and learn from different teams as well.”We’ve had different coaches – Punter [Ricky Ponting at Capitals], Sanjay Bangar, [Virender] Sehwag [both at Kings XI] – and it’s been awesome. People ask me if my cricket would be different if I didn’t go for that [IPL], but I have no idea. But I don’t think it would because I don’t feel I’ve changed too much as a person.”Maxwell is once again anticipating an “exciting” auction, which he will be following on Thursday in New Zealand with the rest of the Australia team-mates. “The Australian team is generally together for a one-day series somewhere in Australia and we get to watch it together and congratulate and commiserate each other depending on what they went for or if they didn’t go. So it’s stressful day for a lot of people, and I’ve been lucky to be on the good side of it a fair few times.”
Lee Carsley's side produced a monstrous second-half performance to embarrass their neighbours in a perfect send-off for the departing interim coach
Harry Kane produced one of the best passes of his career to spark an England bloodbath against Ireland, sending the Three Lions back to the top tier of the UEFA Nations League in style with a bruising 5-0 win on Sunday.
England had no shots on target in a dire first half and were a tad fortunate not to concede a penalty for a shirt pull by Marc Guehi on Evan Ferguson. The visitors also had a half-hearted appeal when Kyle Walker collided with Sammie Szmodics, and England trudged off for half-time with their automatic promotion hopes hanging in the balance, at the mercy of Greece's scoreline with Finland.
After the break, however, everything fell into place in a whirlwind five minutes: Kane's gorgeous pass released Jude Bellingham and he was tripped by Liam Scales, who was sent off in the process for a second yellow card. The captain coolly slotted his penalty, and less than two minutes later, Anthony Gordon volleyed home following a corner. Conor Gallagher then bundled in the third after jumping ahead of Bellingham in the queue to meet a knockdown.
Substitutes Jarrod Bowen and Taylor Harwood-Bellis added extra shine to a satisfying win by scoring their first international goals late on.
GOAL rates England's players from Wembley Stadium…
Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence
Jordan Pickford (5/10):
Enjoyed a quiet and comfortable evening as he drew level with the legendary Gordon Banks on 73 caps.
Tino Livramento (6/10)
A pleasing debut. Made a couple of sloppy passes but was always positive and helped set up Gordon's goal.
Kyle Walker (5/10):
Looked more comfortable at centre-back than in recent games at full-back. Not far from scoring when he headed over the bar from a corner.
Marc Guehi (6/10):
A bit lucky not to give away a penalty. Other than that he was sound defensively and got the knock-on for Gallagher's goal.
Lewis Hall (6/10):
Busy in both halves of the pitch. Made an important recovery run after Livramento gave the ball away.
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Curtis Jones (6/10):
Not as dominant as on his debut but again demonstrated his confidence on the ball, weaving past three Ireland players on one occasion.
Conor Gallagher (7/10):
Typically aggressive throughout the game and was rewarded with his first international goal.
Jude Bellingham (8/10):
A busy performance, running rule over the midfield. Won the penalty and set up Harwood-Bellis with a pinged cross.
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Noni Madueke (7/10):
Twisted Ireland inside out down their left side.
Harry Kane (8/10):
Had a frustrating first half, summed up by his booking for pushing over Molumby. At his best after the break, dropping deep and hitting Bellingham with delicious passes that led to his penalty.
Anthony Gordon (7/10):
Got more involved as the game progressed and scored his first international goal with an instinctive volley.
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Taylor Harwood-Bellis (7/10):
A dream international debut, scoring in front of his future father-in-law, Roy Keane.
Morgan Rogers (5/10):
Didn't have much time to make his mark.
Jarrod Bowen (7/10):
Scored within a few seconds of coming on with a lovely finish.
Dominic Solanke (5/10):
Will be disappointed not to have gotten involved in the goal rush.
Angel Gomes (5/10):
Moved ball around well, but picked up a booking in 11 minutes on the pitch.
Lee Carsley (7/10):
Overcame a stodgy first 45 minutes and his changes helped turn a good win into a superb one. Can be pleased overall with his six-game stint as interim boss.
Celtic kick off their 2024/25 campaign in the Scottish Premiership this evening as they prepare to host Kilmarnock at Parkhead in their first game.
Brendan Rodgers starts his second season in his second spell in Glasgow and will be hoping to secure the league title once again, whilst also competing well across all competitions.
His side enjoyed an impressive pre-season with four wins in five games and eight goals scored across two wins against Manchester City and Chelsea.
The Northern Irishman now has the difficult task of selecting a starting XI to play against Kilmarnock and the boss must boldly unleash Mikey Johnston from the start alongside Kyogo Furuhashi.
Kyogo Furuhashi's impressive pre-season
The Japan international caught the eye throughout pre-season and is currently the club’s only senior striker option, after Hyeon-gyu Oh moved to Genk and Adam Idah returned to Norwich City.
Kyogo plundered six goals in five pre-season matches and found the back of the net in the wins over both Chelsea and Manchester City, which shows that he is heading into the Premiership campaign full of confidence.
His form over the summer will be particularly pleasing for Rodgers after the forward endured a difficult 2023/24 campaign in front of goal in the top-flight.
Appearances
38
Goals
14
Big chances missed
24
Conversion rate
14%
Pass accuracy
67%
As you can see in the table above, the Japanese attacker missed a staggering 24 ‘big chances’ and only scored 14 goals in 38 outings in the division.
Why Mikey Johnston should start with Kyogo
With Kyogo starting through the middle, Rodgers must boldly unleash Johnston from the start on the left flank ahead of Daizen Maeda after his impressive spell on loan with West Bromwich Albion last season.
The Ireland international scored two goals in his last three pre-season outings for Celtic this summer and appears to be grasping his opportunity to come back to Glasgow and fight for a place in the starting XI.
In the Championship last term, Johnston scored seven goals and did not miss a single ‘big chance’ in 18 appearances for the Baggies, as he showcased his goalscoring prowess.
Mikey Johnston
Meanwhile, Maeda only scored six goals and missed a whopping 12 ‘big chances’ in 28 outings in the Premiership for Celtic from a left wing position, which immediately suggests that the Irish sensation has the potential to offer far more quality as a finisher.
The Japan international also created five ‘big chances’ for his teammates and made 0.5 key passes per game for the Hoops in those 28 appearances, whilst Johnston created four ‘big chances’ and made 1.2 key passes per match in just 18 matches.
During Sky Sports coverage of West Brom’s 3-1 play-off loss to Southampton (17/05/24), commentator Gary Weaver claimed that the winger had “magic in his boots” and the 25-year-old ace’s statistics back that up.
Celtic turn attention to £3m star who'd be a better signing than Idah
The Hoops are reportedly interested in a swoop for the Premiership star this summer.
4 ByDan Emery Aug 1, 2024
He is a talented forward who can provide more quality than Maeda as a scorer and a creator of goals and that is why Rodgers must boldly unleash him to cause havoc in the final third alongside Kyogo against Kilmarnock today.
Aston Villa have contacted an "outstanding" two-time Copa America winner about a summer move to the club, according to a new transfer rumour.
Aston Villa transfer news
There is still time for the Villans to make further signings in the summer transfer window, as Unai Emery looks to have the strongest squad possible in order to fight in both the Premier League and Champions League this season.
Atletico Madrid striker Samu Omorodion has been linked with a move to Villa Park before the current window reaches its conclusion, with the Midlands club reportedly offered the chance to snap him up after his Chelsea transfer collapsed, with the Spanish club keen to shift some players off the books.
Meanwhile, Villa are believed to have sent scouts to watch Baris Alper Yilmaz in action, as they weigh up a move for the Galatasaray winger. He scored and assisted six times apiece in the Turkish Super Lig last season.
Emery's men are also thought to be interested in completing the audacious signing of Atletico star Joao Felix, who remains an enormous talent, despite not necessarily reaching his vast potential yet. Chelsea are providing strong competition for the Portuguese's signature, though, having already had him in their ranks on loan in the past.
Aston Villa contact "outstanding" Copa America winner
According to TyC Sports [via Sport Witness], Aston Villa are "firm suitors" to sign Tottenham midfielder Giovani Lo Celso this summer, with an offer tabled to the player, while Spurs are happy to sell him if the right offer comes their way too.
The same interest is noted from La Liga side Real Betis, however, so the Villans face competition in the race to snap up the two-time Copa America winner, having clinched glory with Argentina for the second time earlier this year.
Lo Celso could be a really solid signing for Villa between now and the end of the month, possessing a huge amount of experience, not to mention a winning mentality from his international pedigree as well as experience playing under Emery at Villarreal.
The 28-year-old has made 77 appearances in the Premier League for Spurs, so there wouldn't be an issue with him adjusting to the speed of England's top flight, while Ange Postecoglou has lauded him in the recent past.
"Gio was very good today, not just with his work rate but you could see his quality on the ball. His passes through and the one through to Sonny was outstanding. We needed him today and we're going to need him going forward because Sonny goes away now, Biss goes away, Pape goes away. So I thought he was a good contributor."
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The Villans are yet to enter talks to secure a swoop for the talented youngster.
ByDan Emery Aug 12, 2024
While the £70,000-a-week Lo Celso wouldn't necessarily come in as a guaranteed starter for Emery – he wasn't playing regularly for Spurs, so that may be no different in a Villa shirt – but he could add some crucial depth as they look to shine in four different competitions, and the fact that he played under the Spaniard at Villarreal also suggests that he knows his game inside out.
Mikel Arteta issued a challenge to his Arsenal players after tearing apart Sporting CP 5-1 in a statement Champions League win.
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Arsenal dismantled Sporting CP 5-1Victory ended Sporting's 18-match unbeaten streakArteta set bar high after a massive UCL winFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Arteta had called on his team to prove their mettle after a disappointing 1-0 defeat against Inter in their previous Champions League outing and his players rose to the occasion in Lisbon. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Magalhaes, Bukayo Saka, and Leandro Trossard propelled the Gunners to a decisive 5-1 victory which was a marked turnaround from their recent away form.
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This dominant Champions League result comes on the back of an equally impressive 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League just days earlier. The win ended a remarkable run for Sporting CP, who had remained unbeaten across 18 matches this season, including 17 wins and a draw.
WHAT ARTETA SAID
Speaking after the match to Arteta said: "That's what we need to do. We need to find consistency. You want to be challenging for the big things? You have to be consistent. Win and win again. Today was a very different game but we reacted really well, let's move on now."
When asked if this was Arsenal’s best away European performance under his management, Arteta didn’t hesitate: "Absolutely. Especially against a team that hasn’t lost at home in 18 months. They’ve been in incredible form, better than everyone they’ve faced here. To perform like that against them is very satisfying."
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?
Arsenal’s next test comes on November 30 when they travel to face a resilient West Ham side in the Premier League. With momentum on their side, the Gunners will aim to keep the winning streak alive and close the gap on the title race as they currently find themselves nine points behind leaders Liverpool in the standings.