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After undergoing a scan, the U.S. international has avoided a muscle tear, with the cause for concern being fatigue

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Pulisic subbed off for Milan in match vs. ComoUSMNT star avoids injury, scan revealsNo muscle tear, strictly fatigueFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

U.S. men's national team attacker Christian Pulisic has avoided injury after a halftime substitution in AC Milan's 2-1 victory over Como on Tuesday had fans fearing the worst.

It's been widely reported that the 26-year-old underwent a scan with the Italian club, which revealed no muscle tear, and rather, all signs pointed to muscle fatigue as the reason for his removal from the match. The winger was seen clutching the back of his leg after a collision with Como's Marc-Oliver Kempf just before halftime — which prompted the substitution.

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It's brilliant news for both the USMNT and Milan, as Pulisic is on his way to having a career year for the The 26-year-old leads the team in scoring with 10 goals, and in assists with seven, totaling 17 goal contributions across 23 appearances for the club in 2024-25.

In early December, Pulisic sustained a minor injury to his right calf that forced him out for five months, with the American making his return to the pitch for Milan in early January. He followed it up with two massive goals as he scored a penalty kick in their 2-1 victory over Juventus in the Super Cup semifinals and then helped spearhead a comeback against Inter Milan in the final, scoring their second goal as Milan lifted the trophy for the eighth time in club history.

DID YOU KNOW?

Milan are rumored to be in talks with England internationals Kyle Walker and Marcus Rashford this January transfer window, with Walker looking to move on from Manchester City on a permanent deal and Rashford as a potential loan signing from Manchester United.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR PULISIC, MILAN?

Milan clash with Juventus on Saturday in a match that will feature up to four U.S. internationals in Pulisic and teammate Yunus Musah, as well as the Tim Weah and Weston McKennie.

Arne Slot’s Liverpool put on a show against West Ham, scoring five goals and beating the Hammers 5-1 at Anfield. Slot’s side created six big chances, kept 61% possession, and took a total of 21 shots in the game.

Liverpool went 1-0 down in the first half, with Jarrel Quansah putting one in his own net, before Diogo Jota levelled it up in the 25th minute, to go in 1-1 at the break.

But the Reds came bundling out the gates in the second half, scoring four goals, Jota grabbing one more, and Mohamed Salah scoring the third, before Cody Gakpo grabbed a late brace to make it 5-1.

Cody Gakpo's performance in numbers

Gakpo put in a man of the match display in Liverpool’s 5-1 win over the Hammers, scoring two goals, providing three key passes, and completing two out of two successful dribbles.

The Dutch forward started in his favoured left-wing position, having been used in a multitude of positions since joining the Reds, including upfront.

The 25-year-old was electric throughout the clash, earning an 8/10 match rating from GOAL’s Mark Doyle who described it as a ‘menacing’ display. Jamie Carragher was another to hail his performance, commentating on Sky Sports the former defender stated: “He’s done really well. This is Liverpool’s back-up left winger, it just shows you the quality they have in reserve.”

In the process, he managed six shots in the game, four on target, one off target, and one being blocked, whilst he also completed three out of three long balls, one out of three crosses, and made 94% of his passes during the game (30/32).

Playing from the left, it allows Gakpo to drift inside from wide areas, receiving the ball, combining with midfielders/the striker, and getting shots off on his deadly right foot, something he showed time and time again at Euro 2024, cutting in from the left for the Netherlands, when he scored three goals in his six games at the competition.

These two goals were the attacker’s first of the season for Slot’s side, having only played 100 minutes of Premier League football so far in five games, and this is largely down to the form of Luis Diaz.

However, Gakpo has made his case to start the next game, after his stellar performance against the Hammers.

Should Gakpo or Diaz start?

Diaz has had a great start to the new campaign, scoring five goals and providing one assist in his five Premier League appearances so far (361 minutes played).

Slot tends to start with Salah on the right wing, and has opted for Diogo Jota upfront over Darwin Nunez in recent weeks, leaving the left-wing spot for one of Diaz or Gakpo, and the Colombian has come out on top so far, becoming one of Slot’s main men early in the season.

Goals

0.28

1.19

Assists

0.28

0.24

xG

0.26

0.60

Progressive Carries

2.63

4.05

Progressive Passes

1.58

2.38

Total Shots

3.89

3.10

Key Passes

2.63

1.90

Shot-Creating Actions

4.74

5.71

The two players offer different traits from the left wing, with Diaz being more of a touchline winger, who works hard for the team on both ends of the ball, whilst creating for himself and his teammates. He has also added huge goal threat this season, scoring 1.19 goals per 90 minutes, making himself virtually undroppable at this stage.

However, Gakpo being a high-volume shooter, and a specialist cutting inside on his lethal right boot, can also add a huge attacking threat to this Liverpool side, and whilst he doesn’t add the same work rate out of possession as the South American, he does add a slightly more creative passing range, shown by his 0.28 assists and 2.63 key passes per 90.

Gakpo has made his case for the next Premier League game, and whilst it is likely Diaz will start, Slot definitely has a selection headache brewing, with both his left-wingers showing some fine form in recent games.

Slot must axe Liverpool ace who earns more than Diaz & Konate

It’s time for this wider member to move on…

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 25, 2024

Chahal not in 15-man squad; Iyer, Thakur, D Chahar named reserves

Nagraj Gollapudi08-Sep-20212:21

Chetan Sharma: “Need an offspinner in a World Cup, Ashwin an asset”

Four years after he was discarded from India’s T20I set-up, R Ashwin has forced his way back in, named in the squad of 15 for the 2021 T20 World Cup. In another surprise move, the BCCI has roped in former captain MS Dhoni as the team mentor specifically for this tournament. Dhoni, who retired from international cricket last August, was appointed to “provide support and direction” to the Indian team management led by head coach Ravi Shastri. So said BCCI secretary Jay Shah.The main group of 15 comprises six specialist batters, three allrounders, three specialist spinners and three specialist fast bowlers. The selection panel led by former India fast bowler Chetan Sharma also named the trio of Shreyas Iyer, Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur as reserves, who will act as injury or Covid-19 replacements.Among the notable absentees were Shikhar Dhawan, who captained India in their short limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka recently, and lead legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Instead, the selectors opted for mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and legspinner Rahul Chahar, who, along with Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan and Axar Patel are heading into their the first World Cup.The squad of 15 and three reserves•ESPNcricinfo Ltd’Ashwin is an asset’
Two spin-bowling allrounders along with three specialist spinners make it abundantly clear that the selectors and team management expect the pitches in the UAE to be quite slow, especially after they take on the workload of 31 IPL matches.This is also why only three frontline quicks in Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami have been picked, with Hardik Pandya as the seam-bowling allrounder.”If the wickets are such that you can only play two fast men, there is no point then to bench (the extra fast bowlers). Instead you have utility players who will come in handy at some point in the match and that is why you have spinners and allrounders,” Chetan said on Wednesday in his first media briefing as the chairman of selectors.The return of Ashwin, whose last T20I was on the tour of the West Indies in July 2017, is significant. In 2019, Ashwin had noted that he was no slouch in white-ball cricket and it was a “perception” that wristspinners are better than fingerspinners, especially in the limited-overs format, that had kept him out of the Indian squad.Ashwin has missed 63 T20Is for India but in that time he has continued to be a threat in the IPL, first for Punjab Kings and now for Delhi Capitals.This March Ashwin said he found questions about his return to India’s white-ball teams “laughable” but was confident he would produce “a game-breaking performance” if given a chance.”When you got to a World Cup you need an offspinner,” Chetan said. “The wickets are likely to be low and slow as the IPL’s latter half will be played in the UAE and that will help the spinners. Washington Sundar is part of the injured list and Ashwin has been an asset for the team and the way he has performed in the IPL that is the reason he has found a place in the team.”R Ashwin is one of five spinners in India’s T20 World Cup squad•Associated PressWhy no Chahal?
On the omission of Chahal, Chetan indicated that the selectors found Rahul Chahar the better option as lead legspinner. “You want a spinner who can deliver with more speed. Recently we have seen Rahul Chahar bowling with speed. Our view was we need a spinner who can find the grip off the surface at a quicker speed and while we had a lot of discussion on Chahal, we eventually went with Rahul Chahar.”The Indian selectors were also bullish about Varun, who has done well since the 2020 IPL where he took big wickets while playing for Kolkata Knight Riders. While he was picked for the Australia series that followed and then the home series against England, Varun did not play owing to fitness issues. But he did eventually play in the recent Sri Lanka series.”The world doesn’t know what Varun Chakravarthy is. If we ourselves cannot understand (how to read him) what will the batsman know,” Chetan argued.No Kohli in selectors’ three openers
As far as the openers were concerned, Chetan was categorical about Kohli not being one of them despite the Indian captain wanting to move up after a short stint during the back end of the England series in March. Chetan said Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul would be the main pair with Kishan as the third opener.Kishan, who hit a fifty on both T20I and ODI debut this year, had been one of the most potent top-order batters when the IPL was played in the UAE last year. He beat Iyer, who has been injured and out of action for the last six months.”Kishan can bat as an opener as well as he can fit into the middle order anytime,” Chetan said. “And a left-hand option is always important. If the opposition has legspinners then an explosive left-hander is always important. So Ishan Kishan is giving us a lot of opportunities: if we need an opener he can do that having already done that and got a fifty in his first game. In the middle-order he is a good player of spin.”Ishan Kishan’s aggressive batting style has pleased the selectors•BCCI/IPLOn Kohli the opener, Chetan said the selectors feel he is better as the pivot in the middle order. “If the need of hour is that the management thinks that Virat should open then that is up to them, but for the moment we have three openers – Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan. Virat is an asset for the team. When he plays in the middle-order the team players around him.”Chetan was diplomatic on why Dhawan, who has been among the best batters in the last three IPLs, could not find a spot. “He is a very important player for us. He was the captain in Sri Lanka. What discussion we had on him, I can’t disclose. But he is there in the loop. The need of the hour was that we wanted to look at other players while we give rest to Dhawan.”Pandya 100% fit to bowl, but why no Natarajan?
One fast bowler who is bound to feel disappointed would be T Natarajan. A knee injury following his triumphant return from Australia earlier this year has resulted in him going down the pecking order.”The selectors decided to have three fast bowlers with Hardik Pandya as the fourth (fast) bowler,” Chetan said. “We definitely had a discussion on T Natarajan, but he hasn’t played cricket for a long time and he is part of the injury list and that is reason we stuck to the main guys.”Chetan was clear that Pandya would bowl his entire quota of overs, something he has not done consistently since his return from back surgery in 2020. Pandya has bowled just 46 overs for India in this period. He hasn’t bowled at all for Mumbai Indians since the 2020 IPL although that is likely to change come the second half of the season.

Another batting collapse at Headingley leaves just four teams in the title running

David Hopps15-Sep-2021Warwickshire 155 (Burgess 66) and 176 (Sibley 45, Burgess 37, Thompson 5-52) beat Yorkshire 108 (Ballance 58, Norwell 4-27) and 117 (Woakes 3-26, Norwell 3-38, Miles 3-34) by 106 runsBoastfulness has been a trait occasionally associated with Yorkshire, whereupon it is naturally dismissed as a baseless charge levelled by people from palpably inferior counties, so it appeared much in keeping with such glorious traditions when Yorkshire’s chief executive, Mark Arthur, opined back in January that this season Yorkshire could win the lot.Arthur, who was treated to back-to-back Championships in his first two full seasons in 2014 and 2015, was in no doubt that the gruel of recent summers was at an end. Or, if he did harbour doubts, he felt it best to proclaim that he didn’t. He told the “There’s no reason why we can’t win the Championship, the T20 Blast and the 50-over Cup; the squad is strong enough to win all three competitions.”It now appears that there were three reasons: Essex in the quarter-final of the Royal London Cup – a 129-run trouncing which ended a “gallant” challenge according to the Post; Sussex at the same stage of the Vitality Blast when Rashid Khan went berserk with the bat with the tie seemingly won; and now a decisive defeat against Warwickshire in the Championship, the only competition that matters for a Yorkshire supporter of traditional mindset.Arthur has kept a low profile this summer, although he was at Headingley as Yorkshire’s final hope was extinguished. He has also had to contend with the fall-out after an internal inquiry concluded that Azeem Rafiq had suffered racial harassment during his time at the club. Like many members of Yorkshire’s admin staff, he has been on flexible furlough since last November. Furlough ends on September 30, which neatly coincides with the end of the season.With no success in any competition for six years, it would be remiss of Yorkshire not to examine administrative, captaincy and coaching positions across the board, irrespective of the serious issues raised by Rafiq’s revelatory, dogged and often emotional campaign, and the mishandling of their response to it. They have obsessively protected their squad from any fallout from the affair and that squad has been found wanting. Their 50-over campaign, to be fair, was debilitated by the loss of so many players to the Hundred, but they voted for it, and stand to benefit from it more than many, so they can hardly carp too much.Yorkshire’s coach, Andrew Gale, not for the first time, suggested he was in charge of a developing side. “We are on this journey and have made progress this year. It’s another step in the right direction.” But the voices in the back seat will be crying in his ear: “Are we there yet?” Apparently not.Yorkshire were fortunate to scrape into Division One of the Championship – had they not beaten Northamptonshire by one run at Headingley it would have been their opponents who qualified – and they, like Somerset, are now out of contention in the final round of matches as the top four fight, Warwickshire among them, for the prize.Their decline on the final morning, as Warwickshire wrapped up a 106-run win, was expected as soon as it became apparent that a Mediterranean climate had not fallen upon LS6 to soak every vestige of moisture from an uneven surface. In fact, it had rained steadily throughout the previous day, leaving Yorkshire, 50 for 3 overnight, to lose their last seven wickets 67 in 23.3 overs. The pitch seamed and bounced steeply for bowlers prepared to put their back into it. All done and dusted before what was probably a reflective lunch.Tim Bresnan was one Yorkshireman who could afford to crack a smile. He took six catches at first slip, only one below the first-class record for catches in an innings by a non-wicketkeeper, following up his three in the final session on Monday with another three today.Gary Ballance had departed in the first over of the morning, batting outside off stump to cover the movement but edging Woakes to second slip in any case. Bresnan just looked on for that one as Sam Hain held the catch, but he was soon wrapping big hands around the ball as Woakes found the edge of Harry Brook’s bat. Brook, understandably, stood his ground because it was debatable whether the catch was clean, but umpire Nigel Llong nodded that he was satisfied from square leg.Bresnan then had a perambulation, and added a wicket when Dom Bess played all around an inswinger. Harry Duke knocked back a leading edge to Craig Miles as he failed to deal with a steeply-rising delivery (cue a glower at the pitch).When Bresnan took his second catch – a cue end from Jordan Thompson as he tried to cut Liam Norwell – it appeared that time was frozen. The deflection off the bat could have been spotted from one of the flights passing over the ground to Leeds Bradford Airport, but Thompson presumably has been schooled in “We Walk For Nowt” principles. Thompson waited for umpire Neil Mallender, Mallender (a fellow Yorkie) was not about to raise his finger for something so obvious, and a gentle stand-off occurred before Thompson decided that nobody really wanted him to stick around any more.Bresnan had time to add his sixth catch, another gift, this time from Steve Patterson’s hack, before Warwickshire completed their victory. Yorkshire had been outplayed with bat and ball when it mattered and it is Warwickshire, dependable, pragmatic and, it has to be said, occasionally a little dull, who face a disoriented Somerset side at Edgbaston in their final match with their ambitions high.

Carlo Ancelotti's side returned to their old ways in Europe with a signature performance against the Austrian strugglers

Real Madrid found their Champions League swagger on Wednesday, putting five past a helpless Red Bull Salzburg in a dominant win that has them well positioned to guarentee a knockout spot. Vinicius Jr turned a poor first half into a dominant second, while Rodrygo bagged a brace in a statement 5-1 victory.

Rodrygo opened the scoring after an admittedly flat Madrid start. It came thanks to a sweeping move, Kylian Mbappe finding Vinicius, whose long ball deflected kindly into the path of his wide open Brazil team-mate, who couldn't miss from the back post. His second was sublime, meanwhile – a Jude Bellingham no-look backheel assist setting up an audacious curler to give Madrid a 2-0 advantage.

Salzburg gifted Madrid a third early in the second half as Mbappe closed down goalkeeper Janis Blaswich, who surrendered the ball in his own six-yard box, handing the Frenchman an easy finish into an open net. Vinicius made it 4-0 just short of the hour mark with a signature far-post finish and scored another after 77 minutes after a silly twist followed by easy slot into the corner. Salzburg then grabbed themselves a well-worked consolation that will serve as nothing more than a minor annoyance for the hosts as they kept their slim hopes of qualifying automatically for the last 16 alive.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Santiago Bernabeu…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Thibaut Courtois (6/10):

Claimed a handful of crosses, made a couple of easy saves. Could no nothing about the only goal.

Federico Valverde (7/10):

Effective as a right-back, which is hardly surprising. Even better as a midfielder for the last 30 minutes, which is even less of a shock.

Raul Asencio (7/10):

Tidy at centre-back, then put in a nice shift on the right to allow for Alaba's return to Champions League action.

Antonio Rudiger (7/10):

Won all of his tackles, and was challenged in the air without ever really looking uncomfortable.

Ferland Mendy (7/10):

Got forward quite a bit, and linked play well. Perhaps Fran Garcia's recent improvements have spurred him on…

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Dani Ceballos (7/10):

Kept things tidy and ticking. Never ambitious with the ball, but he really didn't have to be.

Luka Modric (8/10):

Bossed it from the middle, floating around and finding all of the right angles. Assisted Vinicius, too.

Jude Bellingham (8/10):

An absolutely ridiculous backheel set up Rodrygo's second. Dribbled around a lot, created three chances. Finding his best form.

AFPAttack

Rodrygo (8/10):

Took the opening goal well, made the second look even better. Not on the ball much, but was lethal when he had it.

Kylian Mbappe (7/10):

Not his cleanest game in possession, but he was certainly more lively defensively and grabbed an opportunistic goal.

Vinicius Jr (8/10):

Actually pretty poor in the first half. A bit loose in one-on-ones and correctly booked for diving. Seemed to wake up after the break, scoring a beauty – his 100th for Madrid – and tormenting his man. Added his 101st soon after. Silly.

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AFPSubs & Manager

David Alaba (7/10):

A solid 30 minutes as he contines his return from an ACL injury.

Arda Guler (6/10):

Never really involved in half an hour of action.

Endrick (6/10):

A few nice touches but not much else.

Brahim Diaz (5/10):

Lively, but not on long enough to make much happen

Jacobo Ramon (N/A):

A solid European debut.

Carlo Ancelotti (7/10):

Returned to a 4-3-3 with little defensive structure to speak of. After a poor start, Madrid found their swagger, and brushed away an inferior opponent. Back to something resembling their best.

Celtic and Brendan Rodgers are eyeing a new 20-year-old gem who has been compared to former Argentina great Angel Di Maria, according to a fresh transfer claim.

Celtic strong in Scottish Premiership but suffer Dortmund defeat

The Hoops still look nailed-on favourites to win yet another Scottish Premiership title this season, having won all seven games in the competition, sitting top of the league in the process. While Aberdeen are level on points with them at the moment, it would be a surprise if they remained in the hunt all the way through the campaign, with Rangers the biggest threat five points behind.

Celtic’s limitations have been exposed in the Champions League, however, with a 7-1 defeat away to Borussia Dortmund one of the most dispiriting results they have suffered in a long time.

Granted, they won their opening match in Europe’s most prestigious tournament, seeing off Slovan Bratislava in a 5-2 victory, but more quality could be needed for Rodgers’ side to be a genuine force in Europe.

The January transfer window will offer Celtic the chance to make new signings, at which point they will hopefully still be in the Champions League, and they have been linked with a move for a hugely exciting talent.

Celtic eyeing gem with "a lot of personality"

According to a new report from The Boot Room, Celtic are now eyeing Midtjylland forward Dario Osorio, as they battle rivals Rangers for a fresh transfer target.

The two Scottish giants “admire” the 20-year-old, but there is also believed to be plenty of interest from Premier League clubs, with Aston Villa, Brentford, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Wolves and Newcastle United all mentioned as potential suitors.

Osorio is a young player with such a high ceiling, so the idea of Celtic beating many top clubs to his signature is a mouthwatering prospect. The fact that the young attacker has been likened to Di Maria immediately bodes well, with the Argentina one of the best and most successful wingers of his generation, winning the 2022 World Cup and many other trophies in his career.

Meanwhile, Chile legend Alexis Sanchez has heaped praise on his compatriot, saying: “Dario has a lot of personality and that is important. You need that to play for the national team and at the highest level. Gary Medel and Arturo Vidal once had it and he has it, too.”

Osorio has scored 11 goals in 40 appearances for Midtjylland and has also netted once in 13 caps for Chile, and the fact that he still has so many years ahead of him means he should only mature into a more complete player over time.

Ange let "gifted" Celtic star leave for £0, now he's outscoring Engels

The former Hoops star is also on par with McGregor…

ByRobbie Walls Oct 11, 2024

Predominantly a right-sided attacking player, the youngster has proven himself in the Europa League this season, scoring once in two outings, and Rodgers could be viewing him as a long-term addition who can make his squad even more formidable moving forward.

Dhoni’s future as a player is uncertain, but indications are that he will stay on with the franchise in some capacity

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Oct-2021Whether he is part of Chennai Super Kings as a player or not come 2022, MS Dhoni and the franchise will continue to be inseparable, as far as top boss N Srinivasan is concerned.”Dhoni is part and parcel of CSK, Chennai and Tamil Nadu. There is no CSK without Dhoni and there is no Dhoni without CSK,” Srinivasan was quoted as saying by PTI on Monday.Dhoni has led the Super Kings right from inception in 2008, helming them to four titles (2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021). They have made the playoffs for every year of their existence bar one (2020).Related

KL Rahul: Having MS Dhoni in the dressing room 'gives us a sense of calmness'

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IPL 2021 – Three CSK players in Team of the Tournament

Dhoni: 'You'll see me in yellow next season'

This season, despite an ageing team and a lot of doubters following the poor run last year, where they finished seventh, Super Kings won nine of the 14 league games to finish second on the table. They beat table-toppers Delhi Capitals in Qualifier 1 to reach the final, and then beat Kolkata Knight Riders in the grand finale.Dhoni had been asked about his future a number of times during the course of the season. At one point, he confirmed, “you’ll see me in yellow next season but whether I’ll be playing for CSK, you never know.” Dhoni’s uncertainty stems from lack of clarity yet from BCCI on the retention policy ahead of the new season, where two new teams will line-up to make it a 10-team event.After winning the final in Dubai last week, Dhoni had said at the presentation: “We have to decide what is good for CSK, you know. It’s not really about me being there in the top three or four, whatever the retained number of players is.”It’s about making a strong core and making sure the franchise doesn’t really suffer, because it will be an auction where you have to make a team for the next ten years. Definitely in 2008, the core group carried on for more than ten years. We’ll have to have a hard look as to… in the next ten years, who are the people who will contribute in a similar manner.”Then while asked about the legacy he would leave behind at Super Kings, Dhoni responded, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, “But still, I haven’t left [it] behind!”

Carlo Ancelotti's side slumped to a poor loss on the road as their star attackers fell short.

Real Madrid were punished for a poor performance Saturday evening, losing 1-0 to a well-organized Espanyol side to give Atletico Madrid and Barcelona life in the title race. Los Blancos had the majority of the ball, but a lack of cutting edge in front of goal saw the league leaders slump to a drab away loss.

Carlo Ancelotti's thought they had the lead after 20 minutes, when Vinicius Jr curled a wonderful effort into the bottom corner. But a foul in the build up from Kylian Mbappe saw it disallowed. Espanyol defended diligently otherwise, and limited Madrid chances for the majority of the first half.

The story was largely the same after the break. Madrid showed plenty of intent, but found little joy. There were constant shots, without much material to show for them. Rodrygo came close with 15 minutes remaining, cutting inside his man before hitting the post with a poked effort. Mbappe, too, nearly found the net – only to lash the ball wide.

And Espanyol made them pay for it all. The home side pieced together a fluid counter-attack that ended with a side-footed finish from left-back Carlos Romero. It was entirely deserved, in the end, Los Blancos showing that this title might be harder to win than we all thought.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Stage Front Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Thibaut Courtois (6/10):

Made a couple of important saves, and could do nothing about the goal.

Lucas Vazquez (6/10):

Got up and down the right side, looked to find the front three, did his bit defensively.

Aurelien Tchouameni (5/10):

Lost a couple of key duels, and was a bit fortunate not to be punished.

Antonio Rudiger (N/A):

Exited with an injury after 15 minutes. Not good for Madrid whatsoever.

Fran Garcia (7/10):

Lively throughout, and full of energy on the wing. Probably his side's best player.

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Federico Valverde (5/10):

An uncharacteristically quiet showing. Didn't get forward much and seemed to lack energy at times. Lost his man on the goal.

Dani Ceballos (6/10):

Won the ball, passed it sideways. Boring, but important.

Jude Bellingham (7/10):

Never stopped running, was selfless off the ball, and looked to link with the front three.

Getty Images SportAttack

Rodrygo (5/10):

Good until he had to make a decision in possession. Some of his passing was pretty woeful.

Kylian Mbappe (4/10):

Really struggled to get involved in the first half. A bit more impactful in the second without making anything happen.

Vinicius Jr (6/10):

Had a wonderful goal disallowed, constantly ran at his man, but never provided that crucial final moment of inspiration.

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Raul Asencio (7/10):

Called into action after just 15 minutes when Rudiger went off injured. Rock solid at the back.

Luka Modric (5/10):

Barely involved in 20 minutes.

Brahim Diaz (N/A):

A late roll of the dice. Never quite had an impact.

Carlo Ancelotti (3/10):

What a poor evening. His side were pretty woeful, and he might have lost his star centre-back to injury. Title race on, concerns palpable.

La Liga giants Real Madrid are “seriously” considering the sale of an illustrious player in the next transfer window, with Arsenal prepared to bid and at the forefront of the race for his signature.

Arsenal given selection headaches ahead of crucial Liverpool game

While sporting director Edu Gaspar weighs up the club’s next transfer swoops, in a bid to reinforce Mikel Arteta’s squad, the Spaniard is currently attempting to find a way around some real selection headaches before hosting Liverpool on Sunday.

Arteta thinks "exceptional" Real Madrid player would be perfect for Arsenal

The north Londoners could look to raid the Bernabeu.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 23, 2024

There are fears that defender Riccardo Calafiori has suffered ligament damage, after he was forced off with 20 minutes left to play during Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League earlier this week.

Meanwhile, it is believed Takehiro Tomiyasu is facing around a month on the sidelines after his knee injury flared up again recently. The Japan international had only just returned from a problem which kept him sidelined since pre-season, making a brief cameo against Southampton, but Tomiyasu is now set to be unavailable again for the foreseeable.

Arsenal expect Bukayo Saka to miss their clash against Liverpool, while it remains to be seen when club captain Martin Odegaard will return from his ankle injury. Another doubt ahead of this Sunday is defender Jurrien Timber, with the Dutchman missing Arsenal’s last few games after picking up a muscle problem recently.

Meanwhile, left-back Kieran Tierney remains out with a hamstring injury. Arteta has been dealt many fitness blows to key player since the beginning of the season, and Arsenal have done pretty well to cope with what can only be described as an injury crisis.

Reports have suggested that the north Londoners could look to the transfer market in an effort to sign much-needed strength in depth. Arsenal are reportedly looking to sign a back-up for Saka, with Bryan Mbeumo among their potential targets.

It is even believed by some sections of the press that Arsenal may lodge a bid for Atalanta defender Isak Hien, so there are a few options that Edu and co are considering as we approach the turn of the year.

Real Madrid forward Arda Guler is deemed by Arteta as a potential perfect Arsenal signing, according to some reports, as the Turkey international starlet weighs up his future at the Bernabeu.

Guler is by no means the only Real player on their radar, though, as an update from Spain claims this week.

Arsenal prepared to bid for Rodrygo as Real Madrid consider sale

According to a Spanish report, Galacticos star and Brazil forward Rodrygo is in Edu’s thinking.

Appearances

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The £200,000-per-week star could be close to saying goodbye to Madrid, and his next destination may well be the Premier League. It is believed Carlo Ancelotti’s side are “seriously” considering his sale in January, with Arsenal prepared to bid for Rodrygo and take advantage of this situation.

Both the Gunners and Liverpool are described as at the “forefront” of the race for Rodrygo, but it may not be an easy deal to pull off. There have been suggestions that the 23-year-old could cost around £136 million, which would shatter Arsenal’s transfer record, so it remains to be seen just how far Edu and co would be willing to go for a deal.

A new transfer report has claimed that Newcastle United are one of several Premier League clubs whose scouts have been wowed by a player who is “incredibly good defensively”.

Newcastle transfer news

In some much needed positive transfer news, the Magpies have reportedly been boosted in their efforts to sign Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, who has been enjoying a superb season for the west Londoners and is a dream target for sporting director Paul Mitchell.

While a summer transfer in 2025 looks more likely than a switch during the January transfer window, the Bees may entertain offers of £50m for the Cameroonian’s services, considering he will only have one year remaining on his contract at that point.

In terms of other transfer rumours doing the rounds at Newcastle, Sevilla centre-back Loic Bade is seen as an option for Eddie Howe, as the Magpies look to bring in more defensive cover, amid long-term injuries to Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles.

Alexander Isak’s St James’ Park future is in some doubt currently, with the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea believed to be eyeing a move for him, and Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani has emerged as a target for Newcastle, should they need to replace the Swede.

Newcastle scouts wowed by 21-year-old star

According to Caught Offside, Mitchell’s Newcastle’s scouts have been blown away by Barcelona midfielder Marca Casado, with Liverpool and Manchester United also mentioned as potential suitors.

The Magpies are among the clubs who have “received positive feedback” on the 21-year-old, with scouts seeing his “vision on the ball and ability to control a game from midfield” as strong aspects of his game, despite his tender years.

Casado is a footballer with an immense amount of potential, already becoming a vital figure for Barca this season, starting eight matches in La Liga, including in the memorable recent 4-0 win away to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu. Hansi Flick is under no illusions as to how good he is, saying of his player: “He’s incredible. If you see him play now, if you know where he comes from and the level now, everything that has improved.

“He’s incredibly good defensively, also with the ball at his feet. This is La Masia. I’m very happy. Everyone sees the quality of these players. You can see it in the second half when we combined and kept possession. It’s been very good.”

Casado looks a class act both in and out of possession, with his technical ability highlighted by three assists and a 91.2% pass completion rate in the league in 2024/25. Flick’s praise of his defensive game also speaks volumes.

Newcastle now boosted in efforts to sign Mitchell’s dream target for £50m

A 2025 transfer could be on the cards.

ByHenry Jackson Nov 4, 2024

Newcastle signing the young Spaniard would be a major coup, especially if they pipped Liverpool and United to his signature, but Barca will surely be desperate to retain his services.