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The former Turkey international became a star under Diego Simeone but he went off the rails after a disastrous spell at Barcelona…

The signing of Arda Guler is already generating plenty of excitement at Real Madrid. Vinicius Junior, for example, has hailed the arrival of the Turkish teenager as further evidence of the club's enduring ability to attract the best young players on the planet: "Another one has chosen the greatest [club]."

The Guler transfer certainly represents quite the coup for Madrid, given he was also wanted by hated rivals Barcelona, among others. Indeed, he's already being touted as the best player to come out of Turkey since Arda Turan, a hugely divisive figure who left quite the mark on Spanish football.

Turan established himself as one of the best attacking midfielders in the world during his time at Atletico Madrid, but his subsequent spell at Barcelona proved a disaster. So, why did Arda flop at Camp Nou? Was he just not good enough? Or did he simply join at the wrong time?

Certainly, some would certainly argue that his move to Barca was doomed from the start…

Getty'The board needs a player like Arda'

At the very least, Arda's arrival in Catalunya effectively coincided with the beginning of the end of an era at Barcelona, the moment at which Josep Maria Bartomeu started making one terrible transfer after another, which eventually led to him resigning in disgrace in 2020.

In the summer of 2015, though, Bartomeu and Barcelona were basking in the glory of a treble, the decision to sign Luis Suarez the year before having immediately reaped rewards, with the Uruguayan forming arguably the greatest attacking triumvirate the game has ever seen with Neymar and Lionel Messi.

Luis Enrique, though, felt he needed even more quality in attack, so he asked then-president Bartomeu to acquire Arda, an accomplished but abrasive attacking midfielder who could also play as a winger – and one of the key members of the Atletico squad that had beaten Barca to the Liga title in 2013-14, and reached the final of the Champions League.

Bartomeu was only too happy to make his coach's request a reality. As far as he was concerned, Arda wasn't an option, he was an obligation. "The board needs to sign a player like him – they have to," Bartomeu said ahead of his re-election as Barca president in the summer of 2015. "They must sign Arda and incorporate him as soon as possible so that he can start the pre-season."

Barca didn't waste too much time agreeing a deal with Atletico for an initial €31 million (£26m/$34m) and €7m (£6m/$8m) in variables, meaning he was indeed added to the squad in time for pre-season. The problem was, though, he couldn't actually play.

AdvertisementGettyA late start

Because of their ongoing transfer ban, Barca weren't actually able to register Arda. Consequently, he didn't make his debut until January 6, 2016 – nearly six months after joining – meaning he was playing catch-up from the get-go. He unsurprisingly struggled for rhythm and there was talk of a transfer at the end of the season.

However, Luis Enrique wanted to persist with a player that he had pushed to sign and, in fairness, there was a period in his first full season of eligibility that Arda appeared as if he might actually manage to lock down a regular spot in the starting line-up – not least after he became just the sixth Barcelona player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League, against Borussia Monchengladbach in December 2016, before then hitting another treble later that month, in a Copa del Rey rout of Hercules.

It proved a false dawn, though.

Getty'Valverde made me feel insignificant'

Arda was hindered by injury in the second half of the season, and even when he returned to full fitness at the tail end of the campaign, he barely saw any game time, spending the entirety of Barca's final four Liga games, and the Copa del Rey final, sitting on the bench. There was just no room for him in the MSN forward line, while Ivan Rakitic and Andres Iniesta were the preferred offensive options alongside Sergio Busquets in midfield.

And a change of manager did not improve Arda's first-team prospects. On the contrary, his Barca career ended the moment Ernesto Valverde replaced Luis Enrique at the helm. Arda didn't see a single second of action under Valverde before desperately accepting a two-and-a-half-year loan deal with Istanbul Basaksehir in January 2018.

"Valverde made me feel slighted," Arda told . "He said he was going to play me but he didn't. He said he was going to give me a chance but he didn't. Everything was fine when Luis Enrique was there. We had won the league and the cup. Yes, sometimes things didn't go as planned in the Champions League. But, with Valverde, I felt insignificant and decided to leave. No one, including Valverde, has forced me out of Barcelona. I have made the decision to leave."

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GettyArda's 'momentary mistake'

But it was a mistake, as Arda admitted himself. He picked up a Super Lig title during his spell at Basaksehir, but his time in Istanbul was blighted by controversy.

In May 2018, he was banned for 16 matches – later reduced to 10 on appeal – for insulting and pushing an assistant referee in the closing stages of a game against Sivasspor. And the reason for Arda's explosion of rage? A disputed throw-in.

Much worse was to follow, with Arda involved in a nightclub brawl later that year that left Turkish pop star Berkay Sahin with a broken nose. According to Berkay's wife, Ozlem Ada Sahin, Arda had made suggestive remarks to her and then attacked her husband.

An armed Arda later turned up at the hospital where Berkay was taken for surgery, begging for forgiveness and asking to be shot if the singer truly believed that he had been harassing his wife. Arda was ultimately given a suspended jail sentence of two years and eight months for firing a gun to cause panic, illegal possession of weapons and intentional injury.

He apologised for his "momentary mistake" and insisted that he had "learned lessons from these events."

Clubs in the English top flight have until June 23 to tie down players to short-term deals if they want to finish the 2019-20 season

The coronavirus pandemic threw football into chaos this year.

While the Premier League season has now resumed, clubs and players alike face an uncertain future.

The financial ramifications of the disruption are yet to be truly seen but, in the short term, players up and down the country find themselves with decisions to make.

Most player contracts in the Premier League end on June 30 of a given year, but the 2019-20 season is now expected to run until late July. For clubs playing in Europe, fixtures may continue until the end of August.

The Premier League has set a deadline of June 23 for players to agree short-term contract extensions in order to play until the end of the season.

Some have already taken up this option – David Silva at Manchester City and Liverpool’s Adam Lallana among them – but plenty of players are still set to be without a club on July 1.

GettyWillian – Chelsea

Brazil international Willian has played more than 300 times for Chelsea since joining in 2013, winning two Premier League titles after the Blues hijacked a proposed move to Tottenham.

However, his future has been up in the air for some time now and he has been linked with a number of clubs during the 2019-20 season.

Manchester United and Arsenal have both been linked, with the 31-year-old still a useful player for any club looking to add strength in depth.

Barcelona were also rumoured to be considering a move during the January transfer window but for now, he is believed to be open to signing a temporary contract to finish the season with Chelsea.

AdvertisementGettyRyan Fraser – Bournemouth

Fraser’s decision not to agree a short-term contract extension has left Bournemouth staring down the barrel of relegation as the final stretch of the season looms.

He notched seven goals and 14 assists in the Premier League last season, though he has scored only once in the current campaign.

The Cherries restart the season in 18th. Simon Francis, Andrew Surman, Artur Boruc and Charlie Daniels have all agreed to short-term deals, but Fraser will depart for free.

Arsenal and Tottenham have both been linked with his signature.

Getty ImagesJan Vertonghen – Tottenham

Contrasting reports around Vertonghen’s immediate future mean it is currently unclear whether or not he will still be a Tottenham player come July 1.

The 33-year-old has been at Spurs since 2012, one of the key figures in their progression under Mauricio Pochettino.

His experience also means he will be a wanted man if he does leave on a free transfer.

Fellow defender Japhet Tanganga, who made his debut earlier this season, is also out of contract but had reportedly been in talks over a new deal before Covid-19 struck.

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GettyDavid Luiz – Arsenal

Arsenal are looking to reshape their squad on a budget under Mikel Arteta, and it remains to be seen whether Luiz will be part of the rebuild.

He may well have already played his last game for the Gunners, having been sent off in a disaster-class performance against Manchester City in their first game back.

Luiz has shown signs of being keen on another year at the Emirates Stadium but, after an unconvincing season, some fans would doubtless be content to see him go.

The defender’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, has said his future will be decided before the June 23 deadline.

Marvan Atapattu is still in line to become Sri Lanka’s head coach, as the search for the job moves to its final stages, amid controversy

Andrew Fidel Fernando23-Sep-20141:51

Fernando: ‘No clarity on why Jayasuriya resigned’

Marvan Atapattu is a strong contender to become Sri Lanka’s head coach, as the search for the job moved to its final stages, amid controversy. The coach-selection committee selected Atapattu as one of its two final candidates, but the meeting that arrived at those decisions was not attended by chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya, who had resigned from his position in the committee late on Tuesday morning.The board has not named the other remaining candidate, but the coach-selection committee will interview him on Tuesday afternoon, before making its final recommendation on Wednesday. That recommendation will then need to be ratified by the executive committee at their meeting on the same day, before the appointment is official. The committee had already interviewed Atapattu on Tuesday morning.Jayasuriya’s resignation had come as a surprise to most in the 11-member committee, and is a significant shift for the coach-selection process because Jayasuriya had been among those taking the lead in finding and interviewing candidates for the position. He had also been among the strongest voices and key decision-makers in the Sri Lanka setup since his appointment as selector in early 2013.Jayasuriya said there was nothing more to his resignation than “personal reasons”. In an email sent to SLC on Tuesday, however, he had expressed dismay that factions within the coach selection committee had publicly “given the impression that my sole intention was to appoint a foreign coach”. In the email, he had also suggested that there appeared to be a perception that selecting the strongest candidate to oversee the World Cup campaign was not the only consideration for some committee members.Atapattu had been the sole local candidate for the position, and has been strongly considered because of his intimate knowledge of the Sri Lankan system and its players, and because SLC could afford him. He has also been successful in his three-month tenure as interim head coach, overseeing a major Test-series triumph in England, as well as Test and ODI series wins against Pakistan at home.There had been concerns whether Atapattu was ready for the position, given his recent retirement from Test cricket, and his relative inexperience as a top coach. He joined the Sri Lanka staff as a batting coach in 2011 before being promoted to assistant coach under Graham Ford, in 2013.Doubts over whether Atapattu should be put in charge of a side that featured former team-mates Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene had been among the reasons why SLC had considered making a short-term coach. It was thought this coach could stay until the end of the World Cup, after which Jayawardene and Sangakkara would likely retire from limited-overs cricket and Atapattu would be free to take the job. However, both coaches that have now been shortlisted are long-term candidates, committee members confirmed.If Atapattu is appointed, he will become Sri Lanka’s first local long-term coach since 1999, when Roy Dias oversaw that year’s World Cup campaign. If the foreign coach gets the position, Sri Lanka will have its eighth coach – long-term or interim – in the last four years.

Preston Mommsen, the Scotland captain, said Associate nations to play more cricket with Full Member countries in order to compete better at tournaments like the World Cup

George Dobell08-Feb-2015Preston Mommsen, the Scotland captain, called on the ICC to provide “a level playing field” for Associate nations as they battle to compete with the Full Members in international cricket.Scotland are making their third appearance in the World Cup after the 1999 and 2007 editions and Mommsen fears that the ICC’s decision to reduce the number of teams involved in future tournaments from 14 to 10 and the recent changes at the ICC that could lead to a drop in funding would endanger their chances of becoming a better team.”Coming into the tournament there’s a lot of talk about Associates and whether or not they deserve a place,” Mommsen said. “My view is it’s a World Cup and of course they deserve a place.But at the same time, we have to put performances in. We’re not here to fill in the numbers. We take a lot of inspiration from what Ireland have done at previous World Cups. They found a way to stand up to the big teams and we’ll be looking to do the same thing.”Mommsen was particularly uncomfortable with the low number of high-quality fixtures his side have played in recent times. While England have played 30 ODIs since the start of 2014, Scotland have played just 11 and only one of which was against a Full Member side. It means that, each time they qualify for a global event, they face a steep improvement in the quality of opposition.”There’s no question that we need to be exposed to higher level ODI cricket,” he said. “If you compare our build-up to this tournament with the likes of New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies, Australia or England, the number of one day internationals they’ve played compared to the number we’ve played against Full-Member nations, you can’t compare it.”So in terms of a level playing field, I’m not sure that was quite level in the preparation we’ve been given. But we have to deal with that and we’re doing our best to be best prepared for that first game against New Zealand.”The frustration for Mommsen and his team is that they feel they have the talent to cause an upset or two in the competition and, given a bit of assistance, cricket could develop very quickly in Scotland.”We’re the best prepared Scotland team that’s left the shores, there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “We’ve got a fully-contracted 15 players and we’re looking to make a mark on this world stage.”This is obviously the next stage for us: coming to a world tournament and being put under a lot of pressure to perform. We view it as a crossroads. We’re very excited about the next few years. There’s some real quality in the 15 and hopefully we’ll deliver.”There is a huge market of cricket followers. Since qualifying 12 months ago, the profile has increased dramatically. We are getting a lot more support as a team. Social media has a huge part to play in that and, hopefully through good performance at this World Cup, we can see cricket grow and grow at a very quick level.”Victory over England would prove especially popular back in Scotland and Mommsen admitted that it was the fixture he was looking forward to.”We want to win every game we play,” he said. “But that England fixture is a very big one. The atmosphere is going to be a pretty good. Hopefully we’ll get some home support as the underdogs, but that would be a game we’d love to turn them over in.”

Erik ten Hag has seen the “crazy idea” of returning to Ajax speculated on if he were to get the sack at Premier League giants Manchester United.

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Dutch coach struggling for positive resultsSetbacks suffered at home and abroadQuestions being asked of his futureWHAT HAPPENED?

The Dutch coach finds himself under pressure at Old Trafford after suffering potentially costly defeats in domestic and Champions League competition. The Red Devils lost their last fixture in the English top-flight to Crystal Palace, while back-to-back defeats have been suffered in Europe at the hands of Bayern Munich and Galatasaray.

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Ten Hag did deliver Carabao Cup glory and a top-four finish during his debut campaign in English football, but he has fallen out with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho along the way and desperately needs to deliver a reversal in fortune after being given more money to spend in the transfer market.

WHAT THEY SAID

Former Ajax striker Kenneth Perez has suggested that Ten Hag could end up retracing his steps to Amsterdam after less than 18 months in Manchester. He has told : “Imagine if Erik ten Hag were fired, would it be very crazy for Ajax to ask him back? Manchester United is known for the fact that things can get difficult if things don’t go well. Then it’s not a crazy idea, is it?”

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Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Ten Hag previously won three Eredivisie titles during his time at Ajax, taking in over 200 games at the helm, but he has found consistency hard to come by with United and is waiting on big-money additions such as Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund to come good in 2023-24.

Jude Bellingham's stunning start to life at Real Madrid has resulted in a boost in La Liga's popularity in the United Kingdom, Javier Tebas says.

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Bellingham off to great start at MadridMidfielder has 13 goals for Spanish sideMore interest in La Liga from UK, says TebasWHAT HAPPENED?

Bellingham has already scored 13 goals and registered three assists in just 14 appearances across La Liga and the Champions League since joining from Borussia Dortmund in the summer transfer window.

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The 20-year-old has been hailed as one of the best players in the world due to his spectacular form, and La Liga president Tebas says he has brought more British eyes to the top-flight in Spain.

WHAT JAVIER TEBAS SAID

"It's only been a few months, it's too soon to know the full extent, but in the viewing levels in the UK Bellingham is having a big impact in our league," he told the news agency.

"He's an important player and the United Kingdom and other English-speaking areas are attracted to our league because of him. Bellingham is a top player, we knew he was a great player but we didn't realise the level he could reach, at Real Madrid it's like he's from a different planet."

He added: "We have got the best player in Europe who is English. We can't compare the two countries. Obviously the Premier League is bigger but the best player in Europe is playing in Spain. So we have the choice to get the best players to come to Spain."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BELLINGHAM?

Bellingham had to withdraw from the England squad for their upcoming Euro 2024 qualifying games due to injury. He could be back in action for Real Madrid's La Liga meeting with Cadiz on November 26.

Luke Littler has taken the darts world by storm but he is also a keen football fan – GOAL takes a look at who he supports and his favourite players.

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The sporting story of the year could be written just a few days into 2024 if 16-year-old Luke Littler does the unthinkable and wins the PDC World Championship.

The teenage darts star has pulled off a stunning march to the final, beating established pros including Raymond van Barneveld, Brendan Dolan and Rob Cross to set up a final showdown with Luke Humphries at Alexandra Palace on Wednesday night.

It's no secret that Littler is a keen football fan – so who does he support, and who is his favourite player?

Getty ImagesWHO IS LUKE LITTLER?

Luke Littler is a 16-year-old darts player who – despite only making his senior tournament debut in 2023-24 – has reached the final of the PDC World Championship. He has produced some of the best performances ever seen in the competition, including the phenomenal 6-2 win over Cross in the semis that saw him achieve 16 180s, averaging a score of 106.05. Indeed, if Littler completes the job and wins the final against Luke Humphries on Wednesday night, he will take home the prize money pay-out of £500,000 ($630,000).

AdvertisementWHICH FOOTBALL TEAM DOES LUKE LITTLER SUPPORT?

Littler may have been born in Runcorn, but the teenager is a huge Manchester United fan. In a recent interview, the darts star said he will take a tour of Old Trafford after the PDC World Championship is over. Ahead of the final at Alexandra Palace, United players past and present including Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand and Luke Shaw sent the youngster their good-luck wishes, while the official Manchester United Instagram account wrote that they're "right behind" him in his quest for glory.

WHO IS LUKE LITTLER'S FAVOURITE FOOTBALL PLAYER?

Littler's favourite player is likely to be a United star, and it could well be Marcus Rashford. After his third round victory last week, the Reds fan copied the striker's trademark celebration, and posted a side-by-side photo on Instagram.

He is clearly a massive football fan in general, though, and recently posed for photos with Declan Rice and Aaron Ramsdale after watching Arsenal lose 2-0 to West Ham. He then attended Tottenham's 3-1 win against Bournemouth with injured Spurs midfielder James Maddison, who has helped put darts on the map with his infamous celebration. Littler has also been spotted sharing a selfie with United midfielder Donny van de Beek, using the caption 'legend'. The Dutchman has since left Old Trafford, however, after completing a loan move to Frankfurt.

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Getty/GOAL/IG:@lukethenukelittlerDOES LUKE LITTLER PLAY FOOTBALL?

Littler has played darts since a young age, but as a child he also enjoyed playing football. He told reporters that he used to play at centre-back, and remarked that "no-one was getting past me". The teenager doesn't play the beautiful game now, after deciding to fully focus on darts at the age of 10, although is clearly a fan of the EA Sports FC/FIFA franchise, having admitted that he only knew Brazil legend Pele from playing the game.

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has been challenged to a race by Alica Schmidt – the German sprinter dubbed “the world’s sexiest athlete”.

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Norwegian forward boasts plenty of paceGerman sprinter ready to take him onHummels beaten in previous raceWHAT HAPPENED?

Haaland was clocked running at 22.5mph during the 2022-23 campaign – in which he helped City to a historic Treble – and is famed for his pace and power in footballing circles. He hit 52 goals last season and boasts the kind of acceleration that would trouble any defence.

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Schmidt has been in action at the 2023 World Athletics Championship in Budapest, with the 400m her go-to event – as she averages a speed of 17mph over that distance. The 24-year-old, who is also a model and boasts 4.3 million followers on Instagram, believes that she could take Haaland during a race around one lap of the track – although concedes that she would find it “more difficult” over 200m.

WHAT THEY SAID

Schmidt has told of potentially lining up against Norwegian hot-shot Haaland: “Hmm, I don't know – maybe. I think, on 400m, yes. On 200m, it would be more difficult. But I would be happy if the race takes place. I don't know, I have to ask him. But I'm always ready. So, Haaland, if you're ready to race, I would be happy. Let's see who's faster!”

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Schmidt previously posed a similar challenge to Borussia Dortmund’s World Cup-winning defender Mats Hummels back in 2021 – a race she won comfortably, with Hummels admitting that his fellow German “makes it look so easy”. Hummels was, however, 32 at the time and Haaland is only 23.

Where to watch the Ligue 1 game between PSG and Lorient on TV, plus live stream options, team news and more.

Paris Saint-Germain will be hoping to continue winning to seal the Ligue 1 title soon when they take on Lorient at Parc des Princes on Sunday.

🖥️ Watch PSG Ligue 1 games with Sling TV in the US!

Since their back-to-back home defeats against Rennes and Lyon, PSG have put together three wins in a row and Kylian Mbappe scored a brace as the French champions beat Angers in their previous outing. With an eight-point lead over second-placed Marseille, PSG will be looking to wrap up their league campaign as soon as possible without any hiccups.

Their opponents Lorient are 11th in the standings but they are winless in their last five matches. Going up against the defending champions will be a difficult challenge for the team in the bottom half of the table,

GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch the game on TV and online, as well as team news, head-to-head record and more.

Getty ImagesPSG vs Lorient kick-off timeGame:PSG vs LorientDate:April 30, 2023Kick-off:11.05am EDT Venue:Parc des Princes

The fixture between PSG and Lorient will be played on Sunday April 30, 2023. The match will kick off at 11.05am EDT in the U.S.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesHow to watch PSG vs Lorient – TV channels & live streamsTV channels & live stream options

Country TV channel Live stream

U.S.beIN SPORTSSling TV

PSG vs Lorient can be streamed live with Sling TV in the United States and beIN SPORTS will be broadcasting the game live on TV.

GettyTeam news & squadsPSG team news

PSG will be without Neymar, Presnel Kimpembe and Nordi Mukiele, who have all been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Renato Sanches is yet to fully recover from his injury and is set to miss another game. Nuno Mendes and Timothee Pembele, who were injured, have resumed training and the latter is in the squad selected for the game against Lorient.

PSG predicted XI: Donnarumma; Pereira, Ramos, Marquinhos; Hakimi, Ruiz, Vitinha, Verratti, Mendes; Mbappe, Messi

Position PSG players

Goalkeepers:Donnarumma, Rico, LetellierDefenders:Hakimi, Ramos, Mendes, Marquinhos, Bernat, Bitshiabu, Fernandez-Veliz, Lamy, PereiraMidfielders:Ruiz, Vitinha, Danilo, Soler, Zaire-Emery, Gharbi, VerrattiForwards:Mbappe, Messi, Ekitike, HousniLorient team news

Jean-Victor Makengo and Igor Silva have picked up injuries in the last week and will miss Lorient's big game against defending champions PSG. The duo will join Theo Le Bris and Julien Laporte in the treatment room.

Julien Ponceau missed a training session earlier this week due to illness but is expected to take the field on Sunday.

Lorient predicted XI: Mvogo; Le Goff, Meite, Talbi; Kalulu, Innocent, Abergel, Yongwa; Le Fee, Faivre; Kone

Position Nice players

Goalkeepers:Mannone, MvogoDefenders:Talbi, Matsima, Yongwa, Meite, Kalulu, Le Goff, Wackers, JamesMidfielders:Innocent, Adil, Faivre, Abergel, Ponceau, Le Fee, Kari, Lebas, Nagera, Bellon, DoumbouyaForwards:Diarra, Kone, Dieng, Cathline, Kroupi, Doucoure, Doumbia, Colas, NilorHead-to-head record

Date Result Competition

November 2022Lorient 1-2 PSGLigue 1April 2022PSG 5-1 LorientLigue 1December 2021Lorient 1-1 PSGLigue 1January 2021Lorient 3-2 PSGLigue 1December 2020PSG 2-0 LorientLigue 1

PSG won the reverse fixture 2-1 earlier in the season and will be confident of getting another win against the same opponents at home. Lorient's last win over PSG was in 2021 and a shock result looks very unlikely.

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Goal takes a look at the interesting monikers of the 32 teams that are travelling to Qatar in November 2022…

The World Cup is the grandest stage of international football where people, art, and culture from across the globe come together. It is a month-long carnival where the finest footballing nations lock horns for the ultimate prize in football.

Almost every football team has got nicknames that gives an insight into their roots or their distinct characteristics. There is usually a story behind each of these monikers that also resonate well with the fans at large. These nicknames would be used by commentators and journalists.

In fact, Brazil, the most successful nation in World Cup history, has got around six nicknames. Argentina are popularly known as for its colour of the flag and jersey. Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal are known as for their rich naval history whereas England are known as

GettyAustralia – Socceroos

The term 'Socceroos' was coined by Sydney-based journalist Tony Horstead who wanted to highlight Australia's iconic kangaroos. The words  and  are combined into a portmanteau word as 

AdvertisementGettyIran – Team Melli

in the Persian language means "The National Team". There are a few other nicknames as well such as meaning the "The Iranian Lions", meaning the "Lion Hearts" and "Princes of Persia".

Getty ImagesJapan – Samurai Blue

The Japanese team is nicknamed the in close reference to their historical Samurai background.

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GettyQatar – The Maroon

Qatar is nicknamed The Maroon, corresponding to the colour of their home jersey.