O Internacional voltou a treinar após doze dias sem atividades devido a tragédia climática que assola o Rio Grande do Sul. O Colorado utiliza um campo da PUC-RS e despertou a curiosidade de cerca de 20 torcedores, segundo o “ge”.
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O clube decidiu fechar o treinamento comandado por Eduardo Coudet, o que irritou os fãs que estiveram no local. A diretoria ainda discute o que fará nas próximas semanas, visto que o CT Parque Gigante não se encontra em condições de atividades.
Neste momento, o Internacional se prepara para o retorno do Brasileirão, que ainda não teve uma paralisação oficializada, e para a Sul-Americana. A equipe tem previsão para voltar aos gramados diante do Vitória, no dia primeiro de julho.
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Na competição continental, a Conmebol remarcou os confrontos contra Real Tomayapo e Delfil para os dias quatro e oito de junho, respectivamente. Nesse período, o Colorado deve estar desfalcado de algumas peças por conta da Data Fifa.
Jamie Vardy made headlines as he stepped onto the pitch for Cremonese wearing “Becky” on the back of his No.10 shirt, a heartfelt tribute to his wife as part of the ‘A Red to Violence’ campaign. The gesture formed part of a league-wide initiative marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and instantly captured attention across Italy and beyond.
Vardy wears Becky's name on his back
Vardy wore his wife Rebekah’s name on the back of his Cremonese shirt during the club’s Serie A match against Roma, taking part in the league-wide ‘A Red to Violence’ initiative. Instead of featuring their own names, players were encouraged to display the names of women close to them, aligning with efforts to raise awareness around domestic abuse. Vardy chose to honour his wife of nine years, joining teammates and several other Serie A sides in the touching campaign.
The initiative saw Cremonese join clubs including Lazio, Parma, Udinese and Lecce in marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Players opted for the names of partners, daughters, mothers, grandmothers or friends as symbols of support and solidarity. Vardy’s shirt stood out, with “Becky” sitting above his trademark No.10 as he lined up at the Stadio Giovanni Zini.
The 38-year-old striker has made a decent start to life in Italy after leaving Leicester, and the gesture highlighted his commitment to participating fully in club and league initiatives. His involvement also underscored the personal significance of the moment, given his long-standing relationship with Rebekah and the family they have built together.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe 'A Red to Violence' intiative
The ‘A Red to Violence’ initiative represents a growing movement within Italian football to use matchdays as a platform for social awareness campaigns. Serie A’s decision to coordinate club participation magnified the message, encouraging both players and fans to reflect on violence against women and the importance of support networks. Vardy's involvement, as one of the league’s most high-profile foreign stars, helped broaden international visibility for the campaign.
For Vardy personally, the decision to honour Rebekah resonated because of the couple’s long-standing relationship and their blended family. The moment underscored his grounded character and the strong family values that have followed him throughout his career from non-league football to Premier League triumphs. His choice added an emotional dimension to a symbolic gesture already rich in meaning.
Jamie and Rebekah Vardy's relationship
Vardy and Rebekah have been together since 2014 and married two years later in Cheshire, building a family that includes six children across their previous and shared relationships. The couple recently relocated to Italy after Vardy ended his historic Leicester spell in May, marking a new chapter in both their lives. Their move to Cremonese has brought fresh challenges, but also a continuation of the tight-knit family life they have cultivated for over a decade.
The striker’s arrival in Italy came after an extraordinary Leicester career, where he won the Premier League, FA Cup and Golden Ball award, breaking multiple goalscoring records along the way. His time at the King Power also included memorable Champions League nights, a Premier League Player of the Season title and selection for England at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup.
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Getty Images SportVardy helping Cremonese navigate through Serie A
Cremonese will hope Vardy can continue blending emotional leadership with on-field impact as they navigate the challenges of Serie A survival. His early influence, both as a goalscorer and a figure of seniority, positions him as a key part of the squad’s development in the coming months. Maintaining his form and fitness will be central to the club’s ambitions as they look to build stability in Italy’s top tier.
For Vardy personally, his start in Italy suggests he still has plenty to contribute despite nearing the twilight of his career. A strong first season at Cremonese could extend his stay, particularly as he continues adapting to Italian football and life off the pitch.
Liverpool are now reportedly pushing to sign a Celtic youngster in what could deal the Hoops a frustrating blow ahead of Wilfried Nancy’s arrival.
O'Neill: Celtic have restored "confidence"
As far as interim managers go, Celtic couldn’t have done a lot better than Martin O’Neill. There would have been concerns that the 73-year-old was out of ideas in the modern game, but he’s since proved any doubters wrong by getting the Bhoys back on track and rolling back the years.
Signing off in style in his final European game, Celtic secured a much-needed victory against Feyenoord on Thursday evening and O’Neill admitted that “confidence” has been restored in the squad.
The veteran manager told reporters: “Judging from last season, the format, you are looking for 10 or 11 points to qualify. It won’t be easy, but Celtic have two home games and the confidence is in the side now.
“I told my two brothers who came to the game to start my chant, so they must have done so. Might as well enjoy it while it lasts. In the dressing room, the lads are full of it.
“It’s hard to say what I thought [when I took charge]. My two daughters were all in on going for it, but my wife said I would probably mess it up. I haven’t messed it up so far. It’s been great. The results are what you live by and they’ve been terrific.
“[The new manager] has got some players who are big winners, which is great. I’m sure he will lean on some of those lads and then it’s about improving some of the other players.
“The restoration of confidence is big and it’s keeping it going after that. Winning away from home is terrific – it’s not easy away from home in Europe. It gives them belief that they can come and compete.”
The job will now be passed over to Nancy, who could be about to lose one of his best academy stars right away amid Liverpool’s interest in Derek Jikiemi.
Liverpool pushing to sign Celtic gem Jikiemi
As reported by The Daily Record, Liverpool are now pushing to sign Celtic gem Jikiemi after sending their scouts to watch the 15-year-old Parkhead wonderkid. The central defender is one of the most talented players in Celtic’s academy, but could be about to follow in Ben Doak’s footsteps by swapping Glasgow for Merseyside.
Although Jikiemi is one for the future, losing him would represent where Celtic currently find themselves in the European pecking order. They won’t be expected to compete Liverpool in the market, but they must do better to keep hold of homegrown talent.
Nancy must unleash Celtic's most frustrating player since Engels
Wilfried Nancy must unleash this Celtic star who is their most frustrating player since Arne Engels.
1
By
Dan Emery
Nov 26, 2025
If the teenager did complete a move to Anfield then Celtic would only receive compensation for the years that he came through their system in an added blow.
The Hoops can, however, secure their young star to professional terms at the end of the season when he’s 16 years old. Whether they get the chance to do that remains to be seen, however.
Celtic now confident they'll beat Man City to history-making first signing for Nancy
West Indies took an unassailable 2-0 lead in their three-match series against Bangladesh, shrugging off a batting collapse that had taken them from 106 for 1 to 149 for 9 in Chattogram. It also marked their first T20I series win after seven consecutive defeats.The West Indies bowlers – Romario Shepherd and Akeal Hosein played lead roles with three wickets each – were effective in defending the moderate total. Bangladesh could not chase 150 on a good batting pitch despite the presence of dew, which hampered the bowlers. Tanzid Hasan kept them going with 61, but the rest were often caught in two minds on a surface that encouraged playing through one’s shots.The Bangladesh line-up did not do justice to their bowlers, who engineered West Indies’ batting collapse. Mustafizur Rahman picked up three wickets, while Nasum Ahmed and Rishad Hossain took two each.
Hope, Athanaze lift West Indies
West Indies had luck in the first half of their innings. Litton Das dropped Brandon King first ball, and Towhid Hridoy couldn’t hang on to a tough chance at mid-on off Alick Athanaze in the third over.Related
Athanaze lauds bowlers, Tanzid rues batting failures in second T20I
Athanaze launched Tanzim Hasan over square-leg in the same over, before Shai Hope struck Taskin Ahmed straight down the ground for his first six in the next one. The pair struck boundaries at ease during the powerplay and beyond. Athanaze hit five in total, while Hope picked up three.Athanaze and Hope both reached their half-centuries off their 30th deliveries. They brought up their 100-run stand shortly afterwards too, in 10.5 overs, as the pair put West Indies in a position from where they could aim for 200 and beyond.
Nasum, Rishad wreck West Indies
Athanaze fell in the 12th over, holing out on the deep square-leg boundary, giving Nasum his first wicket. Sherfane Rutherford fell next ball for his second successive golden duck.Mustafizur then removed Hope for 55, when the West Indies captain mistimed a slower ball and was caught at point. By the time Rishad got Rovman Powell also caught at point in the 15th over, West Indies were in free fall. Jason Holder was dismissed in the same over, caught at long-on for 4.Romario Shepherd tried to resurrect the innings but did not succeed. Mustafizur had him caught at deep point in the last over, before hitting Khary Pierre’s stumps next ball. Hosein was run out off the last delivery to complete a remarkable turnaround for the home side.The Bangladesh bowlers dominated the second half of the West Indies innings•AFP/Getty Images
West Indies drop four chances
Bangladesh lost Saif Hassan early in a slow start, when Holder sucked him into an uppish shot against a short ball. Brandon King took the catch in the covers, making up for dropping the same batter in the second over. Litton Das got the chase on track with three fours in the fifth over, using Jayden Seales’ pace – twice playing the ball down to deep third, and also scooping over short fine leg.Rutherford dropped Litton but the Bangladesh captain could not press on for much longer. Hosein bowled him for 23. Tanzid hit big sixes over midwicket, even as another catch went down in the field: Seales dropped Hridoy in the 11th over.Seales made amends in the 13th over when he took a tumbling catch, after Hridoy top edged Shepherd. Tanzid reached his fifty with a boundary soon after but Bangladesh still needed 50 off the last five overs.
Shepherd, Hosein deal final blows
Tanzid started the death overs with a four past cover, but Jaker Ali could not accelerate at the other end. Tanzid perished in the hunt for boundaries, caught on at deep point. He finished on 61 off 48 balls, having hit three sixes and three fours. Jaker fell in the same over to Shepherd, caught at the deep square-leg boundary for 17 off 18 balls.Holder started the 19th over by hitting Shamim Hossain’s off-stump with a yorker, and gave away just five runs. Bangladesh were left needing 21 off the last over. Hosein did not concede a boundary and also taking two wickets to finish with 3 for 22.
Glasgow Rangers made it four wins from four matches in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday when they beat Livingston 2-1 at Ibrox, thanks to goals from Emmanuel Fernandez and Mohamed Diomande.
Danny Rohl, who has now won all of his league games in charge of the club so far, was not entirely pleased with his team’s performance in the narrow win against Livi, though, as evidenced by his post-game comments below.
The former Sheffield Wednesday head coach wants to see improvement from his players in the weeks and months to come, as the Light Blues look to ensure that they can make something successful out of this campaign.
Rangers are already nine points adrift of first place in the Premiership, per Sofascore, but they are still in the Europa League and have the SFA Cup to play for in the second half of the season.
As Rohl said after Saturday’s game, the Light Blues simply need to improve their performances if they want to be in contention to win things by the business end of the season.
That means that individuals need to step up and become reliable performers, as too many of them have been inconsistent at best. One of those inconsistent players has been summer signing Djeidi Gassama.
Why Rangers should be concerned by Djeidi Gassama's form
After a return of four goals in six Champions League qualifiers, per Transfermarkt, the French forward looked like he was a steal of a signing at £2.2m from Sheffield Wednesday.
He was a shining light in those European matches during Russell Martin’s dismal tenure, and even added a goal in the league phase of the Europa League against Sturm Graz in a 2-1 defeat in the manager’s penultimate game in charge.
Unfortunately, though, Gassama has been unable to deliver consistent quality at the top end of the pitch in his time in the Premiership so far, with one goal and one assist in 12 appearances in the division, per Sofascore.
After his stunning start to life at Ibrox in the early European games, there may have been some hope that he could kick on to become the club’s new Ryan Kent, who produced 33 goals and 56 assists in 218 outings for the Light Blues, per Transfermarkt.
25/26 Premiership
Djeidi Gassama
Appearances
12
Starts
11
Goals
1
Minutes per goal
972
Conversion rate
4%
Big chances created
0
Key passes per game
0.8
Assists
1
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Gassama has not provided a Kent-esque presence on the left flank for the Scottish giants in the Premiership this season, with two goal contributions in 12 matches.
His inconsistency, as evidenced by his contrasting form domestically and in Europe, should be a concern for Rangers, given that he is starting almost every league game yet failing to deliver quality on a consistent basis.
This is why Rohl may need to look at alternative options in the left wing position in the coming weeks, as the Gers may need a new starter in that role if Gassama is unable to add more consistency to his domestic displays.
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The Daily Record recently noted that Wales international Rabbi Matondo has returned to training after a lengthy injury lay-off that had seen him unavailable for the entirety of Martin’s tenure, and speculated that he could be in for a chance under Rohl.
Why Rangers should give Rabbi Matondo a chance to shine
It would be completely understandable if any Rangers supporters were not too enthused by the prospect of the Welsh forward returning to the team to get another chance, given that he has played zero minutes this season and spent the second half of last season on loan at Hannover.
However, if he is now back in training and is fit and available for selection, the German head coach should provide him with a chance to shine, because it has been his availability rather than his ability that has been an issue throughout his career in Scotland.
Per Transfermarkt, Matondo missed 20 games in his first season at Ibrox through injury, then 19 in his second, and 23 for Rangers and Hannover combined in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he simply has not been available enough in recent years.
When fit, though, the former Manchester City youngster has shown that he has the quality to be a difference-maker on the left flank, with eight goals and 11 assists in 64 appearances, per Transfermarkt, for Rangers.
Matondo, who was once lauded as “electrifying” by former manager Ryan Giggs, has averaged a goal or an assist for the Gers every 139 minutes on average, per Transfermarkt, which is an incredibly impressive return.
Stats
Kent
Gassama
Matondo
Appearances
218
24
67
Minutes
17,732
1,823
2,641
Goals
33
6
8
Minutes per goal
537
303
330
Assists
56
2
11
Minutes per assist
317
911
240
Minutes per goal contribution
199
228
139
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Gassama and Kent have both failed to deliver goals and assists as frequently as the Wales international in their respective Rangers careers.
One area in which Gassama particularly struggles is the creative side of the game, as evidenced by his return of an assist every 911 minutes, whilst Matondo has assisted goals even more regularly than Kent did.
This does not mean that the Welsh whiz will automatically become a star if he stays fit and plays week-in-week-out for Rohl, because he has not played a single minute this season and could need time to settle back in to playing competitive football.
However, his statistics for Rangers throughout his career suggest that he has the potential to be Rohl’s own version of Kent as a lightning-quick winger who can provide a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals, which is something Gassama has failed to do so far.
Fewer touches than Butland: Rohl must bin "missing" Rangers flop after Livi
Rangers did claim another league win over Livingston on Saturday, but one player went “missing” at Ibrox, registering fewer touches than Jack Butland.
Contrasting sides meet in spin-friendly conditions as Test cricket returns to Gaddafi Stadium
Danyal Rasool11-Oct-2025
Shan Masood and Aiden Markram pose with the series trophy•Associated Press
Big pictureThis is a series of opposites and inversions. South Africa, the side that won the World Test Championship this year, visit Pakistan, the team that finished bottom. Two sides historically known for their legendary fast bowling prowess will look to manufacture alternate means of taking 20 wickets, with the conditions set to favour each team’s less decorated spin bowlers. South Africa will look to complete a record-extending 11th straight Test win, while Pakistan have triumphed in just three of their previous 12.Even the venue is a bit incongruous for the occasion. Despite Test cricket returning to Pakistan after a decade-long hiatus in 2019, the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore hasn’t seen much of it, with just one five-day game played here, three years ago. All told, this will be just the second Test since 2009 to be played in Lahore, with the Gaddafi Stadium regaining its original position in Pakistan after the stadium was knocked down and rebuilt ahead of the Champions Trophy this year.South Africa are in a somewhat unprecedented position, beginning a world title defence. An ICC trophy was elusive enough for the side to put any notions of defending one into uncharted territory. But a credible defence will have to go through this awkward test in Pakistan. They will do so without the services of their talismanic captain Temba Bavuma, whom his stand-in Aiden Markram termed “irreplaceable”. As importantly, they will miss Keshav Maharaj for the first Test, needing the internationally less experienced Simon Harmer, Senuran Muthusamy and Prenelan Subrayen to step up.Related
Pakistan prepare for South Africa with precious little first-class cricket
The hosts are in the early stages of an experiment with the surfaces they prepare, one that has brought them results, but also left games heavily dependent on the toss. Pakistan have won three of the four home Test matches played under this system, but three of four have also been won by the side batting first. Pakistan have three finger spinners in their line-up which make their intentions plain, while Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan return to the side after white-ball absences. In theory, Pakistan have a soft enough draw to make qualification for this edition’s final in two years a realistic prospect. But two Test matches, such as the ones coming up, are a long enough time in Pakistan cricket, let alone two years.Form guidePakistan: LWLLW (last five completed matches, most recent first) South Africa: WWWWWIn the spotlightPerhaps it says more about Pakistan than it does about Noman Ali, but the man who celebrated his 39th birthday last week is the most important player for the home side this week. With Sajid Khan struggling to overcome a bout of flu, the left-arm spinner needs to take on even more responsibility on the kind of surface Pakistan will prepare almost exclusively suited to his strengths. Noman last played red-ball cricket in February, but he has taken 36 wickets in his last four Tests, making full use of conditions. Sajid just about picked up the other half, but in his absence, Pakistan will ask even more of the man who has entered his 40th year.Ryan Rickelton is still finding his way as an opener in the longest format•Associated Press
Ryan Rickelton has 638 runs in 19 Test innings, and is still finding his way as an opener in the longest format. Nearly half of those runs, though, came in one mammoth innings earlier this year against Pakistan, when he amassed 259 as South Africa ground Pakistan into the Newlands dirt. There is an unbeaten hundred against Sri Lanka, but aside from that, he has yet to cross 42 in 17 other innings. As South Africa begin their defence and Rickelton takes guard in conditions he has not faced before, it remains to be seen whether his happy memories against Pakistan can overcome his otherwise modest Test record.Team newsPakistan’s biggest headache is the potential unavailability of Sajid Khan as he battles flu. The offspinner did rejoin the Pakistan camp, but Shan Masood said a decision on whether he plays will be taken last minute.Pakistan (possible): 1 Abdullah Shafique/Imam ul Haq, 2 Shan Masood (capt) 3 Kamran Ghulam 4 Babar Azam 5 Saud Shakeel 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk) 7 Salman Ali Agha 8 Noman Ali 9 Khurram Shahzad 10 Sajid Khan/Abrar Ahmed 11 Asif AfridiSouth Africa captain Aiden Markram kept his cards close to his chest regarding the eleven, though it is inevitable the visitors will also go spin-heavy.South Africa (possible): 1 Aiden Markram (capt), 2 Ryan Rickelton, 3 Wiaan Mulder, 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 David Bedingham (wk), 6 Kyle Verreynne, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Prenelan Subrayen, 9 Senuran Muthusamy, 10 Simon Harmer, 11 Kagiso RabadaPitch and conditionsThe previous week saw unseasonal rains and cool temperatures in Lahore, but that weather system has been washed away. The Test will be played under hot October sunshine. That should help break the surface, almost certainly spin-friendly, up even quicker. It was kept under cover today. The winner of the toss will almost certainly bat first.Stats and triviaSouth Africa have won 10 Test matches on the trot, their longest streak in historyBabar Azam is 251 runs away from becoming the 5th Pakistan batter to 15,000 international runs. Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Javed Miandad are the only players to have achieved that feat.Quotes”It’s a good opportunity for us to start against the defending champions. It will be a good yardstick for us to play against them, especially if we can get a good result against them.” “Preparation has been good. We had a camp back in South Africa where we tried to simulate conditions as best as we could. There was a lot of focus on spin play and our spinners getting used to the ball spinning a lot compared to South Africa.” South African captain Aiden Markram reveals what the visitors tried to do to replicate the conditions they are likely to encounter
They were victors in 2023 and 2024 and things are looking good this year as well
Mohammad Isam10-Oct-2025
Big picture: Series win beckons Afghanistan
Afghanistan are on the cusp of a third consecutive ODI series win against Bangladesh. They won the last two series in 2023 and 2024, as these two sides have become frequent bilateral opponents. Afghanistan’s five-wicket win on Wednesday was also a breath of fresh air after they lost their last five international matches.Azmatullah Omarzai was the all-round star in the game, taking three wickets and scoring an important 40 in the chase. His ODI stocks have been on the rise for the last few years. Rashid Khan also had a strong outing, picking up 3 for 38 and going past 200 ODI wickets.Afghanistan’s win this week also highlighted their other strengths. Rahmanullah Gurbaz played a mature knock under pressure, curbing his natural flair for the sake of the team’s stability. Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi continued as the background guys, keeping the batting line-up in shape in tricky chases. Left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote was another unsung hero, conceding just 31 runs in his full quota, taking Saif Hassan’s wicket. It is these percentage performers that keep the Afghanistan team going in ODIs.That isn’t the case for Bangladesh, who are having a hard time finding any consistent performers in this format. They are now lurching from one defeat to another in ODIs, having won just two games in the last 12 months. It was evident on Wednesday why they are no longer an ODI force. Bangladesh threw away a good start with soft dismissals and despite a recovery through a 101-run fourth-wicket stand, the rest of the batters succumbed to Rashid’s accuracy. Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Jaker Ali and Nurul Hasan were all lbw to Rashid, which might have kept the head coach Phil Simmons busy in the lead-up to Saturday’s match.Bangladesh also need to figure out the Abu Dhabi conditions better. Afghanistan picking four spinners may have a lot to do with their confidence in the likes of Kharote and AM Ghazanfar, but Bangladesh missed out on playing Rishad Hossain. Bangladesh won the T20I leg of the tour 3-0. They’ll need some of that form seeping into the one-day leg if they are to keep the series alive.
Form guide
Afghanistan: WWLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first) Bangladesh: LLWLLNajmul Hossain Shanto needs to turn his form around•AFP/Getty Images
In the spotlight: Rahmat Shah and Najmul Hossain Shanto
Rahmat Shah goes undetected in the Afghanistan line-up of star allrounders and mystery spinners. But he leads the engine room – the middle-order – from where he has scripted many match-winning efforts. The latest was against Bangladesh, when he scored an invaluable half-century, in a 78-run third wicket stand with Gurbaz. It provided the foundation for Omarzai to thrive later on. Rahmat is the accumulator, and without him in the background, the Rashids, the Nabis and the Omarzais wouldn’t be able to grab the limelight.It has been a quiet few months for Najmul Hossain Shanto. Captain of Bangladesh in all three formats even last year, Shanto has taken a step back to work on his batting. Except that too hasn’t worked out well, after making just 37 runs in Bangladesh’s last ODI series against Sri Lanka. He came into this Afghanistan series with a single fifty in four matches for Rajshahi in the domestic T20 tournament. The format is different but Bangladesh need more from their No. 3 batter.
Team news: Bangladesh need extra spinner
Afghanistan are likely to be unchanged for the second ODI.Afghanistan (probable): 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), 2 Ibrahim Zadran, 3 Sediqullah Atal, 4 Rahmat Shah, 5 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 6 Azmatullah Omarzai, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 AM Ghazanfar, 10 Nangeyalia Kharote, 11 Bashir AhmadBangladesh could bring in Rishad to bolster their spin attack.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), 6 Jaker Ali, 7 Nurul Hasan (wk), 8 Tanzim Hasan Sakib, 9 Rishad Hossain, 10 Tanvir Islam, 11 Mustafizur Rahman
Pitch and conditions: Another slow pitch awaits
Abu Dhabi will continue to dish out slow pitches, so it is up to the batters to find ways to increase their scoring rates. The weather will be hot throughout the evening.
Stats and trivia: Bangladesh struggling
Bangladesh have won just two ODIs in the last 12 months, which has left them at No 10 in the ICC ODI Team Rankings.
Rahmat took 119 innings to become Afghanistan’s first batter to reach 4000 runs in ODIs. He is now two runs short of reaching 5000 runs in all international formats.
Bangladesh played out 168 dot balls, which represented 57.34% of the balls faced in the first match. Afghanistan meanwhile played 53.36% dot balls in their reply.
Antony was back in the headlines again, for all the wrong reasons, as the Real Betis star headbutted FC Utrecht's Souffian El Karouani – but somehow escaped a red card. The former Manchester United winger was sent off just a few days ago after accidentally kicking a Girona player in the head from an attempted overhead kick. Now he has been branded a "madman" after luckily escaping another dismissal.
Antony sent off in La Liga
At the weekend, Antony was sent off when his high boot caught Girona's Joel Roca in the face. The former Ajax man made apologetic gestures to the home fans as he trudged off the pitch, before later taking to social media to double down on his contrition.
He wrote: "Very sad about the red card. All I wanted was to help my team win. A completely unintentional move … sorry to all the fans that have always supported me."
Then, a couple of days after the incident, he admitted it had been "hard to sleep" off the back of his actions.
The Brazil international added: "I had no intention. That's why we’re going to try to appeal. I won the ball. When I did the (overhead) there, I didn't see it, I was looking at the ball. It was the VAR decision, the referee knows that I had no intention. It was very hard to sleep. I stayed at home thinking all night, I slept very little."
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'This was deliberate'
On Thursday, however, Antony's luck was in as he escaped another sending off in Betis' 2-1 Europa League win over Utrecht. Despite appearing to headbutt El Karouani in the first half, the 25-year-old wasn't penalised by referee Nenad Minakovic, with not even a free-kick going the visitors' way. That incensed one Dutch pundit, with the analyst describing Antony's headbutt as "actions of a madman".
Former Ajax player Jan van Halst said on Ziggo Sport, via VI: "Unhappy? No, that's an unfortunate statement by the referee. This was deliberate. It is an action of a madman. How do you get it in your head? I've also kicked a ball once, had a duel like that. Then you don't think about making such a movement with your head, do you? Very strange."
'He was in a lot of pain'
Some of Van Halst's colleagues were equally as flabbergasted that Antony received no punishment for his actions.
Utrecht manager Ron Jans said: "The VAR was not there today. Also with that cross to [Seb] Haller, he is completely held. You have to be lucky with moments like that and we haven't had that a few times. That Virgil van Dijk handball against Olympique Lyon, today two more moments that are ultimately decisive again.
"I think they could have just whistled for a penalty and a red card, and if he had been completely held down. And there was also a moment when they could have been down to 10 men in the first half. But yeah, that doesn't suit us in Europe. Moments like that can be decisive and then they make it 2-0 and you think, 'Oh dear'."
And Utrecht defender Nick Viergever added: "But he was in a lot of pain for a reason. The referee said he had assessed it and that it was unfortunate. We also had maybe half a penalty moment with Seb [Haller], then it's not easy."
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What comes next for Antony?
Antony, who finally ended his United nightmare earlier this year, had hoped to feature in Betis' clash with rivals Sevilla this weekend as his team appealed against his red card.
"Yes, of course. We have to try [and appeal]. I know how important this game is and I want to play it," said the Brazilian, who is trying to make his national team's World Cup squad next year.
However, Antony has been handed a one-match ban, so he won't be available for the trip to Sevilla in La Liga on Sunday. However, he could return on December 3 for their Copa del Rey clash away at Torrent.
Real Madrid forward Rodrygo has been at the centre of reports that he could leave the Bernabeu mid-season following a lack of game time under Xabi Alonso, and Tottenham are believed to be among the contenders for his signature.
Rodrygo finds himself at a career crossroads as his situation at Madrid continues to deteriorate.
The Brazilian, once considered a crucial part of Los Blancos’ attacking plans, has seen his role dramatically diminish since Alonso’s appointment, sparking widespread speculation about a potential January departure.
Rodrygo has played just 359 minutes this season, having started just two out of a possible 10 La Liga games, and is firmly behind Vinícius Júnior in the pecking order for his preferred left-wing position.
The 24-year-old, who was regularly linked with a summer exit, including to Spurs, has struggled for opportunities despite his previous contributions to the club’s success.
Rodrygo’s career at Real Madrid since joining from Santos
Appearances
283
Goals
68
Assists
53
Bookings
12
Red cards
0
Minutes played
16,512
ESPN Brasil have backed up the possibility that Rodrygo could leave in January, stating that the ex-Santos sensation is “dissatisfied with his situation” and “maintains the option” of leaving as early as the next transfer window.
This has put a host of Premier League sides on alert, including Tottenham once again, and there are suggestions that the north Londoners could go all out for his signature.
Now backed by the Lewis family as they attempt to usher in a post-Daniel Levy era, the club, led by co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange are apparently prepared to pay a club-record £70 million for Rodrygo, according to reports from Spain.
The £283,000-per-week star would be a statement signing for the Lilywhites, and reports suggest that Real are prepared to slash his asking price from their original £88 million summer valuation down to around £53 million, amid rival interest from Arsenal and Chelsea (TEAMtalk).
This means that Spurs’ mooted £70m stance would be more than enough, but none of this means anything without the player’s approval.
Indeed, Rodrygo has now moved to speak out about his Madrid future, attempting to quell the noise surrounding his unrest in the Spanish capital.
Rodrygo breaks silence on Real Madrid future amid Tottenham interest
Speaking to the media, Rodrygo has hinted at his unhappiness surrounding game time right now, but also suggests he has no fears when it comes to inclusion in Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad.
While the attacker appears to be presenting the front of ‘I’ll work hard for the manager’, behind-the-scenes whispers tell a different story, and we wouldn’t at all be surprised if a Premier League club manages to tempt him across the channel.
Meanwhile, football finance expert Stefan Borson is convinced that Tottenham could sign Rodrygo on loan.
Tottenham take on Arsenal in a mouth-watering North London derby clash this weekend, with all eyes on that and the looming January window as Frank looks to put his stamp on the squad.
Shades of Gilchrist’s indomitability, as England’s No.7 fulfils role that Buttler was once picked to produce
Matt Roller04-Jul-2025
Jamie Smith brought up a century inside a session•Getty Images
Jamie Smith is the Test wicketkeeper that England always hoped Jos Buttler would become but never did. As Smith muscled a slog-sweep away for four to reach an 80-ball century on Friday at Edgbaston, he equalled Buttler’s tally of two Test hundreds in 81 fewer innings; when Smith knocked Washington Sundar down to long-off, he went past Buttler’s highest score of 152.Smith has successfully harnessed the “f*** it” mindset that Buttler could never quite coax himself into during his 57-Test career, despite the prompt scrawled on his bat handle. Where Buttler seemed paralysed by indecision when faced with Test cricket’s blank canvas, Smith appears only to see the upside: he walked in on Friday to face a fired-up Mohammed Siraj, and crunched a hat-trick ball through mid-off for four.Buttler is England’s greatest-ever hitter of a white ball but his Test average of 31.94 – and, more pertinently, his strike rate of 54.18 – reflects an unfulfilled talent against the red one. But a week before his 25th birthday, Smith is the future of England’s batting across formats: a destructive white-ball opener and counter-attacking Test No. 7, while keeping wicket to boot.Related
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His innings at Edgbaston was devastating, and seemed to scramble Shubman Gill’s mind in spite of India’s huge run cushion. England often talk about identifying moments to absorb pressure, or to put it back on to their opponents. Smith seized his chance to do the latter, ransacking cheap runs against India’s change bowlers.At Headingley last week, Smith’s first-innings dismissal seemed like anathema to traditional cricketing logic, pulling Prasidh Krishna to deep square-leg three balls before a new ball was due. But he insisted that it was a “calculated” play with designs on “taking all the momentum into the new ball”, and a failure of execution rather than planning.Jos Buttler had his moments as a Test batter but never looked at home in the format•PA Images via Getty ImagesHe responded by doubling down on his attacking instincts, crunching Ravindra Jadeja for 18 runs in an over to get them across the line in their fifth-day run case, including the winning hit over mid-on for six. At Edgbaston, he assessed a hopeless situation – England 503 behind with five wickets in hand – and determined that there was little point in hanging around.Gill laid the bait for Smith with another short-ball ploy, setting a six-three leg-side field with three men out on the hook. Smith responded by showing off his repertoire of pull shots: a hard, flat slap behind square; a full-blooded hoist into the stands; a wrist-roll through midwicket; and a flat-bat through mid-on as he jumped leg side. Prasidh’s over cost him 23 runs.Smith was empowered to keep on attacking, threading the gap between short cover and mid-off to hit Washington Sundar’s first two balls for four. When Gill fell into the familiar trap of spreading his field – with five boundary-riders for Washington – Smith reverted to simply milking singles, rotating strike at will in his mammoth stand with Harry Brook.Jamie Smith and Harry Brook put on a huge stand to lift England•ECB via Getty ImagesBy the time he reached his hundred – England’s equal third-fastest in Tests, after a slight slowdown left Gilbert Jessop’s record safe – Smith had only faced 26 balls from India’s two most threatening bowlers: 12 from Siraj and 14 from Akash Deep. Gill ought to have brought them back sooner, but Smith showed his game awareness by targeting the weaker links in a struggling attack.His partnership with Brook, worth 303, was a glimpse at the future of England’s batting line-up – not only in Tests, but across formats. Perhaps the most impressive aspect was their ability to change gears: after racing along in sixth before lunch, they slipped down into fourth in the middle session when India’s plans changed, as though cruising along in the middle lane.Since bulking up significantly 18 months ago, Smith has become an imposing presence at the crease. When he reached 174, he surpassed his Surrey mentor Alec Stewart to register the highest score by an England Test wicketkeeper: it could be some time before anyone else has the opportunity to beat Smith’s record.1:42
Aaron: Smith a serious batter across formats
A lower-order collapse – England’s Nos. 8-11 contributed five runs between them – denied Smith the chance to accelerate towards a double-hundred. He reached 184, his final score, with two straight blows off Akash Deep: the first, a crunched straight six, suggested a lucrative IPL contract is waiting for him; the second, a rasping four through mid-off, nearly took the bowler’s head off.Smith’s missed stumping off Rishabh Pant last week was a reminder that his keeping is not yet perfect, and in time England may well be tempted to pick him as a specialist batter. But there should be no immediate urge to change his role: Smith was fit enough to bat for five hours after 151 overs behind the stumps at Edgbaston, and showed the value of having a genuine game-changer down at No. 7.England spent the decade after Matt Prior’s retirement shuffling between wicketkeepers: Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes all had their advocates, but none ever quite managed to make the role their own. The same charge cannot be levelled at Smith, who has made himself an automatic selection within a dozen Tests.Smith’s favourite player was Kevin Pietersen growing up, and there were shades of his idol in Birmingham: dominance against the short ball, disdain against spinners, and the innate self-assurance required to bat with such fearlessness. Whisper it, but England believe that Smith can be even better than his predecessors: this was an innings from the Adam Gilchrist playbook.