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Corinthians e pênaltis possuem uma relação de amor na Copa do Brasil. Pela terceira vez na competição, o Timão precisou da marca da cal para se classificar na competição nacional. Na tarde deste sábado (15), a equipe alvinegra venceu o América-MG por 3 a 2 no tempo normal. Mas, como havia perdido por 1 a 0 em Belo Horizonte, no último dia 5 de julho, precisou das penalidades para avançar, desta vez, às semifinais, onde terá um clássico pelo São Paulo pela frente.

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No tempo normal, os gols corintianos foram marcados por Renato Augusto, Yuri Alberto e Róger Guedes. Já no lado do América-MG, o argentino Benítez e o uruguaio Mastriani balançaram as redes. Na disputa por pênaltis, brilhou a estrela de Cássio, que defendeu duas cobranças. Marcinho também isolou um do lado americano. Porém, Adson parou em Mateus Pasinato na sua batida. Fábio Santos, Giuliano e Yuri Alberto marcaram, o último convertendo a penalidade decisiva..

+ Confira a tabela da Copa do Brasil e confira como ficou as semifinais da competição

CINCO LANCES QJE MARCARAM A PARTIDA

> !DUPLA SERTANEJA AFINADA! Matías Rojas e Renato Augusto foram as grandes novidades do Corinthians. Os mais aplaudidos pela torcida no anúncio da escalação, mostraram alinhamento e poder de decisão. O meia paraguaio, que fez a sua estreia nesta tarde, iniciou os lances em dois dos três gols corintianos. Renato abriu o placar logo no início do segundo tempo.

> YURI DESENCANTA, MAS NÃO DESLIZA. Yuri Alberto estava sem marcar gols há quatro jogos. Teve duas grandes chances de marcar, mas em uma parou no goleiro Pasinato, e na segunda mandou na rede pelo lado de fora. Na terceira, não desperdiçou. Rojas iniciou a jogada, serviu Róger Guedes, que encontrou Ruan Oliveira. O meio-campista cruzou por baixo, e Yuri só completou para a rede.Na comemoração, um desabafo. Yuri tirou a camisa e, dessa vez, não deslizou de joelhos para o chão, como costuma acontecer.

> RÓGER ‘ARENA’ GUEDES.

> SUL-AMERICANOS DO AMÉRICA LEVAM O JOGO PARA OS PÊNALTIS. Quatro minutos após o Corinthians fazer o segundo gol, Benítez diminuiu, empatando no agregado, com Benítez, que havia saído do banco de reservas, recebeu sozinho na entrada da área, girou com liberdade e acertou um lindo chute no canto esquerdo do goleiro Cássio.E quando o jogo estava 3 a 1 para o Timão, foi uma jogada entre os ‘gringos’ que colcou novamente o empate no placar agregado. O argentino Benítez passou com facilidade por dois marcadores, tabelou com liberdade com o seu compatriota, Emmanuel Martínez, e deixou o uruguaio Gonzalo Mastriani sozinho, na entrada da pequena área, para que o atacante só escorasse para o fundo do gol.

> CÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁSSIOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Róger Guedes marcou pela 30ª vez na Neo Química Arena, igualando Jô como maior artilheiro da história da arena corintiana com a camisa alvinegra. Ele aproveitou um toque de cabeça do zagueiro Gil, no meio da área, após escanteio batido por Rojas, pelo lado esquerdo.

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COMO FOI O PRIMEIRO TEMPO?

O primeiro tempo foi ótimo. Precisando do resultado, o Corinthians foi para cima e teve boa chance de abrir o placar logo no primeiro minuto, obrigando o goleiro Mateus Pasinato a fazer boa defesa. E, ainda que o jogo tenha entrado em um limbo entre os 10 e 20 minutos, o Timão empilhou oportunidades desde então. E a maioria passou pelos pés do estreando Matías Rojas. Que finalizou com perigo de fora da área, deu passe de três dedos para Róger Guedes cabecear na trave. O América-MG, por sua vez, levou perigo quando teve a chance na frente. A primeira foi no início do jogo, com Emmanuel Martínez cobrando falta e obrigando Cássio a fazer boa defesa. Na segunda, já no fim da etapa inicial, Mastriani saiu na cara do gol, mas foi fechado pelo goleiro corintiano.

E A ETAPA FINAL?

E se o primeiro tempo terminou sem gols, o segundo já começou com bola na rede. Logo aos dois minutos, Fagner cruzou na cabeça de Renato Augusto, que subiu mais que toda a defesa americana e abriu o placar. E o segundo gol corintiano saiu aos 20 minutos, com Yuri Alberto desencantando após quatro jogos sem marcar. A trama começou com Matías Rojas, que encontrou Róger Guedes. O atacante serviu Ruan Oliveira, que cruzou por baixo e achou Yuri, para escorar com o gol vazio. Porém, quatro minutos depois, o América-MG descontou com Benítez. O argentino recebeu com liberdade na entrada da área, girou com mais liberdade ainda e acertou um belo chute no canto alto de Cássio do lado esquerdo. Mas também foram quatro minutos que separaram o gol do Coelho do terceiro corintiano, que foi marcado por Guedes. Rojas bateu escanteio, Gil escorou de cabeça no meio da área, e o camisa 10 entrou sozinho no segundo pau. Mas quando o jogo se desenhava para uma classificação corintiana, a defesa do Timão marcou touca. Benítez passou com muita facilidade por dois marcadores, tabelou com Martínez, e serviu Mastriani, que fechou sozinho na entrada da pequena área e só tocou no fundo das redes, levando a decisão para os pênaltis.

DISPUTA POR PÊNALTIS

O Corinthians converteu três das quatro cobranças na disputa por pênaltis. O principal deles com Yuri Alberto, que converteu o definitivo. Fábio Santos e Giuliano também marcaram. Somente Adson perdeu, parando no goleiro Mateus Pasinato. Mas foi na meta abençoada pelo goleiro Cássio que o Timão avançou de fase. O capitão corintiano defendeu duas cobranças: a primeira, praticamente recuada pelo atacante Paulinho Bóia, já a segunda com os pés, batida por Benítez.

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+ CONFIRA MAIS DETALHES DA PARTIDA

OS NÚMEROS DA PARTIDA

O QUE VEM POR AÍ?

O Corinthians volta a campo na próxima terça-feira (18), quando encara o Universitario, do Peru, no estádio Monumental, em Lima, pela Copa Sul-Americana. O Timão venceu o jogo de ida, válido pela fase de playoffs, por 1 a 0, nesta semana. Já no próximo sábado (22), a equipe alvinegra enfrenta o Bahia, em Salvador, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro.

FICHA TÉCNICA
CORINTHIANS 3 (3) X 2 (1) AMÉRICA-MG
COPA DO BRASIL – QUARTAS DE FINAL – JOGO DE VOLTA

Local:Neo Química Arena, São Paulo (SP)
Data e hora:15 de julho de 2023, às 16h30 (de Brasília)
Árbitro:Ramon Abatti Abel (FIFA-/C)
Assistentes:Bruno Boschilia (FIFA/PR) e Victor Hugo Imazu dos Santos (PR)
Árbitro de vídeo:Rodolpho Toski Marques (FIFA/PR)
Público e renda: 45.006 (44.655 pagantes) / R$ 2.613.772
Cartões amarelos: Fagner, Gabriel Moscardo, Róger Guedes e Yuri Alberto (Corinthians); Benítez (América-MG)
Cartões vermelhos:

GOLS: 1-0 Renato Augusto (2’/2T); 2-0 Yuri Alberto (20’/2T); 2-1 Benítez (24’/2T); 3-1 Róger Guedes (28’/2T); 3-2 Mastriano (37’/2T)

CORINTHIANS
Cássio; Fagner (Bruno Méndez, 10’/2T), Gil, Murillo e Fábio Santos; Gabriel Moscardo (Matheus Araújo, 44’/2T), Fausto Vera (Ruan Oliveira, 10’/2T), Renato Augusto (Giuliano, 37’/2T) e Matías Rojas (Adson, 37’/2T); Róger Guedes e Yuri Alberto. Técnico: Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

AMÉRICA-MG
Mateus Pasinato; Marlon (Marcinho, 30’/2T), Iago Maidana, Éder e Danilo Avelar (Nicolas, 4’/1T); Lucas Kal (Paulinho Bóia, 30’/2T), Juninho (Breno, 30’/2T) e Emmanuel Martínez; Pedrinho, Gonzalo Mastriani e Everaldo (Benítez, 8’/2T). Técnico: Vagner Mancini.

South Africa will not host any men’s Tests next summer, in accordance with the Future Tours Programme (FTP), and only have one inbound tour – a five-match T20I series against West Indies – in the 2025-26 season. This is the first time since readmission that South Africa will not host men’s Tests with the next long-format home fixtures scheduled for October 2026 against Australia.The lean schedule will allow for Cricket South Africa to focus on stadium upgrades ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup which will be co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Several of the country’s premier grounds will have makeovers including new floodlights and drop-in pitches, which will be prepared well ahead of time and tested before the main event.It will also give the South African women’s side the spotlight, as they host Ireland and Pakistan for three T20Is and three ODIs each. They will play matches at all of South Africa’s big five venues: Newlands in Cape Town, St George’s Park in Gqeberha, the Wanderers in Johannesburg, SuperSport Park in Centurion and Kingsmead in DurbanThe women’s team will visit the smaller centres in Paarl, Benoni, East London, Potchefstroom, Bloemfontein and Kimberley as well, meaning they will have a match at all the country’s major grounds in the same season. The Pakistan series also marks the first round of the new Women’s Championship cycle, leading up to the 2029 ODI World Cup.”We are looking forward to seeing our women take on Ireland and Pakistan,” CSA CEO Pholetsi Moseki said in a release. “These tours not only provide our team with strong competition but also give our fans an opportunity to watch the Proteas Women compete at their favourite venues across the country.Moseki explained the men’s international window as being “unusually shorter next season due to outbound bilateral tours,” with South Africa’s white-ball sides touring Australia and England in August and September and the Test team due to play two-match series in Pakistan and India in November and December.The absence of home Tests has also allowed the SA20 to move into the festive window for the first and only time. It will be played between December 26 and January 26, with the West Indies series to follow immediately afterwards. The five matches are spread between the coastal venues and the Highveld but neither Gqeberha nor Durban will host a game. South African players will therefore have six weeks of T20 cricket before the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, which starts in February.CSA have also arranged one A tour, against New Zealand A, which will include three one-day matches and two four-day matches at the start of the summer. The games will be played in Pretoria and Potchefstroom.The dearth of home Tests next summer will be followed by a boon in the 2026-27 season when South Africa’s men will host England and Australia for three Tests each and Bangladesh for two matches while the women’s team will play Tests against India and Australia for a total of 10 Tests.

Russell Martin’s days as Glasgow Rangers manager are surely numbered.

To date, the shortest-serving permanent head coach in the Ibrox club’s 153-year history is Pedro Caixinha, who took charge of just 26 games in 2017.

For Martin to reach that mark, he would still need to be in charge by the time the Light Blues face Braga in the Europa League on 27 November which, right now, feels frankly fanciful.

On Saturday, the Gers were beaten 2-0 by Heart of Midlothian at Ibrox, meaning they’ve failed to win their opening five league fixtures for only the second time in their entire history, also doing so in 1978, currently sat tenth in the Premiership table.

Thus, supporters are already wondering who will replace Martin as manager, hoping the 49ers make this decision sooner rather than later, but should they go for a more left-field candidate, one praised for the “outstanding” job he did at his previous club, rather than the obvious options?

Leading candidates to become Rangers manager

According to reports, the two front-runners to become the new Rangers manager are Steven Gerrard and Sean Dyche.

Gerrard has been out of work since being sacked by Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq in January, having won only 19 of 55 matches in charge.

His time as Aston Villa boss didn’t go particularly well either, but the Liverpool legend did enjoy a very successful time at Ibrox.

In 192 matches as Rangers boss, Gerrard collected 124 wins, leading them to memorable European victories over Porto, Feyenoord, Braga, Galatasaray and others, historically guiding the club to their sole top-flight title since 2011, crucially denying Celtic ten-in-a-row.

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Other candidate, Dyche, meantime was sacked by Everton in January, but is best known for his work at Burnley, leading them to two promotions, six successive seasons in the top division and a maiden European campaign since 1967.

The Englishman is vastly experienced, having managed 332 Premier League games; for comparison, Martin has overseen just 16, winning only one.

Dyche would represent the archetypal safe pair of hands appointment, while re-hiring Gerrard would suggest the new owners are simply looking to the past to rediscover former glories, so they should instead target an up-and-coming young coach.

Rangers' dream Russell Martin replacement

When searching through the current out-of-work managers, one name leaps off the page and that is Danny Röhl.

Reports emerged over the summer that he was on the Gers’ shortlist, but it’s unknown if any contact was made.

After an unremarkable playing career, appearing for lower league German clubs FSV Zwickau, Sachsen Leipzig and Eilenburg, he retired at the age of 21 to focus on becoming a coach.

Well, this has certainly paid off because, after joining RB Leipzig in 2010, he worked as a youth coach and a video analyst before being appointed assistant manager in 2016, following die Roten’s promotion to the Bundesliga, working alongside Ralph Hasenhüttl.

After that, he went with Hasenhüttl to Southampton, before moving on to Bayern Munich, learning under Niko Kovač and then Hansi Flick at the Rekordmeister, subsequently working under Flick again with the German national team for two years.

However, after Flick was sacked as die Mannschaft boss in 2023, he took his first head coach role, appointed Sheffield Wednesday manager, thereby becoming the youngest permanent boss in EFL history at the age of just 34.

Well, Röhl would oversee 89 games in charge at Hillsborough, very much beloved by supporters, with Philip Buckingham of the Athletic describing the job he did in charge of the Owls as “outstanding”, suggesting that numerous big clubs should “covet” his signature.

The table below documents his statistics from his time in Yorkshire.

Matches

89

Wins

34

Draws

19

Loses

36

Win %

38%

Goals scored

122

Goals conceded

137

First league finish

20th

Second league finish

12th

While finishing 20th and then 12th may not appear spectacular, worth noting that, in his first season, when the German arrived in October, Sheffield Wednesday had failed to win any of their first 13 EFL Championship fixtures, losing ten of them, collecting 14 points from their final six matches to pull off a great escape.

Meantime, last season’s mid-table finish looks even more impressive given that owner Dejphon Chansiri is essentially running the club into the ground, with players and other staff repeatedly not being paid on time, if at all, hence why Röhl walked out over the summer.

Rangers themselves have already benefited from the crisis at Hillsborough, signing star winger Djeidi Gassama for around £3m, when it is clear to everyone he is worth more than that.

Thus, Röhl has already proven that he is capable of managing a crisis club, as well as coming in and having an instant impact mid-season, all things Rangers need right now, so the 49ers should be bold and appoint the 36-year-old as soon as possible.

49ers can axe Martin at Rangers by bringing 5-time trophy winner to Ibrox

As pressure continues to mount on Rangers manager Russell Martin, the 49ers should use their contacts to appoint a trophy-winning manager at Ibrox.

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Leeds United are “now leading the race” to sign a £30m+ star for Daniel Farke in the final days of the summer transfer window.

Farke wants two more Leeds signings after Arsenal defeat

The Whites suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season on Saturday evening, losing 5-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta’s side only had five shots on target but were dominant throughout, with Farke admitting after that it won’t be a “season-defining” loss for his side.

“I think it’s fair to say that Arsenal deserved to win this game today. They were the better side, they deserved also to win this game with a good proper goal difference.

“I’m not sure if it was actually a 5-0 because five shots on target and they scored with all five of these shots. Long story short, it’s more like when a team like Arsenal are on it – a team who in the last three years is probably the best team in the whole of Europe at least in consistency you could argue – not title winners but no other team has showed this consistency – then it’s always difficult. It’s not a season-defining game for us. We accept they were better than us.”

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Farke was also asked how the result would impact the club’s transfer plans, with the manager confirming he wants at lest another winger and full-back before the Monday September 1 deadline.

Winger Largie Ramazani was a notable exclusion from the traveling squad at the Emirates, and by the looks of things, Leeds may have found the winger they and Farke are after to potently replace him.

Leeds “leading the race” for £30m+ Dilane Bakwa

According to Sacha Tavolieri, Leeds are “now leading the race” to sign Dilane Bakwa from Strasbourg.

A Sky Sports reporter, Tavolieri said that the Whites are now ahead of Nottingham Forest for the 22-year-old and are ready to meet the €35m (£30.3m) asking price.

“Leeds United now leading the race for Dilane Bakwa. LUFC are now ready to meet Racing Strasbourg expectations which around €35M to make a deal happen. NFFC has not left but the newly promoted are now ahead.”

Should a deal materialise for the “very exciting” forward, £30m+ Bakwa would easily become the 49ers’ most expensive signing of the summer and take the club’s spending over £100m.

A versatile attacker capable of playing on either wing, Bakwa is left-footed and appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €25m Transfermarkt valuation.

Signed by Strasbourg in 2023, Bakwa has scored 11 goals and registered 19 assists in 68 games for his current employers, and by the looks of things, could be heading to Elland Road over the next week.

“I just wanted to get a score and ease the nerves down,” Rickelton says after scoring his first IPL half-century

Matt Roller01-Apr-20250:57

Bangar hails Rickelton’s ‘subcontinental’ approach against spin

When most players arrive in India for their maiden IPL season, they pull on their new franchise’s kit for the first time. But for Ryan Rickelton, the royal blue and gold trim of Mumbai Indians (MI) was reassuringly familiar.Rickelton has spent three seasons playing for their affiliate MI Cape Town in the SA20, where all six teams are run by IPL owners. Surprisingly, he is the only South African to have played matches for the same franchise in both leagues this year, a route that will surely become increasingly familiar as the global game evolves.Aged 28, Rickelton is a relatively late newcomer to the IPL but has made significant strides under the guidance of MI Cape Town’s batting coach, Hashim Amla, and is the leading run-scorer in the SA20’s brief history. While the two teams’ squads are very different, the crossover in support staff has been beneficial for Rickelton since he arrived in India.Related

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“It’s been a nice introduction into the group, the family – and obviously meeting Akash [Ambani, the MI owner] and everyone as well,” Rickelton said. “It’s not just coming in blind, so it has been an easier transition. But the IPL is a different beast on its own, so to mentally work my head around that is a bit of a different one for me… Luckily, I’ve got a few familiar faces around.”After starting IPL 2025 with scores of 13 and 6, Rickelton hit 62 off 41 balls on Monday night in his first innings at the Wankhede. A target of 117 was never likely to prove challenging, but his attacking intent secured an eight-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) with 43 balls to spare – enough to put MI’s net run-rate firmly in the black, despite starting the season with two defeats.”Opening the batting for Mumbai Indians with Rohit Sharma, there’s always going to be pressure internally and obviously externally as well,” Rickelton said. “Hardik [Pandya, the captain] was emphasising today, ‘Raise intensity, this is our home ground.’ We needed to be better and obviously we couldn’t be zero [wins] from three [games].”ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Rickelton believes that the IPL brings with it “a lot more pressure” than the other franchise leagues he has experienced. “The standard is incredibly high, and the conditions are all changing,” he said. “A year ago, [you] turn on the television and teams are getting 260 and you think it’s a free-for-all, but you come out and it’s actually not that easy.”Different grounds have unique characteristics. The pressure factor internally is big, but externally is huge. You’re playing with some of the world’s best players, not just in this team but around the country, so that extra pressure is there and it’s hard. I’m not going to lie: it’s hard. [I’m] just trying to find my way through that, and trying to adjust my game in order to give the team the best chance of being successful.”Rickelton was bowled off his inside edge in his first two IPL innings, and joked: “I was just trying to not chop it on, in all honesty.” But after two streaky boundaries early in his innings, he grew in confidence and hit three leg-side sixes off Sunil Narine – with the second bringing him a 33-ball half-century.Ryan Rickelton hit five sixes – and four fours – in his innings•Associated Press

“I was a bit nervous,” he said. “I just really wanted to get a score and just ease the nerves down. It was a relatively low total [target], so I knew I could afford a bit of time and just give myself those extra couple of balls… I felt like if I could face 18-20 balls, I’d have some kind of impact on the game and luckily I managed just to get through. It wasn’t as fluent as I’d have liked it to be, but I’ll take it.”It was a massive relief, in all honesty. Our first two games were tricky, on some tough wickets. To get out here in Mumbai and have Spencer [Johnson] turn me inside out was quite a tough battle to get through, but once I managed to get through that it was really pleasing to get a score – but relief, more than anything, and to get two points on the board is great for the team.”The extra bounce at the Wankhede compared to most IPL pitches should provide Rickelton with some home comforts this season, but his main challenge will be to have an impact on the road. Next up for him is a trip to the league’s lowest-scoring venue over the last three years, as MI face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) away on Friday night.

Chelsea are now willing to pay nearly £87m to ensure they win the race for an “unbelievable” attacker in 2026, having identified him as a major target.

Blues willing to spend big on "unbelievable" attacker

With Cole Palmer recently spending time on the sidelines due to a groin injury, Joao Pedro has moved into a slightly deeper role, playing in-behind striker Liam Delap, but the Englishman has also now been ruled out for an extended period.

Enzo Maresca has confirmed Delap is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines, saying: “Hopefully it’s not long, but this kind of case can be six, eight weeks.”

Subsequently, the Blues have now bolstered their attacking options even further by bringing in Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion until the end of the season.

However, given the nature of the deal, which does not include an option or obligation to buy, Buonanotte is unlikely to be a long-term solution in attacking midfield, and the west Londoners are now prepared to spend big to win the race for a Premier League star.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea are now willing to pay almost €100m (£87m) for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers, with a new approach for the attacking midfielder being planned for 2026.

Rogers was identified as a target during the summer transfer window, but they were unable to prise him away from Villa, who have set an asking price of £100m to deter potential suitors, with Tottenham Hotspur also thought to be keen.

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Several elite clubs are in the race for the 23-year-old, with the west Londoners identifying him as a major target off the back of an impressive 2024-25 campaign, but the Villans are hoping to retain their prized asset, suggesting negotiations could be tricky.

"Unbelievable" Rogers would provide Maresca with great depth

Buonanotte could be considered a strange signing, given that the 20-year-old has only joined on loan, but it may actually be a savvy move, given that there are few players in the world capable of displacing Palmer in the starting XI.

Consequently, it makes sense to have a younger back-up option, who may be more content with receiving limited game time, but that is unlikely to be the case for Rogers, who has established himself as a Premier League star at Villa.

Indeed, the attacking midfielder has received plenty of plaudits for his performances in a Villa shirt, with agent Hesham Bilal-Hafiz singling him out for particular praise.

Given that the England international is capable of playing on both wings, scoring 21 goals in 85 appearances on the left, he could also push for a starting spot out wide, meaning he would provide Maresca with great depth in attack.

رد تيبو كورتوا حارس مرمى ريال مدريد الإسباني، على تصريحات خوان لابورتا رئيس برشلونة، التي ألمح فيها إلى تحيز التحكيم للنادي الملكي.

وتفاقم الوضع عقب طرد المدير الفني لبرشلونة، هانز فليك، خلال المباراة أمام جيرونا ببطولة الدوري الإسباني.

وصرح لابورتا حينها: “إذا لم تكن هناك يد بيضاء خفية، فالأمر مشابه جدًا، حدث هذا قبيل مباراة نتنافس فيها على صدارة الدوري الإسباني، هذا الرجل طرد جميع لاعبينا المميزين تقريبًا، الحكم جيل مانزانو يتمتع بسيرة ذاتية ممتازة معنا”.

وظهر كورتوا في مؤتمر صحفي اليوم الثلاثاء للحديث قبل مباراة ريال مدريد ويوفنتوس في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا والمقرر خوضها غدًا الأربعاء، ونشرت صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية تصريحاته.

وسُئل كورتوا عن تصريح رئيس برشلونة خوان لابورتا بشأن اليد البيضاء أو اليد الخفية إشارة لتحيز التحكيم ضدهم، ورد: “لابورتا يقول ما لديه، في قضية نيجريرا لم أشعر قط أنهم تحيزوا ضدنا، بل على العكس تمامًا، الحكام بشر، والأخطاء واردة، لا أشعر أنهم تحيزوا ضدنا”.

اقرأ أيضًا | لابورتا يبرر انفعال فليك: تصرف إنساني نابع من الشغف والحكم أخطأ في حقه

وبشأن قرار رابطة الليجا بإقامة مباراة برشلونة وفياريال في ميامي بالولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، قال: “إنها تُشوّه المنافسة، ثم من السهل الحديث عن دوري كرة السلة الأمريكي للمحترفين ودوري كرة القدم الأمريكية”.

وأكمل: “في دوري كرة السلة الأمريكي للمحترفين، تُقام 82 مباراة، ثم تُلعب التصفيات، وهذا لا يُغيّر شيئًا، في دوري كرة القدم الأمريكية، يُصوّت ملاك الأندية جميعًا على القرارات، لكن هنا في الدوري الإسباني، يتم فرض الأمور لأنهم يريدون ذلك فقط”.

وأضاف: “هذا يُفسد المنافسة ولا يتوافق مع اتفاقية اللاعبين، يجب أن نلعب مبارياتنا على أرضنا وخارجها، فليس الأمر نفسه اللعب في ملعبك أو خارجه، اللعب خارج الديار في الدوري صعب جدًا، كما حدث معنا أمام ريال سوسيداد وخيتافي، وحتى فياريال خارج ملعبه فريق صعب”.

وبشأن رأيه في الرقابة التي فُرضت على احتجاج اللاعبين، أجاب كورتوا: “لا أدري ما الذي يفاجئكم، هناك ردود علنية على وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي، لم أرَ من قبل رئيس دوري يتحدث بهذه الطريقة، إخفاء الأمر وتغيير سبب احتجاجنا هو نوع من الرقابة والتلاعب، وهذا أمر خطير”.

ويشير كورتوا إلى حجب البث التليفزيوني للحظة وقوف اللاعبين 15 ثانية قبل مباريات الدوري الإسباني احتجاجًا على قرار خوض مباريات الليجا خارج إسبانيا.

وعن كيفية استعداده للكلاسيكو أمام برشلونة، حيث يلتقي الفريقان يوم الأحد المقبل، أتم: “الاستعدادات متشابهة، يجب أن نكون مستعدين تكتيكيًا، وهم يضغطون علينا بشدة، رأينا كيف يكون البرنابيو بركانًا، وهذا أمر مثير للإعجاب، في اللحظات الصعبة، نريدهم أن يستمروا في دعمنا، إنهم يمنحوننا تلك الطاقة الإضافية لمواصلة القتال”.

Chepauk will be abuzz on Sunday for the next installment of the IPL’s most-storied rivalry

Deivarayan Muthu22-Mar-20255:07

Can Mumbai Indians bounce back this season?

Big picture: IPL’s most-storied rivalryChennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI). The winningest IPL teams, with five titles each, will renew IPL’s most-storied rivalry on the opening weekend of the new season.It’s also a changing rivalry. An entire generation was used to seeing MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma walk out for the toss and call the shots. In IPL 2024, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Hardik Pandya took over captaincy but neither could lead their team to the playoffs. While CSK narrowly missed out, MI finished rock bottom and Hardik faced up to hostile receptions from their fans.Related

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Suryakumar to lead in Hardik's absence in MI's season opener

IPL to allow one ball change on demand to counter dew

Hardik has likely won the MI fans back by helping India to the T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy titles, but he will miss Sunday’s game at Chepauk because of an over-rate offence from last season, with Suryakumar Yadav set to stand in as captain. Jasprit Bumrah’s injury – he is likely to be unavailable until April – disrupts MI’s balance even further. How can they replace two irreplaceable players?History is also against MI. The last time they won the opening game of their season was way back in 2012. Coach Mahela Jayawardene said he was reminded of it even before their first press conference of the season.As for CSK, they’re back to their happy place – spin-friendly Chepauk. They have packed their squad with slower bowlers in a quest to maximise their home conditions. While R Ashwin will roll back the years – he has already said “it feels like 2011 again” at a recent book launch in Chennai – along with Ravindra Jadeja, Noor Ahmad might provide a peek into the future with his left-arm wristspin.Dhoni’s arrival in Chennai last month was enough to cause a stir. Imagine the kind of frenzy that could grip IPL 2025 if he reprises his age-defying six-hitting from last season.A full house at Chepauk, where the gates will be open to the public three hours before the start of the game, will be quite the spectacle.MS Dhoni prepares to bat at the nets•PTI New loyaltiesDeepak Chahar has played all of his 81 IPL games with Dhoni in the same squad at both CSK and Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS). For the first time in his career, he will go up against Dhoni and CSK. Chahar and Trent Boult could form a mouth-watering new-ball partnership for MI. Mitchell Santner, who was also a familiar face at CSK for a number of years, has also found a new home at MI.Rookie seamer Anshul Kamboj, who made his IPL debut for MI last season, has moved to CSK for IPL 2025. Given his ability to swing the new ball both ways, he’s a candidate to replace Chahar at CSK along with Khaleel Ahmed.Team news & likely XIIsCSK’s players are injury-free, but they have a problem of plenty. Devon Conway or Rachin Ravindra? Vijay Shankar or Deepak Hooda? Sam Curran or Jamie Overton? Khaleel Ahmed or Anshul Kamboj?Chennai Super Kings (probable): 1 Devon Conway/Rachin Ravindra, 2 Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), 3 Rahul Tripathi, 4 Deepak Hooda/Vijay Shankar, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Sam Curran, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (wk), 9 R Ashwin, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Matheesha Pathirana, 12 Khaleel Ahmed/Anshul KambojIn the absence of Hardik, Suryakumar will lead MI in their opening fixture. South Africa allrounder Corbin Bosch, who won the SA20 with MI Cape Town, might be brought in to provide the balance that Hardik usually does, unless MI lean towards an extra overseas spinner in Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Satyanarayana Raju, who often bowled at the death in the Andhra Premier League, might come in as an Impact Player, in place of one of the batters, when MI bowl. Raju, 25, was among the first group of bowlers to bowl at the nets on the eve of the game.Mumbai Indians (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Naman Dhir, 6 Robin Minz, 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Corbin Bosch/Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Karn Sharma, 11 Trent Boult, 12 Satyanarayana Raju/Ashwani KumarBig questionMI have previously had high-profile overseas players like Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga. This season they have some relative unknowns in the IPL like Ryan Rickelton and Bosch. With two of their highest-profile Indian players unavailable for their opener in IPL 2025, how will they manage without compromising on their batting depth or bowling options? Is Bosch the best candidate to slot in for Hardik?In the spotlight: Noor Ahmad and Suryakumar Yadav Noor Ahmad, the 20-year-old Afghanistan wristspinner, has already been named by Gaikwad as a player to watch out for from CSK. His ability to turn the ball both ways at quick speed could give CSK’s attack a potent point of difference, especially at Chepauk. The last time he played a franchise T20 tournament on spin-friendly surfaces, he was often unplayable and came away with the Player-of-the-Tournament award in CPL 2024. Noor isn’t new to the Super Kings set-up: he has already worked with Stephen Fleming at Texas Super Kings in the Major League Cricket (MLC) in the USA.Suryakumar Yadav has not passed 15 in his last five T20 innings – and fifty in his last nine innings – but MI have brushed off any concerns around his form. In his last innings against CSK at Chepauk, in 2023, he was tied down by Jadeja, Maheesh Theekshana and Moeen Ali on a slow track. Can he turn things around on Sunday?Key statsBoult has been bossing Gaikwad, having dismissed him three times in 26 balls in the IPL while conceding only 23 runs.Suryakumar has struggled against Jadeja in the IPL, managing 45 runs in 59 balls at a strike rate of less than 77 while being dismissed three times.Ashwin is the leading wicket-taker at Chepauk in the IPL with 50 strikes in 42 innings at an economy rate of 6.26.CSK have won five of their last six matches against MI, including three on the trot.Pitch and conditionsA slow track, which might aid spin, is likely to be rolled out for Sunday’s game. There’s a chance that both teams could pack their XIs (or XIIs) with three frontline spinners. Dew was a major factor during IPL 2024 and also during TNPL 2024, but the new IPL rules, which allow the team bowling second to get the ball changed on demand once anytime after the tenth over in evening games, might help counter that.Quotes”It [CSK’s opening combination] is decided, but it is not good to reveal here (laughs).”

“The show must go on. There are boys who can take up the responsibility and are very keen to take the field tomorrow.”
Next three fixturesCSK will have a four-day break before they face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Chepauk once again on Friday. They will have a shorter turnaround before they meet Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati next Sunday. They will then head back home for an afternoon game against Delhi Capitals (DC) on April 5.MI will continue to be on the road. Hardik will be back to lead them against his former team Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad on March 29 before they make the trip to Mumbai for their first home fixture of the season, against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders, on March 31. From the high-scoring Wankhede, they will go to a potentially low-scoring Ekana stadium where they will face Lucknow Super Giants on April 4.

Kylian Mbappe bagged himself a hat-trick in the Champions League and became the third quickest to reach 60 goals in Europe's premier competition, which puts him on course to beat Cristiano Ronaldo's incredible record tally. The Real Madrid superstar reached the landmark in just 89 games, courtesy of a treble against Kairat, while it took Ronaldo 98 games to reach the same number. And the France international is the second youngest to hit 60 goals, beaten by a matter of days, by Lionel Messi.

Getty ImagesMbappe stars as Real run riot

Mbappe delivered a scintillating performance in Real’s 5-0 victory over Kairat Almaty, bagging himself a hat-trick, and contributing significantly to a dominant display that saw his team bounce back from the disastrous 5-2 defeat by Atletico Madrid in La Liga last weekend. Mbappe opened the scoring in the 25th minute from the penalty spot after Franco Mastantuono was fouled in the box, and doubled his tally shortly after half-time, latching onto a long ball from Thibaut Courtois before executing a deft chip over the advancing goalkeeper. He sealed his hat-trick in the 73rd minute with a powerful strike from the edge of the box following a skilful run from Rodrygo.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportIs Ronaldo's record under threat?

Mbappe has been breaking records since he burst onto the scene for Monaco in 2015. And he's on course to match or beat Ronaldo in the Champions League scoring tables. But he's got his work cut out. It's important to acknowledge that Ronaldo's dominance in the Champions League spanned an extended period and resulted in an unparalleled overall goal tally and a remarkable seven Champions League top scorer titles. Ronaldo also holds the record for most Champions League final wins with five. To eclipse Ronaldo's total of 140 goals, Mbappe would need to continue playing at a high level in the Champions League for many more years, potentially well into his late 30s, based on current scoring rates.

Fewest appearances to reach 60 Champions League goals:

80: Lionel Messi

85: Robert Lewandowski

89: Kylian Mbappe

98: Cristiano Ronaldo

111: Karim Benzema

115: Raul Gonzalez

Mbappe claims he should score even more

Following his hat-trick against Kairat, Mbappe said: "A player like me, when I have five chances I should score five goals. Today, I scored three, and that's good, but I could have scored more. I'll keep working to be more clinical in front of goal. You should never forget, we can't forget what happened this weekend (the defeat by Atleti), this is another competition, but we have to keep thinking about what happened, and work to be better so as not to experience another night like that."

And Mbappe also singled out goalkeeper Courtois for special praise after his incredible long-range pass set up his second goal. He added: "I don't know if he meant to do it, but it's a great pass. He made 80 per cent of the goal and I made the other 20 per cent."

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AFPFlying start to 2025-26 season at Real

Mbappe has enjoyed a prolific start to the 2025-26 season with Real, bagging 13 goals in nine games in domestic and European competition – he’s become the club’s ‘main man’. He has scored in four consecutive La Liga appearances and leads the league's scoring charts. His performances have been instrumental in Real Madrid's early successes in the season, despite that notable 5-2 defeat by cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid.

The next milestone for Mbappe is to reach 70 Champions League goals, and he's got 17 games to match Ronaldo's scoring rate.

Fewest appearances to reach 70 Champions League goals

90: Lionel Messi

93: Robert Lewandowski

106: Cristiano Ronaldo

126: Karim Benzema

139: Raul Gonzalez

Bayern Munich legend Manuel Neuer has been hailed as one of the world's top three goalkeepers by his national team successor, Oliver Baumann. The Hoffenheim star, who is currently Germany's No.1, dismissed talk of a national team return for Neuer but praised the 39-year-old's enduring 'world-class' standard and down-to-earth personality.

• Neuer still going strong for Bayern Munich

  Baumann has hailed Neuer as one of the top three goalkeepers in world football, asserting that the Bayern legend continues to set the standard for the position. Speaking in an interview with , Baumann, who has stepped in as Germany's current number one, praised the Bayern captain's enduring quality and character. Despite his retirement from international duty, Neuer’s club career shows no signs of slowing down. 

  According to Bild, the veteran goalkeeper is now strongly considering extending his Bayern Munich contract beyond its current expiry date in June 2026. The decision reportedly rests entirely with the club captain, who remains a vital player under Vincent Kompany, having already kept three clean sheets in eight matches this season. While Neuer continuing would buy Bayern valuable time in their search for a long-term successor, it underscores his remarkable longevity and enduring importance to the Bavarian giants.

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  What Baumann said about Neuer's 'world-class' status

  When asked if the Bayern captain is the best goalkeeper in the world again, Baumann offered high praise for his compatriot. "He might clash with one or two others, like Thibaut Courtois. But he definitely sets the standard; Manuel is one of the top three goalkeepers in the world," Baumann stated. He also complimented Neuer's personality, adding: "We have a very good relationship. I really appreciate how he's remained so human and down-to-earth as a world-class goalkeeper. Manu is above it all, both personally and athletically."

• Baumann dismisses talk of Neuer's national team return

  With Germany's established number one, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, currently sidelined with injury, some speculation had emerged about a potential return for Neuer ahead of the World Cup. Baumann, who has earned six caps for his country, quickly shut down the suggestions. 

  "Are there so many calls? I didn't perceive them as that loud. And he himself denied it – so the matter is settled," the Hoffenheim keeper said. "For me, there's only one relevant question in this regard: What do the coaches think?"

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• Germany's goalkeeping situation and Baumann's ambition

  Baumann's recent performances have seen him rewarded with the starting spot for Germany, an opportunity the 35-year-old is relishing after a long wait for his international debut. While he has enjoyed the experience and would "like to win more international caps," he affirmed his commitment to the team's success and promised to support Ter Stegen upon his return to fitness. He stressed his team-first mentality would prevent any public rivalries, stating that a vocal campaign like the one Jens Lehmann waged against Oliver Kahn in 2006 "would certainly not be Baumann-like."