Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola has admitted he did not know who Stefan Ortega was before the club signed him.
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German will start last game vs West HamGoalkeeper made stunning save at TottenhamCity 'keeper coach recommended himWHAT HAPPENED?
Ortega has become a key figure for City this season, standing in for No. 1 Ederson on several occasions due to injury. And he made a potentially pivotal save in the title race when he denied Son Heung-min from close range in the 2-0 win at Tottenham after coming on to replace the injured Ederson.
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"No. It was my keeper department," Guardiola told a press conference. "People talk about the incredible save because that's what it is. Eddy [Ederson] has done it many times before. Know why we won the Champions League? Ederson, make incredible saves at 1-0. And against Benzema. He was the key to win. Cannot define this period without Eddy. It was a strange period for Eddy, four times injured, never seen that. Today we have two top keepers."
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Ortega signed for City in 2022 on a free transfer after ending his contract at Arminia Bielefeld, who had just been relegated from the Bundesliga. He replaced Zack Steffen, who had been an unreliable back-up to Ederson, making a big mistake in the FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool. Guardiola credited goalkeeping coach Xabi Mancisidor for recommending Ortega. "It was Xabi. It happened in the past, he introduced me to two or three keepers, I said okay, let's go. I'm not an expert on keepers, that's why I have trainers for that. He did really well."
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City will win a record fourth consecutive English title if they beat West Ham or Arsenal fail to beat Everton. They can then attempt to do a successive double when they face Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
Sheffield Wednesday's interest in signing a trophy-winning player has now "stepped up a gear", according to an update from reliable journalist Alex Miller.
Sheffield Wednesday sign new goalkeeper
The Owls may be sitting in the Championship relegation zone currently, but there is an undoubted feeling of positivity at the club, following the impressive start that Danny Rohl has made as manager. He has also already started making inroads in the transfer market, with goalkeeper James Beadle arriving on loan from Brighton.
The 19-year-old is seen as an exciting addition to Wednesday's squad, with his ball-playing quality something that clearly looks to have appealed to Rohl, and he will now battle with current No.1 Cameron Dawson for regular minutes between now and the end of the season.
Another player who has been strongly linked with a move to Hillsborough is West Ham midfielder Conor Coventry, who won the UEFA Europa League Conference League with the Hammers last season, albeit not as a regular.
The 23-year-old has spent this season on loan at fellow Championship side Rotherham United, having also had spells at Lincoln, Peterborough and MK Dons, and he could now be on the move for another temporary switch.
Conor Coventry transfer update
Taking to X, Miller provided an update on Sheffield Wednesday's move for Coventry, saying the Owls are opening talks in the coming days, amid plenty of interest in him.
"Understand Owls interest in West Ham midfielder Conor Coventry has stepped up a gear. The club will hold talks with the 23yo this week. Have some convincing to do amid interest from Champ, L1 and Holland. Some clubs already in talks."
If Wednesday could snap up Coventry as well as Beadle this month, it would represent a promising start to the January transfer window at Hillsborough, as Rohl and his players look to pull off a highly impressive escape act this season.
The Owls' midfield feels well-balanced when everyone is fit, but both George Byers and Will Vaulks have been in and out of the side this season, while Tyreeq Bakinson has left to join Charlton Athletic on loan.
That highlights the need for new faces to come in, and Coventry could be a really astute addition, having made ten appearances for West Ham to date, one of which has come in the Premier League.
Hammers boss David Moyes has said he is "doing great" in the past, and he is at an age where he should only get better, having been praised as a "wonderful" player during his spell at Posh by Darragh MacAnthony.
3 signings Rohl could make at Sheffield Wednesday using his Bundesliga ties
Danny Rohl could look to his native Germany for Sheffield Wednesday January additions.
ByKelan Sarson Jan 8, 2024
Squad depth is going to be so important for the Owls during the second half of the campaign, with so much work still to do in the relegation battle and matches coming thick and fast, and Coventry could make a big difference in that respect.
Morreu neste domingo (7) aos 64 anos e vítima de complicações cardiorrespiratórias, o ex-zagueiro e treinador, Lula Pereira. Natural de Olinda-PE, ele teve passagem marcante, principalmente, pelo Ceará conquistando cinco títulos, sendo quatro deles como jogador, em sete anos como atleta do Vozão.
Lula Pereira estava afastado do futebol desde 2016, quando foi diretor do Ferroviário. Em 2019, o ex-zagueiro teve um Acidente Vascular Cerebral (AVC) Isquêmico e foi internado.
Como jogador, Lula começou sua carreira nos anos 70 em Pernambuco e atuou por Santa Cruz e Sport. Ele pendurou as chuteiras no Ceará, mas não sem antes conquistar quatro estaduais (1980, 1981, 1984 e 1986) em 235 jogos com seis gols marcados. Mais tarde como técnico, ele ainda ajudou o Vozão a conquistar o Cearense em 1998.
Ainda como treinador, Lula Pereira treinou diversos clubes pelo Brasil como o Flamengo, Botafogo-SP, Guarani, Bahia, Portuguesa e América-MG. Ele ainda teve uma passagem no futebol árabe, no Al Hazm. Seu último trabalho na beira de campo foi justamente no Ceará, em 2012. Anos mais tarde, ele virou diretor técnico do Ferroviário.
Por meio de uma nota de pesar, o Ceará se despediu do ídolo e decretou luto de três dias.
“Por dedicar sua vida ao futebol e em sua memória, o Ceará Sporting Club presta aqui homenagem póstuma ao Lula e decreta luto de três dias. O Ceará Sporting Club se solidariza com os familiares de Lula Pereira, neste momento de tamanha dor. Lula Pereira deixa três filhos, Luiz Eduardo, Priscila e Bárbara”, diz um trecho da nota do Vozão.
O Flamengo também se manifestou e lamentou a perda de Lula.
“O Clube de Regatas do Flamengo lamenta profundamente a morte do ex-técnico Lula Pereira. Ele comandou o Mais Querido em 2002. Muita força aos familiares e amigos neste momento tão difícil.”
Além do Vozão e Flamengo, o Bahia também deixou sua mensagem de despedida para o ex-treinador.
“Nossa solidariedade aos familiares e amigos de Lula Pereira, técnico do Esquadrão em 2003 e 2006. O pernambucano, também com passagem destacada no futebol cearense, foi vítima de problemas cardíacos decorrentes de um AVC, aos 64 anos.”
O América-MG foi mais um dos clubes a prestar condolências a Lula Pereira.
“O América Futebol Clube lamenta muito o falecimento do ex-técnico Lula Pereira, que conquistou um Campeonato Mineiro pelo Clube. Desejamos força para todos os familiares e amigos.”
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Russel Arnold believes that trust will “take a beating” in the Sri Lankan game following the raft of corruption allegations in recent times, to the extent that even team-mates may not feel able to trust each other.There is currently an ICC amnesty in place for anyone to come forward with further information. This, after charges against three former players, including Sanath Jayasuriya and Nuwan Zoysa, under the anti-corruption code.Arnold, the former Sri Lanka batsman who is part of the commentary team for the upcoming two-Test series against Australia, said that though the current players will do all they can to shut out the distractions, there must be some lingering doubts.”Anything around will certainly worry players, they are all human, even we are feeling a little nervy about what we are hearing, with the allegations we still don’t know exactly where things are,” he said.”But trust does take a beating, you tend to wonder what the hell is going on. I would be surprised if none of this is in the back of their mind, whether they can trust their team-mate, whether they can trust anyone’s instructions or gameplans, it has to worry them.”ALSO READ: Sanath Jayasuriya states his ‘integrity and transparency’ in wake of ACU chargesWhen Dinesh Chandimal, the Sri Lanka Test captain, was asked about the impact of the corruption investigations, he said, “I don’t have any comments on that.”The ICC initially launched investigations in late 2017 following allegations made by former seamer Pramodya Wickramasinghe, which led to current players, including Chandimal and Upul Tharanga, writing a letter to the Sri Lanka board asking for the “baseless allegations” to be addressed.Since then, the most significant charges laid have been those against Jayasuriya for actions during his second stint as chairman of selectors relating to a one-day series against Zimbabwe in 2017.Earlier this week, the head of the ICC’s anti-corruption unit, Alex Marshall, urged more people to come forward if they had information.”I am encouraged by the number of people that have come forward and the new information we’re receiving as a result. This intelligence is assisting our ongoing and wide-ranging investigations in Sri Lanka as well us enabling us to continue to develop a comprehensive picture of the situation there,” he said.”I would urge any more players or participants who have any information concerning corrupt conduct to come forward over the next week and share it with us in the strictest of confidence without any fear of repercussions.”Sri Lanka sports minister Harin Fernando recently met with Marshall, and though he believed the problems stemmed more from the administrators than the players, he acknowledged that the issue was widespread.”Sri Lanka is being ranked one of the top countries for cricket corruption,” Fernando told . “They told me that the problem was not limited to bookies, but even the local game’s links with the underworld.”Fernando also alleged in a recent interview with , that there had been attempts to even bribe him to influence team selection, and that he had promptly reported that information to Marshall and the ACU. An investigation is understood to be under way about that incident as well.(With inputs from Andrew Fidel Fernando)
The unpredictability is what makes football great, you may think you do, but you never really know what's going to happen. Here, we at Football FanCast will break down 10 of the most shocking relegations in football history.
10 Villarreal 2011/12
Entering the 2011/12 season as a Champions League team, Villarreal finished fourth in a stacked La Liga the season before. They had a fantastic squad boasting formidable players like Marcos Senna, Mateo Mussachio, Nilmar, Diego Lopez, Giuseppe Rossi, and Borja Valero. Santi Cazorla and Joan Capdevila were both sold in the summer, but it shouldn't have made such a difference.
Their Champions League journey proved challenging as Villarreal ended up at the bottom of their group, failing to secure a single point in that season's 'group of death' facing off against opponents Bayern Munich, Napoli, and Manchester City. This lacklustre performance spilled over into La Liga, where Villarreal struggled throughout the season. With 15 defeats and only nine wins, they accumulated 41 points. Surprisingly, only the bottom-placed Racing Santander had fewer victories.
It so nearly wasn't so bad. In a nail-biting conclusion to the season, Villarreal narrowly missed avoiding relegation, finishing just one point behind 17th-placed Granada. The dramatic twist came in the form of an 88th-minute goal from Atletico Madrid’s Falcao on the final day, sealing Villarreal's fate.
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ByAlex Roberts Nov 4, 2023 9 Schalke 2020/21
Before their relegation in 2020/21, FC Schalke 04 were one of Germany's biggest teams, routinely finishing in the Champions League spots and progressing fairly well through Europe's biggest tournament. Fast forward to the 2021/22 season, and the club found itself embarking on its first 2. Bundesliga campaign in over three decades.
The descent was not immediate, with Schalke finishing 14th and 12th in the seasons preceding their relegation. Nevertheless, the idea of Schalke dropping into the second tier seemed unthinkable. Now, they're at the wrong end of the league table and could face being relegated yet again.
This marked only the fourth occasion that Schalke experienced relegation from the top flight, and the team underwent a tumultuous period with five different managers taking the helm. Dimitrios Grammozis, David Wagner, Manuel Baum, Huub Stevens and Christian Gross all attempted, without success, to reverse Schalke's fortunes.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Sead Kolasinac and Shkodran Mustafi were brought in during the season, but their efforts proved futile. Ultimately, Schalke concluded the season with a mere 16 points from 34 games, trailing 17 points behind the relegation play-off spot and managing only three wins throughout the campaign.
8 Deportivo La Coruna 2010/11
After their surprise La Liga win in 1999/2000, beating out the likes of Barcelona and Valencia, Deportivo La Coruna became one of Spain's best sides, featuring regularly in the Champions League and at the latter stages of domestic competition. The fairytale wouldn't last though, and in 2010/11 they were relegated.
The years prior saw them grappling in mid-table, securing finishes ranging from seventh to 13th, including a 10th-place position in 2009/10. As time marched on, they found themselves on the brink of relegation.
In their 40th season in La Liga, Deportivo underwent a significant transformation, losing many of their key players. Despite winning 10 times in La Liga and amassing 43 points, they, like several others on this list, fell just one point short of safety. The final weekend of the season saw Deportivo slipping into the bottom three, marking a stark contrast to their earlier glory days.
7 Leeds United 2003/04
While this wasn't a huge shock at the time, the rapid decline of Leeds United is perhaps the most surprising element.
After narrowly avoiding relegation in the preceding campaign, Leeds faced another challenging season as the financial crisis at Elland Road pushed the club's debts past the £100 million mark. The consequential sale of key players persisted, adding to the team's struggles. Manager Peter Reid was dismissed on November 10, with Leeds having gathered only 8 points from their first 12 games. In his place, former player, coach and manager Eddie Gray took over on a temporary basis.
Initially, Gray's tenure brought about improved results, lifting Leeds out of the relegation zone by the end of 2003. However, a dismal stretch of seven consecutive defeats after the turn of the year left them stranded at the bottom of the table, extinguishing any realistic hope of Premier League survival.
Despite some better performances late in the season that allowed them to climb off the bottom, a definitive blow came with a 4–1 defeat at Bolton on May 2 to all but confirm their relegation. Shortly thereafter, Gray departed from the club for good, making way for Kevin Blackwell, who had previously served as Reid's assistant and was tasked with the challenging mission of steering Leeds away from a second successive relegation.
Leeds United wouldn't be back in the Premier League until 2020/21.
6 Sampdoria 2010/11
Another former league champion faced the bitter taste of relegation, as Sampdoria, winners of Serie A in 1990/91, had already experienced a drop from the top flight in 1998/99. After making a return in 2003/04, Sampdoria found stability in Serie A, consistently finishing no lower than 13th and securing five top-half finishes in the subsequent seven seasons.
It's always weird when a club goes from playing European football to relegation in the space of a season. In the 2010/11 season, Sampdoria, having clinched a fourth-place finish in Serie A the previous year, entered the qualifying rounds of the Champions League and also participated in Europa League football.
Sampdoria managed to win just three of their final 22 games from the start of 2011, a run marked by 15 defeats. Despite a promising start where they lost only three times in the opening 16 games, Sampdoria ultimately finished five points behind 17th-placed Lecce, sealing their fate in the lower tier of Italian football.
5 Manchester United 1973/74
The 1973–74 season marked a significant downturn for Manchester United as they faced relegation for the first time since 1938. Under manager Tommy Docherty, appointed the previous December, United struggled despite a brief return of George Best, who played his last game for the club on New Year's Day.
Docherty appointed goalkeeper Alex Stepney as the penalty taker, and although Stepney became the club's joint-top scorer after converting two penalties, United's overall performance was disappointing. The team's late-season run of victories raised hopes of survival, but defeats to Manchester City and Stoke City sealed their fate.
The decisive blow came when former United player Denis Law scored for Manchester City, contributing to United's 21st-place finish. Although erroneously believed by some to be "relegated" by City, it was Birmingham City's win and West Ham United's draw that confirmed United's fate.
Despite relegation, Docherty retained his position, and the club aimed to regain First Division status promptly. The season saw significant changes, including Best's departure and Docherty's unconventional decisions, highlighting a challenging period in Manchester United's history.
4 Fiorentina 2001/02
This relegation was so bad, the club effectively ceased to exist. The economic turmoil exacerbated their challenges, with the sale of playmaker Rui Costa failing to alleviate financial woes. As the season unfolded, the absence of Rui Costa and key goalkeeper Francesco Toldo exposed the vulnerabilities of the Fiorentina squad, particularly after striker Enrico Chiesa suffered a cruciate ligament rupture in the fifth league game.
The ageing defence struggled against opponents' strikers, and off-field issues took a toll on well-known players like Domenico Morfeo and Nuno Gomes. Not even the addition of rising star Adriano, on loan from Inter and scoring six goals, could salvage the team's fortunes.
Manager Roberto Mancini faced the axe, later reviving his managerial career at Lazio. The club's relegation and subsequent bankruptcy filing in the summer led to a rebirth as Florentia Viola in Serie C2. Virtually all players, except veteran Angelo Di Livio, departed, leaving the club in a state of upheaval and uncertainty.
3 Corinthians 2007
Corinthians fans ended 2007 heartbroken when they faced relegation from the Brazilian top flight in 2007. A four-time Brazilian champion and global titleholder in 2000 (with an additional triumph in 2012), the notion of Corinthians competing in the second tier seemed unthinkable, yet it became a stark reality.
The 2007 season brought a multitude of off-field challenges for Corinthians, with notable controversies surrounding Kia Joorabchian, linked to the club through former president Alberto Dualib, and his company. The financial struggles significantly impacted on-field performance, leading to a surprising outcome: relegation. Corinthians ended the season with a record of ten wins, 14 draws, and 14 defeats, earning them a place among the four teams demoted from the top flight.
2 Atletico Madrid 1999/00
The 1999/00 La Liga season was wild. A historic upheaval unfolded in La Liga as three of Spain's most prominent football clubs, Deportivo La Coruña, Atlético Madrid, and Sevilla, were relegated, marking the end of the century in a stunning way.
Atlético Madrid, despite reaching the Copa del Rey final, suffered relegation. This season notably stands as the last time neither Barcelona nor Real Madrid secured any domestic silverware.
Under managers Claudio Ranieri and Radomir Antić, Atletico won just nine games and finished as runners-up in the Copa del Rey, succumbing to Valencia. Striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, a significant signing from Leeds United, experienced relegation but impressed individually, finishing second in the Pichichi race with 24 goals.
Despite relegation, Atlético would bounce back after two seasons in the second tier, later becoming a dominant force in Spanish football under manager Diego Simeone.
1 Juventus 2005/06
Ah yes, the Calciopoli, scandal. It unfolded in 2006, implicating various clubs, executives, and football bodies, but Juventus were the most heavily punished. The scandal involved intercepted calls revealing relations between club executives and referee organizations, accusing them of influencing referee selections during the 2004/05 and 2005/06 seasons. Juventus, Fiorentina, Lazio, AC Milan, and Reggina were among the implicated clubs.
In July 2006, Juventus was stripped of the 2004/05 Serie A title, relegated to Serie B, and their 05/06 title was later awarded to Inter. Despite being popularly known as a match-fixing scandal, no evidence of match-fixing violations was found in the intercepted calls.
A subsequent investigation, Calciopoli bis, implicated more clubs, including Inter Milan, but no trial occurred due to the statute of limitations. Juventus, while absolved from match-fixing, faced damage claims and sought restoration of the 2005 Scudetto, which were rejected.
Juventus returned to Serie A after winning the 2006/07 Serie B championship, and went on to embark on a dominant era with nine consecutive league titles between 2011 and 2020.
Chelsea look like they have finally found some consistent form under Mauricio Pochettino in recent weeks, despite their recent unbeaten run coming to an end this weekend against Brentford.
It hasn’t all been plain sailing for the Argentinian during his first few months in charge of the club as they currently occupy 11th place in the Premier League table, winning just three of their ten matches thus far.
A win over Brighton and Hove Albion in the EFL Cup sparked a run which has included league victories over Fulham and Burnley, while they came close to defeating Arsenal last week.
Defeat to the Bees on Saturday lunchtime is an untimely setback, though progress has nevertheless been made in recent weeks.
With no European competition to divert attention to this term, Pochettino has plenty of time between matches and this should help the Blues work their way into the top six.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino.
The former Paris Saint-Germain boss has begun to make the squad his own, signing a host of players over the summer that could help establish Chelsea as one of the finest teams in the country if he is given plenty of time to develop them.
The next two transfer windows will be key for the manager, but will they continue to sign some of the most talented youngsters in the game?
Chelsea would love to sign Jamal Musiala from Bayern Munich
Over the previous year, the Blues have managed to sign talents such as Enzo Fernandez, Deivid Washington, Malo Gusto and Andrey Santos among others, yet they don’t appear to be resting on their laurels.
According to reporter Simon Phillips via his Substack, Musiala is Chelsea’s dream signing, especially considering his meteoric rise at Bayern in recent years.
The 20-year-old was actually at Chelsea as a youngster, but chose to join the German giants in 2019. According to Football Transfers, the Germany international is now valued at €92.3m (£81m), although considering their recent spending habits, this type of fee shouldn’t deter the club.
It would be a massive coup if Pochettino did manage to convince him to return to his previous club and much will depend on how well the Stamford Bridge side do this season.
They already have a few decent attacking-midfield options in their current squad, including Cole Palmer, who made the move from Manchester City during the summer for a fee which could reach £42.5m.
Cole Palmer has settled in well at Chelsea
The 21-year-old made his debut for City during the 2020/21 season, and he looked like he would be the next big thing to emerge under Pep Guardiola, following in the footsteps of Phil Foden.
The Englishman made 25 appearances in all competitions last term and played a part in City winning the treble, while he even scored twice in his first three games of the current season, and it looked as though he could become a regular in the starting XI.
Chelsea came calling, however, and Palmer has begun life in London fairly well. Across just eight matches, he already has four goal contributions to his name – two goals and two assists – and he currently ranks joint-first in the squad for goals and assists in the Premier League (three), while ranking first for big chances created (four) and key passes per game (1.5), showing an immediate impact.
But as good as Palmer has been, a move for Musiala would be seen as an upgrade on the former City starlet, especially regarding his performances since the start of the 2022/23 season.
Jamal Musiala could be an upgrade on Cole Palmer
Last season, the former Chelsea kid was in sensational form. Across 47 matches for Bayern, he scored 16 goals and registered 16 assists, a stunning total considering he was only 19 years old for the majority of the campaign.
The youngster has received plenty of praise for his displays of late, and Michael Owen waxed lyrical about the attacking midfielder, saying: “I think he is exceptional, really exceptional. It’s such a shame he chose Germany over England! I thought he was brilliant in the last major tournament.
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"There’s lots of people comparing him to Bellingham but I think he is a different type of player. He’s a brilliant runner with the ball. I think he’s unbelievable when it comes to dribbling. He’s got the lot, this lad."
It is natural to compare him to the other young talent that is emerging across the continent, and judging by his statistics in the Bundesliga last term, he certainly could be an upgrade on Palmer.
Musiala scored more league goals (12 vs 0) and grabbed more assists (ten vs one) than Palmer, while also registering more shots on target per game (0.8 vs 0.3), created more chances (11 vs 1) and averaged more key passes per game (1.6 vs 0.4), clearly showcasing his superiority, although he did play more games than the City gem.
When compared with positional peers playing at a similar level over the previous 12 months, Musila ranks in the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90 (4.2) along with ranking in the top 8% for assists per 90 (0.34).
In contrast, Palmer only ranks in the top 35% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.88) when compared to positional peers, while ranking in the top 19% for assists per 90 (0.27) – making it clear who has been the better player.
Signing Musiala could take Chelsea to the next level, there is no doubt about that. However, Bayern are unlikely to part with one of their finest players, and it could take an extravagant fee for them to even consider selling.
Palmer has performed well since arriving at the Blues, and he could settle into the attacking-midfield slot on a regular basis over the coming months. But if Musiala arrives, the duo could potentially fight it out for their preferred position – and on the basis of last season, there is only one winner.
Vijay bagged a pair at Lord’s to follow scores of 20 and 6 at Edgbaston which led to his omission
ESPNcricinfo staff08-Sep-2018
M Vijay during India’s training session•AFP/Getty Images
M Vijay, the India opener who was dropped after two Tests of the series against England, has joined Essex for the remainder of the 2018 county season.Vijay, 34, bagged a pair at Lord’s to follow scores of 20 and 6 at Edgbaston which led to his omission for the third Test at Trent Bridge. He was then left out of India’s updated squad for the final two matches of the series.”I was here with the India side about a month ago and saw first-hand just how good the crowd is. I can’t wait to play for Essex and hopefully win some matches,” Vijay said.Essex have three games left in their County Championship season and are not yet entirely secure of their Division One status following a heavy defeat by Surrey. Their top three for that match was Nick Browne, Varun Chopra and Tom Westley, and it could be that one of them makes way for Vijay’s arrival.Essex head coach Anthony McGrath said: “We’re delighted that Vijay has chosen to come here. He’s a great batsman who can score runs at the top of the order.”Vijay’s run-scoring ability means he can be the difference-maker in a game, and that skill is something we were looking to bring in towards the end of the season and something that we’re excited about.”The campaign is coming to an end and we have some really big games over the next month, so getting someone in with the experience and international quality that Vijay possesses could make all the difference for us.”
Não faz muito tempo e o Corinthians passou por um momento bem difícil para a escalação de zagueiros no time titular. Tirando Gil, absoluto na posição, apenas Bruno Méndez estava à disposição da comissão técnica quando Danilo Avelar sofreu grave lesão ligamentar no joelho. Agora, porém, a situação é outra e em breve a concorrência deve ser de três jogadores para uma vaga.
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As boas apresentações de Bruno Méndez contra o Grêmio e contra o Coritiba, são os fatos novos na cabeça de Vagner Mancini para escolher quem irá dividir a dupla de zaga com Gil. O uruguaio precisou emergencialmente suprir a expulsão de Marllon, contra o Tricolor gaúcho e substituiu o companheiro na titularidade contra o Coxa. Antes com poucas chances ele mostrou serviço.
-Sobre o Bruno Méndez, mais uma vez ele fez um bom jogo, óbvio que não dá para falar nada sobre o jogo de quarta-feira, temos sete dias daqui até lá, mas é um atleta que tem mostrado que tem totais condições de assumir a camisa, de jogar, até mesmo em outras funções, é um zagueiro extremamente aguerrido, que contagia os companheiros e isso é muito importante quando você tem dentro de uma equipe – elogiou Mancini após a vitória sobre o Coritiba.
A dúvida na cabeça do comandante corintiano se dá pelo fato da volta de Marllon, que cumpriu suspensão na última quarta-feira e já estará disponível novamente pra enfrentar o Fortaleza. Antes da lesão de Avelar, o zagueiro estava emprestado ao Cruzeiro, mas o Timão solicitou seu retorno de forma imediata, já que não havia nomes da posição para serem opção no banco.
Logo no segundo jogo em que foi relacionado, Marllon precisou entrar em campo, diante do Athletico-PR, para recompor a zaga e desde então não havia deixado a titularidade até ser suspenso. Coincidentemente, o camisa 25 ganhou a chance pela expulsão de Méndez, que deu uma cotovelada em Renato Kayzer. Esse lance, aliás, será julgado na próxima segunda-feira pelo STJD e pode render uma suspensão ao uruguaio no Campeonato Brasileiro.
No entanto, a briga não fica somente entre Bruno e Marllon, já que recentemente o Corinthians fechou a contratação de Jemerson, que chegou com status de “zagueiro de Seleção”. Acontece que nas vésperas do que seria sua estreia, contra o Grêmio, ele foi diagnosticado com Covid-19 e de lá para cá está em quarentena até ser liberado pelo departamento médico do clube.
Em teoria, Jemerson seria aquele que formaria a dupla ideal de zaga ao lado de Gil, mas com as atuações dos colegas, o tempo que precisa para entrar em forma e o afastamento por conta do coronavírus, podem fazer com que Bruno Méndez e Marllon estejam, neste momento, com um passo à frente do ex-Monaco que, como dito acima, ainda não estreou com a camisa corintiana.
De uma forma ou de outra, fato é que o elenco ganhou opções e saiu de uma situação calamitosa para outra em que é possível escolher qual zagueiro será parceiro de Gil. O grupo ainda conta com Raul Gustavo, proveniente da base, que estava suspenso, depois se machucou e agora está novamente à disposição. Por enquanto, é uma dor de cabeça boa para Vagner Mancini.
Manchester City and England star Chloe Kelly celebrated International Women's Day with a motivational post alongside her club and national team-mates.
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Kelly celebrates International Women's DayPoses alongside City and England team-matesShouts out fellow stars and vows "we won't be stopped"WHAT HAPPENED?
With International Women's Day falling on Friday, March 8, Kelly took to Instagram to shout out her fellow female athletes. The City and England forward posted pictures from the Lionesses' 2023 World Cup run in Australia and New Zealand, from inside the City changing room, and alongside her mother and sister. And Kelly's message was defiant amid the continued rise of the women's game: "We won't be stopped".
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Alongside those photos, Kelly wrote an inspirational message on Instagram which read: "Surrounded by strong WOMEN who inspire me to be better every single day We as WOMEN can achieve great things and we won’t be stopped".
Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
On such an important day for women around the world, and with the game increasingly on the rise, Kelly wasn't the only footballing icon to send a message out. Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman, who led Kelly and Co to glory in Euro 2022 before falling at the final hurdle in Sydney a year later, shared her thoughts to England's official channels. She called on the need for women's choice in sport and praised her Lionesses players for leaving a legacy that will last far beyond any trophies.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR KELLY?
Kelly is one of those Lionesses stars who has become an icon in her own right, seeing a famous cereal brand named after her earlier this week. On the pitch, though, her attentions will shift to bouncing back from defeat to Chelsea in the Conti Cup on Thursday when City travel to Tottenham in the FA Women's Cup on Sunday.
Australia will not play a Test match in Ireland ahead of the 2019 Ashes series because of a lack of room in the schedule after the World Cup
Adam Collins29-May-2018
After yeas of hard work, Test cricket comes to Ireland•PA Photos
Australia will not play a Test match in Ireland ahead of the 2019 Ashes series because of scheduling pressure that leaves only ten free days between the World Cup final and the opening day of their flagship series against England, ESPNcricinfo has learned.This is a double blow for Ireland, who have already been culled from the global one-day tournament – beginning in London one year from Wednesday – as a result of the ICC’s determination to reduce the number of competing countries from 14 to ten.It also means that Australia will have only enough time for one match against an English county before the first Test, down from two lead-in fixtures on each of their last three Ashes tours.Discussions between Cricket Australia and Cricket Ireland concluded with an acceptance from both parties that the tourists would not be able to in good faith commit to a five-day Test match in the days immediately following the World Cup decider on July 14.A spokesman for Cricket Ireland said that they would “continue to explore alternative opportunities in the future” for the sides to play a Test after Cricket Australia relayed to them that “it wouldn’t be possible with timing and other commitments” in that narrow window.Cricket Australia put on record that they looked at a “range of options” to play their first ever Test against Ireland and that they “will continue to look for these opportunities in the future”.Cricket Ireland are open to all possibilities. “Cricket Ireland continues to be open for discussion with Cricket Australia around opportunities in the future and will be continuing this conversation at the upcoming ICC Annual Conference in Dublin in just over a month’s time,” their spokesman said.In the aftermath of Pakistan’s emphatic victory over England at Lord’s on Sunday, both captain Sarfraz Ahmed and coach Mickey Arthur credited the quality of their Test against Ireland in Malahide last month as an integral part of their immaculate preparation.This comes as Stuart Law, coach of the West Indies side that snuck into the World Cup through a hyper-competitive qualification series in March, launch a spirited defence for the ongoing inclusion of Associate Member nations at the major quadrennial event.Speaking to reporters at Lord’s ahead of West Indies’ T20 international against a World XI on Thursday, Law was complimentary of the improved performances of Associate Nations.”Cricket is getting closer and there are no real easy beats,” he said. “We’ve seen a lot of the Associate teams beating major teams in World Cups and in World T20s. That gap is narrowing, so thank goodness we got through.”Asked if he agreed with the ICC reducing the size of the World Cup, Law elaborated. “We are trying to take it to the world and here we are blocking out some of the nations that have really featured heavily in the last couple of World T20s and 50-over World Cups,” he said.”It is not for me to decide, I am just disappointed that we haven’t got the likes of the Irish in there because when they win they know how to party, they play with a smile on their face and they really enjoy their cricket, win lose or draw. They are a great team to be around and a great team to watch as well. So, it is a shame they are not in.”It was a view shared by his captain, Carlos Brathwaite, who agreed that it was “very sad” that the tournament was contracting. “We should be keeping it at the same number or even trying to expand,” he said. “It is my opinion on the matter. Hopefully, the day will come where we get more teams and more countries involved and really spread the game of cricket.”Earlier this month, Australia cancelled an incoming tour by Bangladesh, on the grounds that it was not “commercially viable”.