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Saturday's 4-0 rout of Athletic Club was a very meaningful match for Barcelona – and not just because it marked the Blaugrana's belated return to Camp Nou. Indeed, the Catalans winning without conceding a goal was arguably of far greater significance than the long-awaited reopening of their beloved home ground, as it was their first clean sheet for nine games in all competitions. Not since the facile 3-0 win over Getafe on September 21 had Barca shut out an opponent.

However, Hansi Flick resisted the urge to take a swipe at those who have become increasingly critical of his notoriously high defensive line. "I always think about saying something about the experts, former players, former coaches," he told reporters, "but I will not do it. [It makes) too much noise for us."

The coach's restraint was wise, because it will take a lot more than one clean sheet against a mid-table team in La Liga to silence the sceptics – particularly as Barca's dodgy defence is the main reason why Flick's team are in danger of failing to qualify directly for the last 16 of this season's Champions League as they prepare to face in-form Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday…

AFP'Makes no sense'

Barcelona are a television executive's dream. Their games guarantee goals. They've not been involved in a single scoreless draw since Flick replaced Xavi as coach during the summer of 2024. Their last Champions League outing illustrated why.

Barca played some lovely passing football against Club Brugge, had 23 shots and scored three goals, including a superb strike from Lamine Yamal. However, the Blaugrana were also forced to come from behind three times just to claim a share of the spoils. Brugge may have been restricted to 23.7 percent possession, but they were full value for their point. Indeed, the hosts had as many shots on target as Barca (six) and actually created more big chances (five) – three of which they took thanks to perfectly-timed runs in behind the visitors' high line by Carlos Forbs, who teed up fellow forward Nicolo Tresoldi for the opener before netting twice himself.

So, while neutrals were enjoying another wonderfully entertaining encounter involving Barcelona, former forward Thierry Henry was being driven to distraction.

"You cannot play in the Champions League with that high line, I'm sorry," the Frenchman said on . "When you play against good teams, you're going to get exposed, and that's exactly what happened tonight. When opponents attack down the flanks, the defence collapses. Football is not all about pressing. You also have to know how to protect your goal. It’s not normal for defenders to constantly be outnumbered or for the goalkeeper to be so exposed. With the talent Barca has, this makes no sense. How much longer are we going to keep repeating the same thing?.."

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Shocking'

The obvious counter-argument to the critics of Flick's high line is that it was integral to last season's success – and that was in spite of some initial reservations among the players.

"The first impression was shocking," former Barca defender Sergio Dominguez told . "[The coaches] told us, 'When the winger has the ball, the full-back has to press hard and the centre-backs have to move up with the full-back.' I had never seen that in football before. But when the first match comes and you catch the opposition offside nine times, and then seven times in the second, everyone followed the idea because it got results." Spectacular results, too.

Barca defeated Real Madrid four times on their way to winning a domestic treble, and it's worth remembering that Flick's bold footballing philosophy was widely lauded after the first Clasico of the 2025-26 campaign: a stunning 4-0 win at Santiago Bernabeu in which Kylian Mbappe was infamously flagged offside eight times. 

However, when Henry said after the 3-3 draw with Brugge that we're "seeing the same mistakes as last season", he definitely had a point. Barca were the best team in Spain last season, but they were far from flawless. Opponents were very open about the fact that in the days leading up to games against the Catalans they would work on beating the initial press with clever movement and precise passing, before then trying to exploit the space in behind the Blaugrana backline with well-timed through balls for pacey widemen to chase.

It didn't always work, of course. As Mallorca midfielder Sergi Darder told , "If Barca play with that line, there's a reason for it. It's difficult [to break down]. So, it's easy to know what you have to do against a defence like that, but hard to actually do it."

This season, though, fewer teams are falling into Barca's offside trap.

AFP'Kamikaze tactic'

In Rayo Vallecano's 1-1 draw with Barca in Madrid on August 31, Inigo Perez deliberately stationed his striker in a central position 10 to 15 metres behind the Blaugrana defence, because the forward would suddenly become 'onside if the offside trap was breached by a runner out wide and, thus, have a healthy head start on the chasing defenders.

Not every rival coach is being quite so creative – although mainly because they don't need to be. The chink in Barca's armour is obvious: they leave acres of space in behind their full-backs, so while the outcome can be different, the opponent's strategy is nearly always the same.

"All the goals [conceded] are identical!" Dutch legend Ruud Gullit said on after the 3-3 draw with Brugge. "So, as a player, you have to ask yourself, 'Why should we continue using such a high line and why should we use the same method?' I think after a while, also the players themselves are concerned that is a kamikaze tactic. This is suicide because against any clever team… I think everybody is studying Barcelona right now."

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AFP'Impossible situations'

Teams are certainly enjoying more success against Barca than they were last season. Sevilla tore the Catalans to shreds just four days after Paris Saint-Germain picked them off on the break in the Champions League, while the 2-1 scoreline in October's Clasico loss at the Bernabeu flattered Flick's side, who, in complete contrast to last year, couldn't keep Mbappe in check.

So, what's going wrong? Well, Inigo Martinez is being sorely missed after being allowed to join Al-Nassr on a free. The veteran centre-back was, by Flick's own admission, a "key player" for Barca, "an absolute leader on and off the pitch" who marshalled the defence, telling the likes of Pau Cubarsi when – and when not to – step out.

It's also been argued that certain individuals are underperforming this season, with the usually reliable right-back Jules Kounde coming in for some criticism in recent weeks. As a result, France coach Didier Deschamps felt compelled to defend his compatriot and effectively pointed the finger of blame at Flick in the process.

"Barca plays with a very high line, regardless of the moment in the match. That leaves defenders in impossible situations," Deschamps argued.

Eyebrows were raised by many across the Premier League in the summer of 2023, after Arsenal forked out an English record £105m for the signature of midfielder Declan Rice.

The 26-year-old now appears to be somewhat of a bargain two years on, with the Englishman now cementing himself as one of the world’s best in his position.

He’s already racked up 118 appearances for Mikel Arteta’s side, scoring 18 times and registering 22 assists – often being the provider for the Gunners’ remarkable set pieces.

Rice netted his latest goal for the club in Saturday’s win over Burnley at Turf Moor, once again playing an influential role in their ambitions of claiming title glory in 2025/26.

His efforts have no doubt been bolstered by the addition of one player who’s made an immediate impact during the opening months of his time at the Emirates.

The impact of Viktor Gyokeres on Declan Rice

Whilst Arsenal have made huge strides over the last few years under Arteta’s reign, they have often fallen at the final hurdle in their pursuit of Premier League glory.

Three second-place finishes in a row were enough for the board to back the Spaniard in the transfer window, splashing a fee in the region of £65m on the signature of Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swede arrived with huge expectations after netting 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting CP – with the centre forward already making an immediate impact in North London.

He’s netted four times in the Premier League to date, joining Rice on the scoresheet on Saturday afternoon and securing an eighth win of the league season.

The majority of his efforts have all been within the opposition’s six-yard box, showcasing the poacher instincts he possesses – something which the Gunners have greatly lacked. What that means is that it’s given the former West Ham man another player to aim for in the box from set-plays.

That was in evidence on Saturday when Rice’s inswinging delivery found Gabriel at the back post who then laid it on a plate for the Swedish striker. The same recipe was served up a matter of weeks ago too in the 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid.

It’s still early days for Gyokeres, but the signs are all positive for the talisman, potentially playing a role alongside Rice and another star if the club are to end their wait for a league title.

The impact of Martin Zubimendi on Rice

Upon his move to Arsenal, many questioned which role Rice would fill at the Emirates – the number six in front of the backline, or the number eight as a box-to-box option.

It’s transpired in recent months that the Englishman is best suited as a box-to-box option, often able to produce a moment of magic from range or make darting runs into the box.

Such a role has no doubt allowed the 26-year-old to achieve his impressive goalscoring tally, with Arteta getting it spot on by not utilising him in a deeper role.

However, it did leave a huge hole at the base of the three-man midfield, a role that has been excellently filled by Martin Zubimendi over the first few months of 2025/26.

In a saga that felt never-ending, the Gunners clinched the Spaniard’s signature from Real Sociedad during the summer, subsequently paying £55m for his services.

Like Rice, he already looks like a phenomenal addition, with the 26-year-old nailing down his place as a deep-lying option – which has allowed his teammate to reach unthinkable heights.

In the Premier League this season, he’s completed 89% of the passes he’s attempted, whilst registering an average of 59 passes per 90 – ranking him in the top 7% of all players in the league.

Martin Zubimendi – PL stats (2025/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

10

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

89%

Passes completed per 90

59

Tackles won

1.9

Aerials won

62%

Interceptions made

1.2

Dribble success rate

50%

Stats via FotMob

Out of possession, he’s been just as impressive, winning 1.9 tackles per 90 and coming out on top in 62% of the aerials he’s entered – subsequently offering the ball-winning presence the side has lacked.

Other tallies, such as 1.2 interceptions per 90 and a 50% dribble success rate, have seen one analyst label the midfielder as Arsenal’s “signing of the summer”.

His responsibility at the heart of the side has allowed Rice to operate in more threatening areas and achieve his impressive goal contributions – which has certainly bolstered his standing in the Premier League.

The pair have formed an excellent partnership, with the duo likely to have a huge bearing on the club’s potential title glory come the end of the season in May.

Related Forget Gabriel: Arsenal "monster" is now the best player in the league

Gabriel put in another titanic performance as Arsenal defeated Burnley 2-0.

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Pep Guardiola has described what an honour it is to have watched Phil Foden's rise up close as the midfielder prepares to play his 200th game for Manchester City. The 25-year-old will reach the milestone if selected to face Bournemouth on Sunday. The coach, however, is staying out of the debate over whether Foden should be recalled to the England squad by Thomas Tuchel.

Getty Images SportGuardiola honoured to see Foden play 200th game

Guardiola gave Foden his City debut in 2017 against Feyenoord and integrated him into the squad little by little. Foden made five Premier League appearances as City won the title in 2018 and a further 13 when they retained their crown in 2019. Guardiola described Foden as the most talented player he had ever worked with during the summer of 2019.
Foden consolidated his place in Guardiola's starting XI from then on, playing a big role as City won four consecutive league titles between 2021 and 2024 and scooped numerous other titles including the 2023 Champions League and FA Cup to complete the treble. Guardiola revealed his pride at watching every step of Foden's City journey ahead of the game with Bournemouth.

"It's an honour for me to see his impact, for the club of his heart, it's a good milestone at his age," Guardiola said. 

AdvertisementGettyGuardiola stays out of England discussion

Foden has not played for England since asking to be left out of the team's squad in June to focus on improving his physical and mental health after a difficult season on and off the pitch. He was injured for the September camp and although he returned to form soon after, England boss Tuchel left Foden and a number of other high-profile players including Jude Bellingham out of the squad for the October games against Wales and Latvia.

Tuchel will name his final squad for 2025 next week for the games against Serbia and Albania but Guardiola refused to be drawn on whether Foden should be picked. "A question for Thomas," he said. "He has to play good every day, the competition is not easy, there are a lot of good English players in his position and then Thomas will decide."

Getty Images SportGuardiola mulls playing Foden & Cherki together

Foden came on as a substitute to help City beat Swansea City 3-1 on Wednesday in the Carabao Cup and reach the quarter-finals. Rayan Cherki was the standout performer for City, scoring and setting up a goal. The Frenchman and Foden are yet to start a game together this season but Guardiola said he can see it happening soon, even though they play in similar positions as aspiring No. 10s and are not the strongest players.

He said: "It's a real option to play them together, like Erling and Marmoush. I will not be the one to say I don't like these kind of players, but you have to realise what it is like to play in the Premier League with the physicality. We need to get the balance. We saw it against Aston Villa, we were not solid enough to sustain it. They will learn."

Cherki ended the Swansea match complaining of cramp but is fit to face Bournemouth. There was more positive injury news for City as Guardiola revealed that Rodri would be available for the first time in a month and top scorer Erling Haaland was also ready to play after his injury scare in the 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa last week.

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Getty Images SportBournemouth rise demonstrates Premier League unpredictability

Bournemouth are second in the Premier League heading into Sunday's game at the Etihad Stadium while promoted Sunderland are fourth, one point and one place above City. Guardiola acknowledged that the Premier League has fewer dominant teams than before and praised the English top-flight's competitiveness. 

"I remember when I was in Barcelona and Bayern Munich, I heard the rumour from England that everyone can beat everyone," he said. "Maybe Liverpool and ourselves changed that dynamic by getting near 100 points but it's good that other teams can be up there. Sometimes there is not a dominant team. Everyone can beat everyone, it's good for the Premier League and the spectators."

South Africa’s coach said their WTC win will have people fall in love with Test and first-class cricket

Firdose Moonda15-Jun-20251:53

Steyn on SA’s WTC win: ‘We saw the biggest of the biggest come through’

South Africa have “created our own reality” to become World Test Champions, and for head coach Shukri Conrad, that is significant beyond the present moment. It is something that as players, neither he nor his father Sedick could do.Both were active during the Apartheid era, when players of colour, no matter how good they were, could not represent South Africa. On March 11, Sedick Conrad passed away, exactly three months before Shukri would oversee the opening day of the WTC final.”With two runs to go, I remember the old man saying to me, ‘I just want to see you beat Australia one day’,” Shukri told reporters on the outfield at Lord’s, wearing dark glasses to hide his eyes.”They [The eyes] are worse than Kesh’s,” he’d told the broadcasters after Keshav Maharaj, whose father Athmanand was also a cricketer for whom national representation was impossible, broke down on air.Related

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Glimpse into South Africa's future: Young squad set for Zimbabwe challenge

Rabada toasts 'special, special, special' win: 'I'm willing to give my blood for this team'

'Together-together' – why South Africa's triumph matters on the long walk to freedom

South Africa revel on Lord's stage as WTC gets showpiece it deserves

Maharaj’s many tears were the least expected, given his usually poker-faced public demeanour, but the most emphatic as South Africa allowed their emotions to pour out after ten sessions of tense Test cricket.”It was probably the two worst hours of cricket for me, but the two best at the same time,” Shukri said. “We were living every emotion, almost sketching everything that potentially could go wrong. The mind just plays weird and wonderful games. When Scholsy (Kyle Verreynne, who is nicknamed after English footballer Paul Scholes) smacked that one, there was just an outpour of applause from everyone. I’m thrilled for these guys.”Equally, they will be thrilled for him. Shukri is the ultimate home-grown coach, is little-known outside of South Africa’s cricket circles. But he has walked every path within it. He has coached two of the most successful provincial sides (Gauteng and Western Province), the national academy, the under-19 side and A side and can make his selections based on wide and deep knowledge of the country’s game.7:27

Bavuma: We’ve wiped all doubts with the way that we’ve played

Some of them have raised eyebrows including recalling Aiden Markram for his first series in charge, appointing Temba Bavuma captain, dropping and then going back to Verreynne, sticking with Dane Paterson and most recently, putting Wiaan Mulder at No.3 and opting for Lungi Ngidi, who had not played a Test in ten months, for the final. All of them have paid off. He created a reality in which a South African side others may have considered a mish-mash came together to make a dream come true.”This is not me trying to justify my selections in any way. This is purely a case of every single guy on this side wanting to deliver and play his part. And everybody did,” Shukri said. “We’re the world champions. We create our own reality. (People were saying) we haven’t played any of the big three. Well, now we’ve played one of them and we beat them. This is not me being arrogant. This is me saying when we play against the supposed top three, we will perform. And we’re the world champions.”South Africa played, and drew a series, against India at the start of this WTC cycle and did not play England or Australia in the two-year period and faced criticism over a so-called easy run to the final. Shukri always dismissed that as bluster and continued to in the aftermath of the final.”We play whatever’s put in front of us. There’s a lot of things we’d like, but we can’t get, so we just play the cards we’re dealt with. And it’s often not what you dealt, but how you play those cards. And I think we’ve done nicely.”Now, he has additional ammunition because of who South Africa overcame in the final. It’s not just that it’s Australia or that they are the defending champions but they have historically bossed world cricket and won more trophies than anyone else. So there was no surprise that Shukri’s voice was bolder when he reflected on how tough the opposition was. “Arguably the best side in the world – we’ve just beaten them,” he said.South Africa ended their ICC title drought with the WTC mace•ICC/Getty Images

He took the wide-lens view of what the match itself, where the advantage crossed the floor several times on each day, said about the appeal of the game. “It’s easy to say this because we’ve won, but if the result was different, it’d still have been the best cricketing experience we’ve ever been a part of,” Shukri said. “It’s an absolute spectacle. Everything about this place is spot on: the vibe, the crowd support, it was wonderful. And for people who take time off and spend hard-earned cash at 24 Rands to a Pound to come out here and support, we’re just thrilled that we could deliver for them as well.”Over 100,000 people packed Lord’s across the three-and-a-third days and a majority of them were supporting South Africa. While the South African expat population made up a lot of the crowd, a healthy number had flown into London for the week, including over 400 hosted by sponsor of Cricket South Africa. They sang songs of home including (the unofficial national anthem that was sung by mine workers and symbolises undying resistance), Ole Ole (the eternal football chant) and “Oh Temba Bavuma” to the tune of Seven Nation Army, over and over and over again.Scenes like these are hardly ever part of a South African Test summer, where only Newlands and SuperSport Park sell out but Shukri hopes the WTC win will inspire interest in the longest format. “I just want people to fall in love with first-class and Test cricket again and I think people will, because the spin-offs are immense,” Shukri said. “T20, the most popular format, benefits if you’ve got a strong first-class system and a strong Test team. You only need to look at the IPL. Our players are the most sought after, and today we become World Test Champions as well.”South Africa will have to wait more than a year to find out if that will be the case. There are no home Tests this summer, as the tour to India ends in mid-December and the SA20 starts shortly after, and grounds are being refurbished for the 2027 ODI World Cup. But next season they host eight Tests, including three each against England and Australia. It seems like too long to ask South African fans to wait to see their champion team, but they waited long enough just to be able to label them that. Perhaps the long break will give them a chance to realise that winning a world title is now their reality too.

Virat Kohli’s retirement from Tests poses an immediate question to India: who will be their next No. 4? And it’s a question that might need some time to be answered, in the opinion of Cheteshwar Pujara.”We will need a couple of series to figure out who is well suited to bat at No. 4, because it’s an important position,” Pujara told ESPNcricinfo. “You need your best batter to bat at No. 4. And at this time, I think it’s still a spot where the team management will have to figure out who is the most suited player at No. 4.”It’s a dilemma India haven’t faced in over a decade – they have played 115 Tests since Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement, and Kohli batted at No. 4 in 99 of them; Ajinkya Rahane – with nine such appearances – comes next. In the last series that Kohli missed entirely – the home Tests against England in early 2024 – India used as many as four batters at two-down: KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Rajat Patidar (in two Tests) and Devdutt Padikkal.Related

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• Kohli and Test cricket gave each other their best

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• Virat Kohli retires from Test cricket

Pujara, who slotted in at No. 4 in seven Tests between 2015 and 2023, believes it might be prudent for India to “take some time” before settling in on a candidate. “There are a lot of players who are making their way into the playing XI, no one has a secured spot at this stage. It’s a process which will take some time.”India’s first assignment as they begin life after Kohli and Rohit Sharma is a five-match tour of England in June, which will also kickstart the new ICC World Test Championship cycle.”It’s still early days to make a call, but it will be important to see who performs well in England because someone who can perform well in England can have that No. 4 spot,” Pujara said.Shubman Gill is one of the options for the No. 4 position, Pujara said•Getty Images

Could Shubman Gill – who is also in line to take over the Test captaincy following Rohit’s retirement – be an option? “He [Gill] is an option, definitely. But he has been batting at No. 3,” he said. “Does he want to shift his spot? Does he want to bat at No. 4? We’ll have to see.”Shubman is someone who is more capable of playing the new balls. He has been opening the innings earlier, before he started batting at No. 3. He prefers to bat when the ball is slightly hard and new. Will he be able to manage with the old ball? That is a big question at this stage.”Gill is yet to bat outside the top three in 32 Tests since making his debut in December 2020. He spent most of his early days opening, before shifting down to No. 3 at the start of the previous WTC cycle in 2023. Pujara reckons Gill is best suited to staying in the top order, but wouldn’t rule out a move to No. 4.”Since he has batted well with the new ball, I would still say that he should be batting in [the] top three, which is his ideal position, which suits him well.”If he bats at No. 4 in England and if he can be successful at that position, then, yes, he can be a No. 4 for the Indian team.”

Virat Kohli steering a chase to its end and walking away unbeaten. How many times have we seen that in white-ball cricket? The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter made 62 off 45 balls as his team beat Rajasthan Royals (RR) by nine wickets in Jaipur.The win was set up by RCB’s other opener, Phil Salt, who peppered the boundary, particularly inside the powerplay to lift his team to 65 for 0 in the first six overs. By the time he fell, the visitors only needed 83 off 68 balls. Former India international Piyush Chawla reckons that helped Kohli ease into his innings.”That’s how he is, isn’t it? And that’s why we put him at the top of the list of white-ball cricketers. Just because of this reason,” Chawla said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut. “When he goes out there, he makes things look so easy.Related

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“This was a perfect platform for Virat Kohli. He is getting runs this season. He has started so well. And when you are chasing 173-odd runs and you get that kind of a start with Phil Salt doing what he does best, you know that Virat Kohli will go not out for sure.”Wasim Jaffer felt that Kohli has expanded his repertoire of shots and now has a “game for all situations”. In recent times, Kohli has been more willing to step out to the spinners to throw them off their lengths. He’s also brought out the sweep to good effect.Kohli now has 66 fifty-plus scores in the IPL, the joint-most with David Warner. This was also his 100th half-century in T20 cricket. Kohli has 109 fifty-plus scores in all T20s, just one shy of Chris Gayle, who is second. Warner with 116 leads the list.”He has got a game for all situations,” Jaffer said. “Today we saw him step out and hit sixes. Sometimes, we didn’t see that before. But now he does that, he uses the slog sweep as well.”He is a master. He has got 100-plus fifties in T20s also. Hell of a numbers. I don’t think we should be talking about him, he is such a great player.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Nesta quarta-feira (5), o Palmeiras conheceu seu adversário nas oitavas de final da Libertadores de 2023. Trata-se de um velho conhecido nos mata-matas da competição sul-americana: o Atlético-MG. Depois de disputar vaga com o Galo nas últimas duas edições do torneio, o Verdão volta a encontrar o rival mineiro buscando a terceira classificação consecutiva, desta vez em uma fase distinta.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação da Libertadores-2023 clicando aqui

Na edição de 2021, na caminhada do tricampeonato continental, o Alviverde encarou o Atlético-MG na semifinal e avançou com dois empates (0 a 0 em São Paulo e 1 a 1 em Belo Horizonte), beneficiado pelo antigo critério de gol marcado fora de casa, já que o segundo jogo foi no Mineirão. O autor do gol da classificação foi Dudu.

Em 2022, os comandados de Abel Ferreira reencontraram os mineiros nas quartas de final e avançaram na disputa de pênaltis após outros dois empates (2 a 2 em Belo Horizonte e 0 a 0 em São Paulo). No segundo jogo, no Allianz Parque, o Verdão terminou com nove jogadores em campo pelas expulsões de Danilo e Gustavo Scarpa.

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Já em 2023, o confronto traz elementos especiais, como um novo duelo entre Abel Ferreira e Felipão, que ocorreu em 2022 quando Scolari treinava o Athletico-PR e eliminou o Verdão na semifinal com um empate em 2 a 2 no Allianz Parque depois de vencer por 1 a 0 em Curitiba. Neste ano, o Alviverde voltar a ter a vantagem de decidir o duelo no Allianz. Esse benefício vale até a semifinal, caso chegue até lá, pois teve a melhor campanha geral. A final, mais uma vez, será em jogo único e campo neutro, no Maracanã.

+ Sorteio define confrontos das oitavas da Libertadores: veja jogos e chaveamento até a final

Quem se classificar nesse duelo pega nas quartas de final o vencedor do confronto entre Independiente del Valle-EQU e Deportivo Pereira-COL. Passando pelas quartas, o time poderá ter pela frente na semifinal Atlético Nacional-COL, Racing-ARG, Nacional-URU e Boca Juniors-ARG.

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As datas e horários dos jogos ainda não foram definidos pela Conmebol, mas diante das datas previstas o jogo no Mineirão deve ser por volta do dia 2 de agosto, e o jogo no Allianz Parque deve ser próximo do dia 9 de agosto..

Birmingham City’s hopes of signing an attacking player from a huge club fell through right at the end of the summer transfer window.

The Blues were beaten 2-0 away to Leicester City last Friday, suffering their first defeat of the season in the Championship, following a good start to the season.

Birmingham manager Chris Davies was a frustrated figure after the game, failing to hide his disappointment at the performance his team produced.

In terms of deadline day dealings, the boss wanted two new wide players, with Sunderland winger Patrick Roberts sealing a late move to St Andrew’s.

But the Blues’ other target fell through at the final hurdle.

Birmingham suffer late blow with Celtic u-turn

Writing on X, journalist Raman Bhardwaj has reported that Birmingham missed out on signing Celtic attacker Hyun-jun Yang at the eleventh hour on deadline day, just before the window slammed shut.

Not signing Yang was an undoubted blow for the Blues, who know they need as much quality as possible in their efforts to secure back-to-back promotions and return to the Premier League.

The South Korean could have proved to be an excellent addition for Birmingham, with Celtic teammate Arne Engels speaking positively about him in the past.

“It was just unbelievable. I’m really happy for him. Yang is always training at 100%. A really amazing performance from him.”

Still, Davies should be in positive spirits about Birmingham’s hopes of impressing this season, having made some significant summer additions, from Kyogo Furuhashi to Marvin Ducksch.

Kyogo Furuhashi

Rennes

£7.7m

Marvin Ducksch

Werder Bremen

£1.7m

Taylor Gardner-Hickman

Bristol City

£1.5m

Alfons Sampsted

FC Twente

£1.2m

Bright Osayi-Samuel

Fenerbahce

free transfer

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Gil Vicente

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Hannover 96

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Tommy Doyle

Wolves

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Eiran Cashin

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James Beadle

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Lewis Koumas

Liverpool

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It will be fascinating to see how the Blues fare in the coming months, and there is always a chance to strengthen further when the January transfer window arrives.

Lionesses star Hannah Hampton was crowned the world's best goalkeeper on Monday as she won the first-ever Women's Yashin Trophy following her incredible exploits during England's Euro 2025 triumph. That wasn't the only reason for her success, either, with the shot-stopper also starring for Chelsea throughout a 2024-25 campaign which saw the Blues win the Women's Super League, FA Cup and League Cup.

Official: Hampton wins first-ever Women's Yashin Trophy

Off the back of such success, and as the only goalkeeper nominated for the Ballon d'Or Feminin, Hampton was the favourite for the Yashin Trophy when the nominees were revealed this summer and she lived up to that billing when she was honoured with the accolade in Paris during the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesFrom treble success to another European triumph: Inside Hampton's amazing year

Chelsea's domestic treble, just their second in the women's team's illustrious history, was built on the best defensive record in England and Hampton was at the heart of such solidity, earning herself a share of the WSL's Golden Glove after keeping 13 clean sheets. She then backed that up with more fantastic performances at Euro 2025, with her penalty-saving heroics in particular catching the eye and earning her a place in the Team of the Tournament, as well as a winners' medal. As such, the Yashin Trophy is yet another individual accolade for her growing collection.

Hampton's first words after Women's Yashin Trophy win

Speaking on stage on Monday, Hampton said: "I don't think it's an achievement for me; it's an achievement for women's goalkeeping, that the award is now finally taking part [in the Ballon d'Or ceremony]. I stand on the shoulders of so many great goalkeepers of the past. I'd love to thank my family, my brother who is here tonight, for all the sacrifices that you gave growing up, driving me around everywhere so I could fulfil my dream and be here tonight. To all the coaches, there's so many, and to the fans. Your support does not go unnoticed and it truly does mean a lot."

She also used the moment to pay tribute to Matt Beard, the former Liverpool manager who tragically passed away at the weekend, aged just 47. "The women's game, sadly, on Saturday night, lost a trailblazer: Matt Beard," Hampton added. "Matt was someone who cared a lot about the women's game before anyone else did. He lit up the room when everyone was in it. Not everyone should have to go through these dark moments alone. Sometimes, the brightest smiles in the room hide the heaviest pain. He'll be greatly missed.

"Finally, grandpa, I love and miss you every day," she concluded. "I hope I did you proud. We did it!"

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Breaking down the official Women's Yashin Trophy rankings

Hampton won the award ahead of former Chelsea goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, who she called a team-mate before the German’s move to Gotham last April. Berger shone at the Euros as her nation reached the last four. Cata Coll, the Barcelona and Spain shot-stopper, ranked third after a treble-winning club season and a run to the Euro 2025 final, with Nigeria's Africa Cup of Nations-winning star Chiamaka Nnadozie fourth and Daphne van Domselaar, who helped Arsenal win the Champions League, fifth.

علق سيد عبد الحفيظ مدير الكرة الأسبق بالنادي الأهلي، على خلافه السابق مع محمود الخطيب رئيس القلعة الحمراء، موجهًا رسالة إلى مدحت شلبي بعد أزمة تصريحاته الأخيرة.

وقال سيد عبد الحفيظ في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر”: “أنا في الحقيقة لم أخرج من الأهلي، الواحد ممكن يخرج من الأهلي لكن الأهلي عمره ما بيخرج منه، أنا من يوم الثلاثاء 19 يونيو سنة 89 دخلت الأهلي، وهو نموذج للمعاني في الحياة من شخصيات تعلمت منها”.

وبسؤاله لماذا لم تتحدث عن خلافك مع الخطيب بعد رحيلك قبل ذلك؟، أجاب: “أنا لا أنسى أفعال الخير التي تحدث معي، وأحاول دائمًا أشيل المعروف، قد يكون هناك خلاف مع ناس ويتم العتاب، والخلاف مع الخطيب لم يكن خلاف بالمعنى ولكن هي كانت رؤية”.

وتابع: “الخطيب هو من رشحني لشغل منصب مدير الكرة في الأهلي، وكنت أعمل منسقًا، وقال لي أنا أثق فيك ومتأكد أنك ستكون نموذج جيد وناجح، لذلك الجزء لا يمكن يغطي على الكل”.

كيف استطعت أن تصمت ولم تتحدث بعد رحيلك؟، أوضح: “أنا أتعامل مع الأهلي وكأنه بيتي، والموجودين فيه كبار السن مثل والدي ووالدتي، لا آخذ الموضوع بشكل شخصي بل لمصلحة المكان، والذي يحب مكان يحاول خدمته في أي مكان آخر”.

كيف كانت مقابلتك الأخيرة مع محمود الخطيب؟: “كأني خرجت من النادي أمس، لا يوجد شيء أقوله غير إني سواء موجود أو غير موجود فهذا نادينا كلنا أخذنا خيره ماديًا واجتماعيًا، أنا معروف الآن بسبب الأهلي”.

واستطرد: “الدور الذي سأقوم به مستقبلًا، لن أتكلم عنه حاليًا حتى يُعلن بشكل رسمي من النادي”.

وأكمل: “قد يكون لدي نية للترشح لعضوية مجلس إدارة الأهلي، ولكن ماذا قد يحدث؟ لا أعلم، أنا أجتهد فقط، ودائمًا جزء من حل المشكلة، عمري ما كنت المشكلة”.

خاص | حكم مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في الدوري المصري

وزاد: “أريد أن أتحدث عن ما قاله مدحت شلبي بشأن الكابتن الخطيب، ومن المهم جدًا أن تكون حذرًا عندما تنتقد شخصًا أو عندما يكون لديك حسابات شخصية، والتشكيك في مرض أحدهم يُعد نقصًا في أبشع صوره، وما يهمنا هو ألا تكون الأجواء ملتهبة، رغم أن الوضع ليس ملتهبًا قبل مباراة القمة، لأن الفريقين ليسا في أفضل حال”.

وأشار: “لا العمر الباقي يتحمل الصراعات، ولا يهم من يكون الإعلامي الأول، والحياة لا تحتاج إلى هذا ولا تستحقه، ونصيحتي للكابتن مدحت شلبي أنه من الأفضل أن تكون عزيزًا وغاليًا وأنت غائب، بدلاً من أن تكون بلا قيمة وأنت موجود”.

واختتم: “الكابتن الخطيب رمز كبير، وموقف قناة إم بي سي مصر كان مشرفًا جدًا، حيث لم تسمح بالتجاوز في حقه، وهو موقف احترافي ومحترم، أتمنى في المستقبل أن يتوقف الكلام عن المرض أو افتعال شيء لتحقيق أهداف أخرى، فهذا ليس تصرفًا صحيحًا”.