The USWNT opened its final camp of 2025 with a strong start, fueled by another Moultrie goal and two second-half strikes from Macario.

It took the U.S. women’s national team only 90 seconds to put its stamp on Italy in a 3-0 win, powered by Olivia Moultrie and Cat Macario. 

In the first of two friendlies between the USWNT and Italy, manager Emma Hayes went with a starting lineup that leaned heavily on experience, with only three players entering the match with fewer than 10 caps. Her side appeared to capitalize early, with Rose Lavelle sparking a sharp sequence of one-two passes that freed Moultrie on a delayed run into the box. The 20-year-old finished to make it 1-0 within just 90 seconds, her fifth international goal. 

Moultrie mentioned Hayes had her group focused on seizing the moment early in the contest, which ultimately played a role in the quick start.

"Honestly, we just talked about starting fast and starting strong, and I think, like, the energy momentum, just carry that, and we had a really good week of training, so I feel like we just kind of flowed into the first minutes of the game," she said at halftime to Turner Sports. 

After the opener, the U.S. settled into the match with stretches of control and a few hiccups in transition, moments that required returning center back Naomi Girma to step up – and she showed why she's largely considered to be the best center back in the world. It had been over 150 days since the defender's last appearance and the Chelsea star acknowledged the challenges to get back to her best. 

"I think there's been a lot of ups and downs this year, but I just feel grateful to be back here with this team closing out in the final camp of the year, and it's always to be called in, so I'm excited for this game and I'm excited to see how the team does," Girma said to Turner Sports prior to the match. 

The second half belonged to Macario, who scored in the 64th and 76th minutes to remind everyone of her scoring pedigree and effectively seal the win for the Americans. The forward now has six goals in 2025.

"It's always a pleasure being with this team. I feel so happy to be in this environment. I feel like it really allows you to be the best version of yourself, and I'm lucky enough that Emma knows me very well and she knows what I can bring to the team," Macario said to Turner Sports. "It was a good year in which I personally have just been trying to find some consistency. I'm just trying to be available for every practice, every game." 

Hayes also introduced new faces, handing first caps to Jameese Joseph and Kate Wiesner. From Macario’s clinical edge to the team’s ninth clean sheet in 14 matches, Hayes’ squad looks strong heading into the new year.

GOAL rates the USWNT's players from Inter&Co Stadium…

• Imagn
  

  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Claudia Dickey (7/10):

  Dickey didn't have too much action, but she made the necessary saves and was composed when the ball was at her feet, playing out pressure and making her passes. 

  Naomi Girma (9/10):

  It didn't take Girma long to remind everyone that she's one of the best defenders in the world. In the first half, Girma, who started at center back alongside Emily Sonnet, made a series of smart tackles and consistent combination play in the back. Her key moment of the match came in the first 45 minutes when she hunted down the ball, making a long sprint to stop a clear-cut goal-scoring opportunity. 

  Emily Sonnett (7/10): 

  Sonnett looked right back at home next to Girma, working flawlessly with her to keep the backline condensed when defending and up and wide on the attack. 

  Lilly Reale (7/10): 

  Reale and Sonnett both started in the backline after winning the NWSL Championship last Saturday with Gotham. Reale looked fresh and solid. 

  Emily Fox (8/10): A class defender whose speed, accuracy, and ability to go forward were instrumental in the USWNT's win. When she took players on, she often got past them and looked in lock step with the other three defenders.

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• Imagn
  

  Midfield

  Olivia Moultrie (9/10):

  Moultrie didn't just score, but she also took several chances and was one of the most dangerous attacking players on the field on the night. Moultrie took risks in front of the box and was constantly active in her runs, finding a way to be involved even when not on the ball. 

  Claire Hutton (7/10):

  It was a quiet game for Hutton, who got on the ball a fair amount but wasn't able to find as many holes in the attack like she usually does.

  Sam Coffey (6/10): 

  This wasn't Coffey's best performance, and not because she didn't score. While she's usually the pace maker in the midfield, Friday night, her passing wasn't as crisp as usual. It took her most of the match to get into her rhythm with the other three midfielders.

  Alyssa Thompson (8/10): 

  Thompson didn't score, but she was involved in almost every play out wide. Her runs were strong and created all kinds of space for players like Moultrie and Lavelle to fill in gaps. In the moments when she could run at the Italy backline, she did. 

• Imagn
  

  Attack

  Rose Lavelle (9/10): 

  Lavelle was all over the pitch on Friday night, not looking fatigued at all from her MVP performance less than a week ago. Lavelle was pivotal in the first goal of the game with her cheeky combination play. 

  Cat Macario (9/10): 

  Goals don't lie, and Macario chipped in a brace against Italy to make her mark known. This is Macario's sixth goal on the year.

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  Subs & Manager

  Emily Sams (7/10): 

  The applause may have been the loudest for Sams, who got called into the match in the second half and was able to represent the local Orlando Pride on her home turf. 

  Lily Yohannes (7/10): 

  Yohannes was a solid addition in the midfield, taking care of the ball and doing what she does best: creating chances that look well beyond her years.

  Jaedyn Shaw (6/10): 

  Shaw was quiet when she eventually entered the game, but had some strong moments holding the ball up and making runs off the ball when it counted.

  Jameese Joseph (6/10): 

  What a moment for the Chicago Stars player who earned her first cap. 

  Kate Wiesner (6/10):

  In a similar vein to Joseph, a special moment for Wiesner, who entered the match in the second half and earned her first cap. 

  Emma Hayes (8/10): 

  Hayes kicked off her Florida trip in good spirits, and her team didn't look like they had too much Turkey on Thursday, putting on a solid performance against a good Italy team.

Unlike some of their Premier League rivals, Arsenal’s summer signings are looking better with every passing gameweek.

For example, he might’ve started slowly, but Viktor Gyokeres already has six goals to his name this season, and Noni Madueke was just starting to pick up steam before his injury.

Moreover, with Gabriel Magalhães’ recent injury, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie are looking like incredible buys.

With all that said, an argument could be made that Martin Zubimendi has been Arsenal’s best signing of all, so fans should be excited about reports linking the club to someone who could be an heir to the Spaniard and has been compared to Rodri.

Arsenal target their next Martin Zubimendi

With reports coming out about Zubimendi’s move to Arsenal as early as January, the excitement for the move wasn’t quite as intense as it perhaps should’ve been when it finally came to pass in the summer.

However, since then, the Spaniard has more than proven himself to be one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.

Whether it’s putting in a perfectly timed tackle to shield the back four, or driving with the ball and delivering a pinpoint accurate pass to a forward, the former Real Sociedad star really does it all.

Therefore, it makes sense that the club would already be looking for a younger gem who, over the next five to six years, can be moulded into his long-term heir.

According to a recent report from Spain, one of the young prospects that could sign for this purpose is Chema Andrés.

The story has revealed that, alongside Manchester City, Arsenal are already making moves to sign the VfB Stuttgart gem, who has had an excellent start to the season.

However, a potential roadblock for Andrea Berta and Co is that he’s a former Real Madrid prospect, and the Spanish giants have a buy-back clause worth around €13.5m for 2026, which is approximately £12m.

If Arsenal want to sign the young Spaniard, they’ll almost certainly have to pay significantly more than that, but even so, Andrés would be worth it as a future Zubimendi heir.

Why Chema Andrés could be Arsenal's future Zubimendi

So what is it that makes Zubimendi such an incredible footballer and has seen him so quickly become essential to Arsenal’s midfield?

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Well, to put it simply, it’s his impressive combination of defensive nous and sensational ability on the ball, which has seen him already amass a tally of three goal involvements in 11 league games from the six position.

The good news is that, while it’s still very early on in his career, Chema Andrés appears to share this ability to heavily influence play in both halves.

For example, just last month, respected u23 scout Antonio Mango described his defensive abilities as “Rodri-like,” noting that he “simplifies the game and makes the basics look effortless.”

Then, when it comes to going the other way, Mango has praised him for his “expansive passing range”, and fellow talent scout Jacek Kulig has dubbed him an “orchestrator” thanks to his incredible “vision” and “football IQ.”

Unsurprisingly, the 20-year-old “supernova” of a talent, as dubbed by one analyst, also has some incredible underlying numbers to more than justify the hype.

Andrés’ Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Interceptions

2.11

Top 1%

Clearances

3.65

Top 1%

Dispossessed

0.14

Top 1%

Aerials Won

3.93

Top 1%

Tkl+Int

4.49

Top 4%

Ball Recoveries

6.74

Top 4%

Shots on Target

0.70

Top 5%

SCA (Shot)

0.28

Top 6%

Successful Take-On %

66.7%

Top 6%

Blocks

1.83

Top 7%

Average Shot Distance

14.40

Top 8%

Shots Blocked

0.56

Top 9%

% of Dribblers Tackled

63.6%

Top 10%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.15

Top 11%

Progressive Passes

7.16

Top 11%

Passes Blocked

1.26

Top 11%

% of Aerials Won

62.2%

Top 11%

SCA (Live-ball Pass)

2.53

Top 14%

xG: Expected Goals

0.15

Top 15%

All Stats via FBref

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for interceptions, clearances, aerials won, the top 4% for tackles plus interceptions and ball recoveries, the top 5% for shots on target, the top 11% for progressive passes and more, all per 90.

Finally, on top of doing business at the club level, the youngster is also making waves on the international scene.

After making ten appearances for Spain’s u19s, he skipped the u20s altogether and has now made four appearances for the u21s, with the last coming on Tuesday night.

Ultimately, Zubimendi should be Arsenal’s starting six for quite some time, but if they can, they should do what they can to sign Andrés, as at just 20 years old, he could be the long-term heir.

Related Forget Gabriel: Arsenal "monster" can make Jover's corners more unstoppable

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 20, 2025

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank is now having to deal with unsettled players as he also prepares for a vital North London derby this weekend, according to a new report.

Spurs, under the new leadership team of co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange, are bracing for a significant January transfer window where several fringe players could well depart N17.

The most high-profile of them appears inevitable for Yves Bissouma, whose spell at Spurs appears to be nearing a conclusion. The 28-year-old Mali international’s contract expires in June 2026, positioning him for a potential free transfer next year amid ongoing interest from Galatasaray after they failed to sign him in the summer.

Frank has already criticised Bissouma for his punctuality and discipline, explaining at the start of 2025/2026 that the midfielder “has been late several times and the latest time was one too many”.

The midfielder is currently absent with an ankle problem and hasn’t featured in a competitive game all season, but The Mail report Bissouma’s contract includes a one-year extension option — meaning they might not lose him for free next year after all.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

29/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Mohammed Kudus

Knock

23/11/2025

Randal Kolo Muani

Jaw

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

In any case, they’d also only trigger it if they can’t sell him in the winter, and Bissouma isn’t the only player who could leave in under two months time.

Indeed, Richarlison’s future also hangs in the balance.

The forward’s own contract runs out in 2027, and he’s struggled for consistency not just this season, but ever since his £60 million move from Everton in 2022. Richarlison is believed to be attracting interest from his former club and Frank reportedly views the 28-year-old as ‘expendable’, meaning a January exit for the Brazil international isn’t ruled out despite Dominic Solanke’s injury woes.

On-lookers wouldn’t be at all surprised if one of the aforementioned pair left Spurs in the winter, provided they can sign a replacement for Richarlison, but a much more surprising name has now been touted for the exit door as well.

Mathys Tel keen to leave Tottenham in January and 'unhappy' in London

Just months after his £30 million permanent move from Bayern Munich, Roma have now emerged as potential January suitors for striker Mathys Tel.

Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reports the 20-year-old is unhappy in London and keen on departing Tottenham when the winter window opens, which comes as a shock given he’s basically only just arrived and performed fairly well when called upon.

Tel scored Tottenham’s equaliser against Man United last time out with an excellent finish on the turn, and opened the scoring in Spurs’ 2-1 win away to Leeds just before the October international break.

However, he was also controversially excluded from Tottenham’s 22-man Champions League squad by Frank, owing to the limited numbers they could select due to homegrown quota issues.

Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini has identified Tel as his primary target, viewing the youngster as someone with significant room for development who possesses the ideal profile to strengthen Roma’s attacking options.

La Gazzetta even suggests that Spurs could green-light a loan deal as opposed to an outright sale, but given both Randal Kolo Muani and Solanke’s struggles to stay fit, this would be rather unwise.

Given Frank’s limited attacking options, Roma’s apparent optimism about securing a deal may prove very premature. Tottenham need more options up top, not less, and Tel is someone who’s still raw but could pay dividends in the future as he continues to adjust to life in England.

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann once backed Tel to become a ’40 goal a season’ striker, and while he’s still some way off that, letting him leave certainly doesn’t benefit the Lilywhites in any way.

Nuno Espirito Santo is now reportedly ready to launch his first transfer move in charge of West Ham United to sign Bristol City’s set-piece specialist Scott Twine.

The Hammers could certainly do with a busy January transfer window. Whilst results have improved recently, their 2-2 draw against Bournemouth in a game that they led 2-0 exposed their problems once again.

After watching on as his side let go of their 2-0 lead gained through Callum Wilson’s goals, Nuno told reporters: “It’s a very tough place to come. The first half was us – we took advantage of the straight ball, of the second ball, we managed the tempo of the game, we managed to control Bournemouth, and we achieved a good lead.

“In the second half, Bournemouth did exactly the same that we did [in the first]. They managed better the circumstances of the game, we couldn’t go out, they put us against the ropes, they engaged five players in the last line.

“The boys were organised but were missing the pass to go out of pressure, to really hurt them with space, under tough circumstances. But the positive is that I think the team was resilient, was organised, was compact and was really committed.”

After the dramatic draw, West Ham have at least escaped the dropzone, albeit only on goal difference. With the visit of Liverpool up next, they’ll be hoping to compile the champions’ recent misery and escape the relegation zone in the process.

It goes without saying that the January transfer window would be a lot easier if West Ham were approaching it without the bottom three in mind. It would hand Nuno the perfect opportunity to welcome first-choice reinforcements and potentially take the Hammers onwards and upwards.

On that front, the former Nottingham Forest manager already has certain additions in mind, according to reports.

West Ham and Nuno ready to launch Scott Twine move

According to Sports Boom, Nuno is now ready to launch West Ham’s move to sign Twine from Bristol City in the January transfer window. The set-piece specialist would be an instant upgrade on James Ward-Prowse, who has been frozen out by Nuno, and would cost West Ham just £8m.

Minutes

1,244

958

Goals

6

3

Progressive Passes

41

71

Ball Recoveries

52

53

Although it is in a league below the Premier League, Twine has shown plenty of promise compared to Lucas Paqueta this season. Based on those numbers, £8m could quickly turn into a bargain for the London club.

Whether Bristol City allow one of their key men to leave so easily remains to be seen, however. Robins manager Gerhard Struber recently praised his midfielder – telling reporters: “Scott (has) outstanding technical power with his monster leg.

Forget Guilherme: Nuno can fix Summerville blow with West Ham academy star

Nuno might already have the perfect solution to West Ham’s Summerville problem.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2025

“It helped us to score in this way but I like his energy at the moment – his work ethic on the field to invest everything. You do not see it that often that players on this level work really hard against the ball but this was the key – players with high technical level were involved in our defensive pressing moments.”

West Ham now make enquiry to sign Champions League CF with eight goals in 25/26

MatériaMais Notícias

O Cruzeiro irá enfrentar o Corinthians na noite desta quarta-feira (10), no Mineirão, pela partida de ida da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. Apesar de parecer ruim para alguns torcedores, para a Raposa, fazer o primeiro jogo dentro de casa não é uma preocupação na competição.

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Desde 1989, em 33 oportunidades que fez o primeiro duelo em Minas Gerais, o Cabuloso se classificou em 22 ocasiões, 66% de aproveitamento. Das 11 vezes que acabou eliminado fazendo a segunda partida longe de casa, três foram na pior fase do clube, entre a crise em 2019 e a disputa da Série B.

Outra estatística empolgante para a Nação Azul é a de quando a equipe sai na frente na primeira etapa. Em 22 vezes que o Cruzeiro venceu o jogo de ida dentro de casa, passou de fase ou foi campeão em 19, e levou a remontada em três.

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➡️Tudo sobre o Cabuloso agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Cruzeiro

Nesta edição da Copa do Brasil, a Raposa começou os duelos em casa em duas oportunidades, contra Vila Nova e CRB. Na terceira fase, contra os goianos, venceu por 2 a 0 no Mineirão e por 3 a 0 na casa do visitante. Contra os alagoanos, teve um confronto mais emocionante depois de empatar em 0 a 0 em Belo Horizonte e precisar triunfar por 2 a 0 em Alagoas.

Semifinal da Copa do Brasil

Cruzeiro e Corinthians irão se enfrentar nesta quarta-feira (10), às 21h30 (de Brasília), no Mineirão, pela partida de ida da semifinal da Copa do Brasil.

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O retrospecto é positivo para o Cruzeiro contra o Corinthians. Nos últimos cinco jogos contra o Timão, o Cabuloso perdeu apenas um, por 2 a 1, no segundo turno do Brasileirão de 2024. Antes, havia vencido por 3 a 0 em casa e empatado em 1 a 1 em 2023. Nesta temporada, empatou em 0 a 0 na Neo Química Arena e passeou no Mineirão com um 3 a 0.

Tudo sobre

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Bryce Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies will start their postseason on Saturday with Game 1 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Harper has made quite a few runs through the playoffs since joining the Phillies, but is still chasing his first World Series win. If he’s going to get it this year, he and the Phillies will have to go through the reigning champions.

While taking on the Dodgers is always a tall task, Harper will have one extra, and extra special fan cheering him on through the run, as he and his wife Kayla announced the birth of their fourth child, Hayes Three Harper, just hours before first pitch on Saturday.

As some astute Phillies observers noted, Harper has had a tendency to hit homers in his first game back from the birth of a child.

Harper and his newly unlocked Level 4 Dad Strength will look to add another home run to that tally against the Dodgers.

The Yankees saw their season come to a bitter end Wednesday night in a 5–2 loss to the Blue Jays in Game 4 of the American League Division Series. While Toronto is heading to the championship series for the first time in nine years, the Yankees yet again experienced another postseason letdown as their hitters ran out of firepower in the late innings of the game.

The Blue Jays' $500 million man Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had no such issue this series, homering in each of the first three games of the series. He followed that up with a hit and an RBI in Game 4 and watched as his teammates helped finish off the AL East powerhouse in the Bronx.

Afterward, Guerrero held back tears taking in the special moment. That didn't last for long, though, as the Toronto star slugger was later seen partying it up in the locker room.

At one point, Guerrero joined the Fox Sports MLB crew for a postgame interview, and he couldn't resist teaming up with David Ortiz to rib a pair of Yankees legends, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez.

"DAAAA YANKEES LOSE," Guerrero said, eliciting lots of laughs all around. Big Papi loved it, and repeated his signature line after him. The two then did it in sync one more time just for good measure:

Too good.

The Blue Jays are set to host Game 1 of the ALCS on Sunday against either the Tigers or Mariners.

قدم جيمي كاراجر، أسطورة نادي ليفربول، اعتذاره لنجم الريدز الحالي، محمد صلاح، موضحًا أنه يحب الدولي المصري كثيرًا كلاعب، لكن على الأخير أن يحسن من سلوكه خارج الملعب.

كاراجر كان قد فتح النار على محمد صلاح بعد تصريحات اللاعب التي هاجم فيها إدارة ليفربول ومدرب الفريق آرني سلوت، عقب نهاية مباراة الريدز أمام ليدز يونايتد بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، والتي انتهت بالتعادل الإيجابي 3-3.

واتهم محمد صلاح إدارة ليفربول بعدم تنفيذ الوعود المقدمة له، إضافة إلى تصريحه بانهيار علاقته مع سلوت، والذي أبقى ابن الـ33 عامًا على مقاعد البدلاء في آخر ثلاث مباريات للريدز في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

واتخذ سلوت في المقابل رد فعل تجاه محمد صلاح واستبعد اللاعب من مباراة ليفربول وإنتر ميلان يوم أمس الثلاثاء في دوري أبطال أوروبا، والتي فاز بها ليفربول 1-0.

وهاجم كاراجر محمد صلاح بعد تصريحاته، موضحًا أن الجناح الأيمن لم يفز ببطولة مع منتخب مصر ولم ينجح مع تشيلسي.

لكن كاراجر تراجع عن هذه التصريحات واعتذر لمحمد صلاح مرة أخرى، وذلك عبر استوديو قناة ”CBS Sports” إلى جانب نجم مانشستر سيتي السابق، ميكا ريتشاردز.

وسأل ريتشاردز كاراجر في البداية وقال له: “هل تود الاعتذار لمحمد صلاح والتعبير عن أسفك لأي إساءة له؟ هذا نابع من الحماس، أنت مشجع، هيا، قلها أمام الكاميرا”.

ثم رد كاراجر على ريتشاردز وأضاف: “مو، أعتذر ، لقد أزعجتك، أحبك كلاعب في ليفربول لكن عليك أن تتصرف بشكل لائق خارج الملعب وتحسن من سلوكك”.

وبعد ذلك أجاب ريتشادرز: “هذا منصف، بدا الأمر صادقاً للغاية”.

ويعتقد كاراجر أن محمد صلاح لن يشارك مع ليفربول في مباراة برايتون الأسبوع المقبل بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وسوف يستمر سلوت في استبعاد اللاعب، حيث أوضح: “بصراحة، لا أعتقد أنه سوف يشارك”.

وأردف كاراجر: ”لا أدري، لماذا يثار هذا الجدل، سواء كان على مقاعد البدلاء أو يجري عمليات الإحماء؟ الجماهير لها دور في ذلك، لا أدري، هل يُمكن أن يؤدي ذلك إلى انقسام بين الجماهير والمدرب ومحمد صلاح؟”.

وتابع: ”لذا أعتقد أنه بما أنه لم يتبق سوى مباراة واحدة قبل سفره، فمن الأفضل أن يؤجل الأمر حاليًا ثم نرى كيف ستكون الأمور بعد عودته من كأس الأمم الإفريقية”.

ويعتقد كاراجر أن هناك فرصة لمشاركة هوجو إيكتيكي، وألكسندر إيزاك، وفلوريان فيرتز، بصورة أساسية معًا في تشكيلة ليفربول خلال الفترة المقبلة مع غياب محمد صلاح.

طالع .. رومانو يوضح حقيقة معاقبة محمد صلاح في ليفربول

واستكمل كاراجر في حديثه عن مشاركة إيكتيكي وإيزاك بشكل أساسي ضد إنتر ميلان في دوري الأبطال، إذ واصل: ”بفضل الأداء الجيد لليفربول، هذه هي المرة الأولى التي نرى فيها إيكيتيكي وإيزاك معًا، كنت أتوقع أن يبدأ فيرتز أساسيًا يوم السبت أيضًا على أرضنا أمام برايتون، في الواقع، قلت قبل أسابيع قليلة إن ليفربول قد يضطر إلى بناء الفريق بينما كان محمد صلاح في كأس الأمم الأفريقية، من أجل المستقبل”.

وقال كاراجر: “اسمعوا، لأي سبب كان، حدث ذلك قبل أسبوعين من سفره إلى كأس الأمم الأفريقية، لكن كان على ليفربول دائمًا إيجاد طريقة لإشراك صفقاته الكبيرة في الفريق. لم يحدث ذلك بعد، حيث بدأ الثلاثة جميعًا أساسيين”.

وأضاف: “لذا أعتقد أن مباراة برايتون فرصة رائعة لإشراك الصفقات الجديدة في الهجوم، أشركوا فيرتز خلف المهاجم، حيث كان على مقاعد البدلاء الليلة ضد إنتر ، وقدم أداءً جيدًا عندما دخل إلى الملعب”.

واختتم كاراجر: “لذا أعتقد أنها المرة الأولى التي قد نشهد فيها ذلك وربما ما هو مستقبل ليفربول من حيث المضي قدماً، ليس فقط هذا الموسم بل ربما على مدى الـ 18 شهراً إلى العامين المقبلين”.

Barcelona have reiterated that they will not “fuel controversies or speculation” when it comes to a possible playing return to Camp Nou for Lionel Messi. The Liga giants are still planning the most “beautiful tribute” to their all-time leading goalscorer, but the Argentine GOAT is under contract in MLS with Inter Miami and appears unlikely to grace European football again.

• American dream: Messi has signed new contract with Inter Miami

  Messi severed career-long ties with Barca in 2021 when joining Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent. An emotional farewell was bid to Catalunya once it became apparent that the funds were not there to hand him a new contract.

  Two years were spent in France before chasing the American dream. Messi, his wife Antonela and their three sons are now settled in South Florida. An extension to lucrative terms has been agreed through 2028.

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  Loan move? Messi sees Camp Nou return mooted

  There remains the possibility that Messi could return to Barca during the MLS offseason, before their calendar is changed, with the 2026 World Cup fast approaching. Messi is eager to ensure that he is fit and firing for Argentina’s global title defence.

  Barca have, however, played down loan talk and club president Joan Laporta continues to distance the Blaugrana from speculation regarding a potential ‘Last Dance’ for Messi in familiar surroundings.

  Quizzed on that topic again at the Foros de Vanguardia forum, Laporta told reporters: “I'm not going to fuel controversies or speculation about things that aren't realistic. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. Leo will always be in the collective memory of Barcelona fans. Leo has a contract with a football club.”

  Laporta added on Barca’s plans for Messi, with an exhibition or friendly match having been mooted for some time: “The tribute should take place at a time when we can thank him for everything he's done for Barca. A tribute with a full Camp Nou, with 105,000 Barca fans thanking Messi for everything he's done for the club, could be a beautiful thing.”

  He went on to say of immortalising Messi in statue form, potentially alongside other Barca icons: “People can understand each other by talking. I don't see any problem. We've thought about giving him the most beautiful tribute ever given, and a statue alongside players who have made history. Kubala, [Johan] Cruyff, Messi and Ronaldinho also come to mind. Leo has defined an era and is the best player in history and in Barca's history.”

• Will Messi grace the field at Camp Nou again?

  Messi recently took in a surprise visit to Camp Nou, after seeing that iconic venue enjoy a serious facelift. He posted on social media: “Last night I returned to a place I have missed with all my soul. A place where I was extraordinarily happy, where a thousand times you made me feel like the happiest person in the world. I hope one day I can come back, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to.”

  Messi has since revealed that he and Antonela are planning a return to Barcelona at some stage. That is not, however, expected to see him grace a legendary No.10 jersey again.

  Sporting director Deco has said of the Messi transfer rumours: “I don't think it's possible because Leo is under contract and it was never even considered. Leo is always Leo, and he could still contribute something; he's a great player, but it's not something we're going to talk about. The current situation is entirely speculative.”

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  Messi's record: Games & goals ahead of MLS Cup final

  Messi made 778 appearances for Barca after stepping out of their fabled La Masia academy system. He scored 672 goals, winning 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns. It was during that time that he cemented a standing as one of the greatest to ever play the game.

  He now has eight Ballons d’Or to his name and is the most decorated player in history. An opportunity to land another major honour will present itself on Saturday when Inter Miami face Vancouver in the 2025 MLS Cup final.

England, Australia and South Africa are already through, but who will join them in the last four?

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India – Matches 5, Wins 2, Points 4, NRR 0.526If India beat New Zealand on Thursday, they will make the semi-finals. If they lose to New Zealand, India have to hope New Zealand lose to England before India beat Bangladesh on Sunday.A washout against New Zealand can also be a good result for India if they beat Bangladesh. India will be through to the semi-finals even if they lose against Bangladesh in the above scenario, if New Zealand and Sri Lanka (or a washout against Pakistan) lose their respective last matches.If both of India’s games in Navi Mumbai get washed out, they will qualify for the semi-finals, but only if England beat New Zealand (or if that game also gets washed out). If Sri Lanka are tied on six points with India in the above scenario, India will progress with a better net run-rate.Harmanpreet Kaur and India have little room for error in their remaining two games•ICC/Getty ImagesNew Zealand – Matches 5, Wins 1, Points 4, NRR -0.245New Zealand’s next match against India will be an all-or-nothing game for them, and a loss will end their World Cup campaign. If New Zealand win their next two games, they will make the semi-finals.If New Zealand beat India but lose to England, they will have to hope Bangladesh beat India (or if it ends in a washout). Sri Lanka can also finish with six points if they beat Pakistan, but New Zealand currently have a better net run-rate.New Zealand will make the semi-finals irrespective of other results if they beat India and their match against England gets washed out. A washout against India will be good for New Zealand only if they defeat England, and India don’t bag two points against Bangladesh.New Zealand can progress to the semi-finals if both their remaining games are washed out, but only if India and Sri Lanka don’t reach six points.Sri Lanka – Matches 6, Wins 1, Points 4, NRR -1.035To reach the semi-finals, Sri Lanka have to beat Pakistan and hope India lose both their remaining games. They will also need England to beat New Zealand on the last day of the league stage.Sri Lanka will be tied on six points with New Zealand in the above scenario, but will be behind on net run-rate if they don’t win big against Pakistan.