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The United States Men's national team have been handed a major injury boost ahead of the 2026 World Cup as star defender Antonee Robinson finally returned from his knee injury and started for Fulham in their Premier League clash against Burnley on Saturday. Robinson has remained sidelined for the majority of the current season due to a persistent knee problem.

• USMNT boost

  Robinson's injury occurred last fall during one of the USMNT's friendlies, where he sustained a "dead leg" on the top of his knee. That ended up splitting his tendon, leading to severe pain beginning in November. He played through the rest of the season with Fulham, but wasn't deemed fit enough for March's Nations League Finals and, he ultimately missed the Gold Cup after undergoing surgery. 

  Ahead of the October international break, when Mauricio Pochettino unveiled his USMNT roster, Robinson's name was on it for the first time in 2025, although he did not appear in any of the matches, as Pochettino had acknowledged that his minutes would need to be managed this camp.

  Robinson also acknowledged that he wasn't at his best in terms of attaining full fitness, as the full-back had said: "I'm still getting used to post-surgery. I'm doing all right. I've been in full training and been in full contention to play matches back at Fulham. I had a few spells coming on here and there and played 90 minutes in a cup game and got through it pretty well. I'm still not feeling 100 percent on it or how it felt a year ago before the injury first happened, but I'm getting there slowly."

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  Robinson plays full 90 minutes against Burnley

  For the first time in the 2025-26 campaign, Robinson survived the full 90 minutes on the pitch as Fulham edged out Burnley in a five-goal thriller in the Premier League on Saturday. Robinson's return to action will be a massive boost for Pochettino and the USMNT ahead of the 2026 World Cup on home soil next summer.

  Before the tournament, the co-hosts will are scheduled to play four international friendlies and Robinson will look forward to impress the manager during that period and earn his place back in the USMNT starting lineup.

• 'Mentally, it's been nearly a year away from national team'

  Robinson also opened up on the mental toll it took to be away from the national team for over a year as he added: "It was really difficult, to be honest, especially because we had some disappointments this year with not winning the Nations League and the Gold Cup. They're trophies that we take pretty seriously, so not being able to bring them home was disappointing. The fact that you have to watch and can't contribute, I'd always rather be here and be the one taking responsibility on the field, win or lose, then to have to watch and not help out. Mentally, it's been nearly a year away from the national team after not missing too many camps and being with the national team for so long. It was very difficult."

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  Robinson eyes regular game time

  For now, Robinson's primary focus will be to feature in Marco Silva's starting lineup regularly to gather game time and attain perfect match fitness before he can prove himself in front of Pochettino in the national team. The American full-back will be back in action on December 17 for the Cottagers as they take on Newcastle United in a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash. 

Defending a low total, NZ fought back courtesy Neesham’s spell but Marsh stood tall till the end

Andrew McGlashan04-Oct-2025Mitchell Marsh led from the front with a magnificent maiden T20I century to carry Australia to a 2-0 series victory over New Zealand after they had suffered a major stumble against James Neesham.At 62 for 1 in the seventh over, Australia were comfortably placed chasing an underwhelming 157 but Neesham claimed four quick wickets to leave the game in the balance. Marsh, though, remained unstoppable to continue his recent surge in form, bringing up his century from 50 balls, joining the group of those with centuries across all formats, in an innings where the next-best score was 14. Sean Abbott showed his calmness and experience by helping get the job done, unbeaten on 13.Australia’s three frontline quicks had all impressed after Marsh followed his usual route of bowling when winning the toss. Josh Hazlewood set the tone and was well backed up by Xavier Bartlett and Abbott as the trio shared seven wickets, while Marcus Stoinis claimed the important figure of Daryl Mitchell with his first ball.This early-season Chappell-Hadlee series was played across just four days in chilly, damp conditions – with the second match mostly lost to the weather – and New Zealand will now prepare to face England in white-ball cricket. Australia, meanwhile, return home to play India in ODIs and T20Is ahead of the Ashes.Marsh’s lone handMarsh joked after the second T20I’s abandonment that he’d never felt such pressure being 1 off 5 balls in a nine-over slog. Today he was 4 off 5 when he got into himself into top gear with consecutive fours and a pulled six off Matt Henry. Then in the final over of the powerplay he took down Ben Sears, starting with a perfect lofted on-drive for six before showing extraordinary power to loft six over cover off the back foot – in all, the over cost 21.Marsh lost Matt Short, flicking Neesham into the deep, but consecutive sixes against Ish Sodhi – the second taking him to a 21-ball fifty – continued Australia’s momentum. Then the wheels threatened to come off. Tim David swung a big outside edge to deep third, Alex Carey was brilliantly caught at deep point by Mark Chapman – who held the catch horizontal to the ground – and Neesham put himself on a hat-trick when Stoinis drove to mid-off.He nearly claimed it, too, as Mitchell Owen got an inside edge into the pads. Owen launched a mighty six over long-on to suggest he might hurry the game to a conclusion but soon skied into the off side. Marsh scored 22 of the 23 added with Bartlett, but 24 were still needed when the seventh wicket fell, although there was never any run-rate pressure.Marsh moved to 97 with his seventh six, muscled over the leg side when he didn’t middle a pull off Neesham, and brought up three figures when a top edge landed safely.Hazlewood’s four in a rowFor the second time in the series, Hazlewood struck in the first over of a match when Devon Conway skewed a catch to mid-off after Tim Seifert had scooped his third ball for six. Three overs later, with New Zealand having made decent progress, he produced a superb delivery which nipped and climbed at Tim Robinson to graze the edge, although the DRS was needed after the on-field umpire didn’t hear the nick.In an attacking move, with the ball nibbling around, Hazlewood was given his four-over spell on the trot by Marsh – the first time he had bowled all his overs straight through in his T20 career. His top-class spell was somewhat dented in his last over when Seifert and Mitchell took a boundary a piece.David’s catch, Stoinis maidenAustralia were poor in the field during the opening match, but they caught safely in this one. Their highlight was David’s terrific effort, running back from mid-on take Chapman’s lofted drive over his shoulder, managing to hold onto the ball as he landed and it left New Zealand three down inside the powerplay.Another notable contribution was Stoinis’ opening over. He started by finding Mitchell’s outside edge with a delivery that moved considerably, and ended up completing a wicket maiden. It was his first maiden in a full T20 match, although earlier this year he completed two maiden ‘sets’ in the Hundred which are categorized among T20 statistics.In the end, Stoinis would end up Australia’s most expensive bowler as his last three overs went for 43 with Neesham taking 16 off him in the space of four balls in the 15th over including two sixes. Neesham and captain Michael Bracewell tried to rebuild from 99 for 5 but in felt like New Zealand were someway short although with the ball, Neesham nearly proved it otherwise. One player stood in their way.

After losing the tournament opener to India, Sri Lanka play Australia in an ODI for the first time since 2019

Madushka Balasuriya03-Oct-20252:44

Can the Australia batting juggernaut be stopped?

India first, Australia second. No, that wasn’t an early prediction for the finals, just simply Sri Lanka’s first two matches at this World Cup. It should only get easier from here but for a Sri Lankan outfit that, despite having played 31 ODIs between the 2022 World Cup and this one, has been crying out for consistent, high-level competition, this upcoming game will lay the most accurate marker yet on their upward trajectory over the past couple of years.Having challenged the hosts India in the tournament opener, they fell short at key moments in that game, perhaps succumbing to the pressure of the occasion. And that pressure will only be cranked up against an imposing Australian outfit, one with so many avenues to hurt you, it’s hard to pinpoint any single weak point that opponents could potentially prey on.For Sri Lanka’s captain Chamari Athapaththu both these matches have come at the right time – at the start of the tournament – and she hopes they will serve as a building block for her side’s ambitions.Related

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“Yes, we’re playing against the two best teams in the first two games, but that’s really good for us,” Athapaththu said ahead of Saturday’s match against Australia in Colombo.”Because then we have some games against teams – like South Africa, New Zealand, Pakistan Bangladesh – that we have beaten during the last 12-15 months. So it’s good to start with best teams so that we can prepare well and learn from our mistakes and bounce back.”That resilience to bounce back from setbacks is what has driven this Sri Lankan team over the past couple of years. Between October 2019 and June 2022, they didn’t play a single ODI. Since then, they’ve surged forward, culminating in their T20 Asia Cup title in 2024.Game time has helped, even if parity with the men’s team remains distant. Sri Lanka played 31 WODIs and 61 WT20Is between the 2022 and 2025 World Cups. Still, matches against elite sides like Australia remain rare. Before this tournament, Sri Lanka hadn’t played an international for four months; they prepared with domestic fixtures and games against youth teams.”Everyone knows the Australians are the best team and they have a very experienced side,” Athapaththu said. “In 2019 we played a series against them and I scored a century in Brisbane. After that we never played against Australia because of Covid and some other various reasons. So we missed playing against Australia.”We know we haven’t played international games during the past few months, but we played some domestic cricket. There are things that I cannot control as a captain but I’ll control my bat and ball. Our preparation is good, because we played some games against national youth teams.”Australia’s preparation, meanwhile, has been ideal. They won a hard-fought series in India in September and several of their players have gained exposure to Indian conditions through the WPL. They arrived in Colombo on Thursday afternoon, well in time to recover and prepare for Saturday.”It’s been good, positive vibes,” said opener Phoebe Litchfield when asked about the team’s mood following their journey from Indore. “Woke up this morning, hit the gym, got to the ground and hopefully have some food and get started into training. The commute was fine. It was pretty stock standard but the bodies feel great all around so we’re keen to play tomorrow.”Litchfield struck a 31-ball 45 against New Zealand to set the tone for Australia’s innings in Indore, but with conditions in Colombo unlikely to be as conducive to batting, she knows a more considered approach might be required.”I think we’ll see when we get out there,” Litchfield said. “I’m not going to swing from the limbs first ball. Going to assess conditions, see how it’s playing. And if we think it’s a 300 wicket, it’s a 300 wicket and we’ll play our way. But also know that we might have to adapt depending on the conditions that we face.Litchfield has played just the solitary match against Sri Lanka – a WT20I last year – but Australia know what to expect for the most part.”Their opening bowlers pose a threat but their spin attack is where their work gets done. They’ve got four spinners that are completely different to each other. That’ll probably be the biggest threat to us.”

Arsenal are well equipped to go all the way in their battle for the Premier League title this season, having brushed up their squad after three successive second-place finishes.

But while the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi and Eberechi Eze have all established themselves as star members after big-money summer transfers, Mikel Arteta has ensured the Hale End academy has remained as important and influential as it has ever been, with some talented teenagers intermingled with the senior squad in north London.

Under Arteta’s wing, Arsenal have made incremental progress, with silverware the only thing missing since the Spanish coach replaced Unai Emery in 2019 and took his squad to the FA Cup final and won the trophy.

He has maintained his upward trajectory by entrusting Arsenal’s academy with regular opportunities.

Ethan Nwaneri

Brentford

15 years, 5 months, 28 days

Max Dowman

Leeds

15 years, 7 months, 23 days

Myles Lewis-Skelly

Man City

17 years, 11 months, 27 days

Marquinhos

Brentford

19 years, 5 months, 11 days

Folarin Balogun

Brentford

20 years, 1 month, 10 days

Arsenal have so many exciting stars looking to establish themselves as the next Bukayo Saka or the new Declan Rice. The latter might not have cut his teeth with the Gunners, but they are certainly reaping the rewards.

Declan Rice's journey to superstardom

Rice is one of the best midfielders in the world. He is one of the first names on the team sheet for both club and country, and, aged 26, he has matured into a leader as well as a technical and athletic phenomenon.

It all started at West Ham United.

David Moyes nurtured his young protege to the fore and shaped him into the player he is today. Arsenal paid £105m for the Hammers man’s signature in 2023, with Rice having led his side to the Conference League title a month before.

Once a member of Chelsea’s Cobham academy, Rice is unquestionably one of the most talented Englishmen to have emerged in recent years, having evolved from a defender to a six to a first-class all-rounder.

The north London club are well stocked in the engine room, but with the likes of Myles Lewis-Skelly, Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri all emerging from Hale End in recent years, it might be nice to see an all-action midfielder burst onto the scene and help continue Arteta’s remarkable rise.

After all, who better to learn from than Rice?

Jack Wilshere’s declaration that Rice is a one-of-a-kind player and an inspiration and teacher for someone like Dowman is right on the money, but there’s actually an exciting Hale End midfielder who could more beneficially absorb the fruits of the Three Lions star’s labours over the coming months and years.

Arsenal's new version of Rice

Rice is one of the best English midfielders of his generation, and it’s for this reason that teenager Ife Ibrahim will be keen to take a leaf or two from the 26-year-old’s book as he looks to make his way from the Emirates academy into Arteta’s senior squad.

The London-born prospect has attracted praise for his performances at youth level this season and has enjoyed his first two caps for England U18s, having made his bow only a few weeks ago.

With the right moves over the next few years, Ibrahim could be just the player to learn from Rice and develop into a similarly special midfielder at the highest level, with the 17-year-old having already edged his way into U21 action at Arsenal despite his youth an inexperience.

Said to have a bit of “Vieira and Diaby” about him by analyst Harvey Diamonds, the rangy midfielder is adept at breaking up play and keeping things ticking from the base of the centre. He might not be the flashiest, but this is the kid of counterpoint you need against, say, someone like Nwaneri up ahead, creating and adding to the attack.

Whether Ibrahim even scratches the same ballpark as Rice in the future is, of course, another question entirely, but he has the physicality and progressive nature to succeed in the Premier League and learn some tricks from the superstar’s trade.

Having featured 54 times for Arsenal’s various development levels, Ibrahim has plenty of experience under his belt and has even featured three times against senior oppposition, in the EFL Trophy, this season, with data from Sofascore showing us that he won 59% of his duels across those three outings, averaging two interceptions per game and completing 87% of his passes. The teenager’s heat map suggests he covered plenty of ground across the midfield, stretching back to cover his defenders and barrelling forward when the chance presented itself.

This is all to say that Arsenal have a gem on their hands, one of many glittering underneath the surface level of Arteta’s squad. Given the need for a physical profile at number six to contrast with the elegance of Zubimendi, it might just be that Arteta strikes the jackpot once again with a talented academy star, free to grow into their skin and feeling the trust from the boss.

As with Rice (and Vieira, for that matter), Ibrahim appears to have a propensity for using his muscular frame and sharp bursts of pace to hold off opponents and dart upfield.

Arsenal youth correspondent Jeorge Bird has already confirmed that Arteta has welcomed the youngster into some senior training sessions over the past year, clearly with a view toward full integration down the line.

It wouldn’t be the first time Arteta has done such a thing.

After Saka & Rice: Arsenal can hand Tuchel the "biggest talent in England"

The incredible Arsenal gem could become a bigger star for England than Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 14, 2025

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele picked up the 2025 Ballon d’Or, but who will lift the famous individual honour in 2026?

With the 2025/26 season well and truly underway, players are beginning to make their case to land the historic award, and in a World Cup year, there could be many twists and turns.

Here are the 20 players who are best placed to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or right now, based on current form and their respective team’s chances of silverware.

Ranking factors: To help rank the players in order, we have considered the following criteria:

Current form – how well a player has performed in the past few months Importance to their teams – how influential they are to their teams’ performances Reputation – what others say about them

Rank

Player

Age

Club

Nation

Kylian Mbappe

26

Real Madrid

France

Declan Rice

26

Arsenal

England

Lamine Yamal

18

Barcelona

Spain

Harry Kane

32

Bayern Munich

England

Erling Haaland

25

Man City

Norway

Vitinha

25

PSG

Portugal

Pedri

23

Barcelona

Spain

Michael Olise

23

Bayern Munich

France

Ousmane Dembele

28

PSG

France

Gabriel Magalhaes

27

Arsenal

Brazil

Luis Diaz

28

Bayern Munich

Colombia

Lionel Messi

38

Inter Miami

Argentina

Vinicius Jr

25

Real Madrid

Brazil

Cristiano Ronaldo

40

Al-Nassr

Portugal

Jude Bellingham

22

Real Madrid

England

Raphinha

28

Barcelona

Brazil

Scott McTominay

28

Napoli

Scotland

Joao Neves

21

PSG

Portugal

Mohamed Salah

33

Liverpool

Egypt

Gianluigi Donnarumma

26

Man City

Italy

10 Gabriel Magalhaes Arsenal and Brazil

An injury halted the Brazilian’s progress but he is currently the most in-form defender on the planet, scoring goals, dominating in both boxes and leading Arsenal’s incredible defensive record.

While the spotlight often went to William Saliba in recent seasons, Gabriel has emerged as the true rock at the heart of the best defence in world football.

9 Ousmane Dembele PSG and France

Could he go back to back? Well, if PSG continue their dominance in France and in Europe, and if Ousmane Dembele helps his country to a World Cup win, there is every chance.

The forward netted his first goals of the season at the end of August before a hamstring injury halted his progress. Still, the 28-year-old has plenty of time to return to full fitness and make his claim of another Ballon d’Or.

8 Michael Olise Bayern Munich and France

Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise has continued his fine form at the Allianz Arena into his second season.

A regular on the right wing under Vincent Kompany, Olise is already into double figures for goal contributions with Munich. Meanwhile, his national manager, Didier Deschamps, has said Olise “has everything”, with France and Bayern teammate Dayot Upamecano calling the attacker a “magician”.

7 Pedri Barcelona and Spain

Pulling the strings in Barcelona’s midfield, Pedri is seen as one of the greatest midfielders in football and will be looking to improve on his 11th place finish last time out.

The Spaniard has even caught the eye of iconic midfielder Paul Scholes, with the Man Utd legend calling Pedri his “new favourite footballer”.

Hansi Flick has also called Pedri a “special” player, adding that he “is also becoming a better leader” for his side.

6 Vitinha PSG and Portugal

Vitinha’s stunning hat-trick against Tottenham in the Champions League vaulted him up the rankings, with the all-action midfielder providing a mixture of end product, tenacity and control in Paris, averaging over 100 passes per game this season.

The Portugal star has gone from strength to strength in recent seasons having won the quadruple with PSG in the 2024/25 campaign, and will look to cement himself as one of the best in world football at next summer’s World Cup.

5 Erling Haaland Man City and Norway

Jamie Carragher has recently called Erling Haaland the “greatest goalscorer to ever play in English football”, with his ridiculous start to the season leading to the forward himself saying he’s in his best form ever.

Scoring goals for fun with Man City and Norway, Haaland will now play at his first World Cup in 2026, which will be his country’s first since 1998. A strong performance to take them on a knockout run would cement his status as a legend of Norwegian football.

4 Harry Kane Bayern Munich and England

Harry Kane is continuing to do what he does best – score goals on a regular basis. With Bayern Munich, Kane scored a remarkable 17 goals in the first nine games for the German champions, becoming the fastest player this century to reach 100 goals for a side playing in one of Europe’s top five leagues.

The England captain will also have his eyes on the 2026 World Cup, which could be his last at the age of 32. Delight for club and country in 2026 will put him in a strong position.

3 Lamine Yamal Barcelona and Spain

Lamine Yamal has won the Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d’Or awards for the last two years, so it feels as if it is just a matter of time until the Barcelona star takes home the major individual honour.

However, Barca currently trail Real Madrid in La Liga and have already dropped points in the Champions League group stage.

Still, if Yamal carries the Catalan giants to silverware and stars in his first World Cup, 2026 could be his year.

2 Declan Rice Arsenal and England

Now a vital member for club and country, Declan Rice is arguably the best midfielder in the world right now, shining in a slightly further forward role at the Emirates under Mikel Arteta.

After his two stunning free-kicks against Real Madrid in the Champions League last season, Rice has continued to add end product to his game and has been praised by England legends David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

1 Kylian Mbappe Real Madrid and France

Leading the way as the current 2026 Ballon d’Or favourite is Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe.

The Frenchman has begun the 2025/26 campaign in red-hot form in front of goal, registering the second fastest Champions League hat-trick of all time in a win over Olympiacos, even scoring a fourth for good measure.

Tennis legend Rafael Nadal has even called Mbappe the “best in the world”, and on current form, it’s hard to argue against the Madrid fan.

Eleven people died in Bengaluru on Wednesday due to injuries suffered during stampede-like conditions around the Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) players were being celebrated for winning the IPL for the first time in 18 years.There have been reports of injuries to several more people, who have been admitted to nearby hospitals.Karnataka’s chief minister Siddaramaiah said he had ordered an inquiry into the chain of events that led to the tragedy. “I don’t want to defend this incident,” Siddaramaiah said on Wednesday evening. “Our government is not going to do politics on this. I have ordered a magisterial inquiry, and given them 15 days’ time. There are only small gates at the stadium; hope you’ve visited the stadium.”People entered through the gates, and broke them. A stampede took place; no one expected such a huge crowd. Capacity of the stadium is only 35,000, but two-three lakh people have come to participate in the celebration. I’m not denying or saying nothing happened, that’s why I’ve ordered an enquiry. The pain of this tragedy has also erased the joy of victory.”Several police personnel engaged to manage crowds on Wednesday afternoon were seen carrying fans – some of them minors – to hospital amid rain and heavy traffic that had come to a grinding halt, even as RCB’s victorious squad held the trophy aloft as celebrations continued in front of at least 25,000 fans who had made it inside the Chinnaswamy Stadium.ESPNcricinfo understands the chaos outside the venue prompted state police to issue a directive to the franchise, urging them to keep the celebrations brief. A planned victory lap around the ground was also curtailed as the players exited the venue quickly.Hours after the end of the event at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB issued the following statement: “We are deeply anguished by the unfortunate incidents that have come to light through media reports regarding public gatherings all over Bengaluru in anticipation of the team’s arrival this afternoon. The safety and well-being of everyone is of utmost importance to us.”RCB mourns the tragic loss of lives and extend our heartfelt condolences to the affected families. Immediately upon being made aware of the situation, we promptly amended our program, and followed the guidance and advice of the local administration. We urge all our supporters to please stay safe.”An administrative staff member at one of the hospitals confirmed emergency cases ranging from dehydration to bruises and mild skull fractures. There were also cases of exhaustion and trauma caused by the stampede-like situation that led to several fans trying to climb the boundary wall of the stadium along Cubbon Road.A family member of one of those injured described the scenes as “complete mismanagement” by local authorities. At least four fans were brought in unconscious from the nearby Cubbon Park Metro Station, with emergency wards at Bowring Hospital and Lady Curzon Hospital working swiftly to address the crisis.BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia expressed his condolences. “It is very unfortunate. This is a negative side of popularity,” he said. “People are crazy for their cricketers. The organisers should have planned it better. My deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. I wish early recovery of the injured.”Crowds gathered in large numbers for RCB’s victory parade•PTI

“When one organises a victory celebration of this magnitude, proper precautions, safety and security measures need to be taken. There have been some lapses somewhere.”The news that there would be an event in Bengaluru to celebrate the RCB team emerged on Tuesday night, after they won the final against Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad. “I think I’m going to feel the real side of it when we get to Bengaluru,” Virat Kohli had told RCB Bold Diaries. “And celebrate it with the city and fans who’ve stood by us through thick and thin.”Over the course of the last 24 hours, there was a lack of clarity in public information regarding how events would unfold in Bengaluru on Wednesday. At around 9.45am, RCB outlined the team’s movements from the airport to the Chinnaswamy Stadium via the Vidhana Soudha.However, at noon, the Bengaluru traffic police said there would be no felicitation or parade, and that entry to the Chinnaswamy Stadium required tickets or passes; the public was advised to use the metro and avoid the central business district between 3pm and 8pm. In the early afternoon, RCB maintained the parade was on but advised caution, and requested fans to follow all guidelines issued by the police.It was hard for the police to control the large number of people who turned up to catch a glimpse of RCB•Associated Press

As early as 10am on Wednesday, fans had thronged the Kempegowda International Airport in Devanahalli to welcome the team even before they had departed from Ahmedabad. To minimise heavy traffic movement along the route to the international airport, there was a change of plan: local police and the chief minister’s office issued clearance for the team to land at the old HAL Airport instead. They arrived around 2pm and were received by Karnataka’s deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, after which they travelled by bus to their team hotel and then got to the Vidhana Soudha at 4.55pm to meet the chief minister, after which reached the Chinnaswamy Stadium at 5.45pm.The movements of the team were flanked by immense crowds. The metro service in central Bengaluru had to halt trains briefly along the Purple Line, while more private security personnel were called in to man the stations along the route to the stadium. In an additional crowd-control measure, authorities suspended stops at key metro stations near the venue to prevent more fans from disembarking and converging on the already overwhelmed area. At one point, the stampede-like situation also led to the police employing mobile jammers, according to the stadium officials.Heavy traffic around the ground and surrounding areas even forced a number of airlines to issue advisories to passengers flying out of Bengaluru on Wednesday evening.

Senne Lammens has made a bold claim that he isn't "afraid" of Andre Onana's Manchester United legacy, with the Belgian goalkeeper is preparing for the long haul at Old Trafford. The Red Devils have had a couple of legends between the sticks at the Theatre of Dreams, such as Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar. Many might make a case for David de Gea as well, but most will concur that the Spaniard was the last of the goalkeeping stars. With Onana, a sharp decline started as United slipped to horrifying depths, with the Cameroonian committing several costly mistakes, which saw him shipped out on loan to Trabzonspor.

Man Utd's new goalkeeper brings calmness

Following the departure of Onana, head coach Ruben Amorim trusted Altay Bayindir with the gloves. However, the Turkish stopper could not convince anyone that he could handle the pressure of the English top flight. Enter a 23-year-old, relatively unknown Belgian, signed for £18 million  (€21m/$24m) from Royal Antwerp on deadline day and the tide started turning. Since Lammens’ arrival, United’s results have surged. Three games, three wins, one clean sheet, and a renewed sense of calm at the back have returned to Old Trafford.  For Lammens, the pressure of following United’s goalkeeping lineage doesn’t faze him in the slightest. Speaking to Belgian outlet he shrugged off the chatter that has consumed every United keeper since De Gea’s decline and exit.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALLammens eyes whole decade at Old Trafford

"There's been a lot of commotion about the goalkeepers in recent years," Lammens said. "They've received a lot of negative comments. I wasn't worried about that. I want to be someone people look up to. My dream is to play here for the next ten years, be important to the club, and build a legacy. That's a long-term goal."

It hasn’t taken long for the Stretford End to fall in love with him. Many fans are hailing him as the next Schmeichel, but the keeper has his feet firmly rooted to the ground. 

"It was wonderful to hear the supporters sing that to me," he said. "A huge compliment, especially after my first match. But I'm not getting too carried away with their enthusiasm. I still have a lot to prove to be mentioned in the same breath as Peter Schmeichel, you know."

The two have already met recently, and the moment has left an impression on Lammens. "I ran into him on the sidelines after a match," he said. "He was very friendly. Schmeichel knows it's not easy to be compared to him. He told me to be there for the team, but above all, to be myself. It was nice to hear that from someone you look up to. It also reassured me in a way."

Lammens handling the spotlight like a veteran

Lammens has started on the right note. But the keeper is well aware of how quickly things can unravel at a club like United. He is focused on his task at hand, does not want to showboat, and just wants to stick to the basics to cement his spot as the undisputed No.1. 

"When things go badly, you're immediately put down," he said. "And when things go well, they praise you to the skies. I'm not really concerned with what 'people' say about me. But I did realise how important my debut against Sunderland would be. I had to make a good first impression. And I succeeded. Not that I made any spectacular saves, but I did radiate calm. I'm proud of that."

Lammens' sense of composure has impressed Amorim, and the Portuguese has been effusive in his praise for the young Belgian. The boss even admitted he didn’t expect Lammens to settle so quickly amid all the pressure surrounding United’s goalkeeper situation.

"Senne Lammens has been great. His impact surprised me a little bit, because it is hard in the moment of our club and all of the speculation around our goalkeepers… he has coped really well with the pressure," Amorim explained in a press conference after the Liverpool victory. 

But Amorim also reminded fans not to get ahead of themselves. "He’s not Schmeichel yet," he continued. "He’s a young guy with talent. He showed a lot of composure, and the fans liked it. But again, that is in the past; we need to prove in the next game."

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AFPForest test awaits Lammens

As United travel to the City Ground to face Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest, Lammens is preparing to do battle with Belgium team-mate Matz Sels, who was voted into the PFA Team of the Year for 2024-25 but hasn't started the new season well.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após eliminar o Universitario-PER e Newell´s Old Boys, o Corinthians segue sua caminhada na Copa Sul-Americana e terá pela frente o Estudiantes. A partida de ida das quartas de final acontece nesta terça-feira (21), às 21h30, na Neo Química Arena.

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+ Aposte R$10 e ganhe R$60 com o jogo do Corinthians na Sul-Americana!

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Vanderlei Luxemburgo poupou seis titulares no empate com o Cruzeiro, e a prioridade do clube passou a ser a Sul-Americana. O treinador terá os retornos de Gil, Murillo, Fábio Santos, Maycon, Renato Augusto e Yuri Alberto, mas ainda não poderá contar com Fagner, que se recupera de uma lesão muscular na panturrilha esquerda.

Apesar da derrota no final de semana contra o Belgrano, o Estudiantes chega para o duelo em Itaquera em bom momento. A equipe treinada por Eduardo Domínguez venceu seis dos últimos sete compromissos. A equipe argentina avançou em segundo lugar no Grupo C da Sul-Americana e eliminou o Barcelona de Guayaquil e Goiás.

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A partida entre Corinthians e Estudiantes irá marcar o reencontro do centroavante Mauro Boselli com a Fiel Torcida.

+ Veja tabela e simule os jogos do Timão no Brasileirão

CORINTHIANS X ESTUDIANTES-ARG
SUL-AMERICANA – QUARTAS DE FINAL – IDA

Local:Neo Química Arena, São Paulo (SP)
Data e hora:terça-feira, 21 de agosto de 2023, às 21h30 (horário de Brasília)
Árbitro:Jesús Valenzuela (VEN)
Assistentes:jorge Urrego (VEN) e Tulio Moreno (VEN)
Árbitro de vídeo:Ángelo Hermosilla (CHI)
Onde assistir:SBT, ESPN, Star+ e no tempo real doLance!

CORINTHIANS
Cássio; Bruno Méndez, Gil (Lucas Veríssimo), Murillo e Fábio Santos; Moscardo, Fausto Vera e Renato Augusto; Rojas, Yuri Alberto e Wesley (Biro).Técnico:Vanderlei Luxemburgo

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Desfalques:Fagner (lesão muscular na panturrilha esquerda.) e Paulinho (lesão no joelho)

Pendurados:-

ESTUDIANTES-ARG

Andújar; Leonardo Godoy, Lollo, Santiago Núñez e Bendetti; Jorge Rodríguez, Santiago Ascacíbar, Rollheiser, Zuqui e Zapiola; Mauro Méndez. Técnico: Eduardo Domínguez.

Desfalques:-

Pendurados:-

Celtic have reportedly agreed a deal with Royal Antwerp to bring winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha to Parkhead for a fee of around £5m this week.

Sky Sports reveals that the 24-year-old attacker is due to undergo a medical this week before putting pen to paper on a permanent move to Glasgow from the Belgian side.

The left-sided forward scored 14 goals and provided nine assists in the last two seasons for Royal Antwerp in all competitions, per Sofascore, and will be hoping to provide a consistent threat down the left flank for Brendan Rodgers this season.

Daizen Maeda is currently the only natural left winger in the squad, which is why the impending arrival of Balikwisha is a much-needed one for the Hoops.

Celtic closing in on deal for defender

The Scottish Premiership giants are not only looking for reinforcements down the left side on the wing, though, as they are also keen on a back-up for Kieran Tierney.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to Argentine outlet Diario Xeneize, Celtic are closing in on a deal to sign left-back Marcelo Saracchi from Boca Juniors before the deadline.

The report claims that the Hoops have already made one offer for the defender, proposing a loan with an option to make it permanent, but it was rejected by the Argentine side.

It adds that Celtic are now expected to return with an offer of a straight loan deal, with no option or obligation, and that Boca Juniors are willing to accept it, as they see it as a chance for the player to play football and increase his value ahead of next summer.

What Marcelo Saracchi could offer to Celtic

The 27-year-old star could be a shrewd addition to the squad as back-up and competition for Tierney, who has only played 132 minutes in two starts in the league so far.

Celtic are managing the former Arsenal full-back’s minutes and the arrival of Saracchi would help with that, because he is a natural left-back who can start or come off the bench to ensure that Rodgers has a quality alternative to the Scotland international.

The Boca Juniors full-back has been an unused substitute in five of his last nine appearances in the matchday squad, per Sofascore, which shows that he is not at the forefront of their plans, but his form in 2024 suggests that he does have something to offer to the Hoops.

Appearances

13

5

Goals

1

1

Assists

1

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.7

3.0

Ground duel success rate

53%

50%

Aerial duel success rate

50%

50%

As you can see in the table above, Saracchi put in solid performances in the Liga Profesional and the CONMEBOL Sudamericana last season, holding his own in physical duels whilst making several tackles and interceptions per game on average.

These statistics suggest that the Uruguay international, who previously played for Galatasaray and Levante, could be a steady operator down the left flank, providing a defensive and physical presence to allow the left winger ahead of him the freedom to stay high up the pitch.

That is why Balikwisha and Maeda could both benefit from this move because it will prevent Rodgers from playing Liam Scales out of position at left-back behind them when Tierney is unable to continue in matches.

Over the last 365 days, Saracchi ranks within the top 14% of full-backs in the Men’s Next 14 Competitions for progressive passes per 90 (5.05) per 90 and the top 4% for shot-creating actions (3.64) per 90.

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ByDan Emery Aug 20, 2025

This essentially means that the Uruguayan defender is well above average when it comes to progressing play down the flank, which is another reason why Balikwisha and Maeda would love him, as the full-back can consistently provide them with the ball in dangerous areas with his progressive play.