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In 2020, they were scheduled to play their first Test in Australia, but the pandemic and political tumult dashed their hopes

Tristan Lavalette21-Oct-2022When Afghanistan step onto Optus Stadium to open their T20 World Cup campaign against England, it will end a frustrating two-year wait of playing in Australia marked by Covid-19 postponements and political tumult.Back in 2020, Afghanistan were excited over the prospect of playing their first ever Test against Australia on a bouncy Perth surface only for those hopes to be dashed by the pandemic.It was twice rescheduled during long meetings between Cricket Australia and Afghanistan Cricket Board before it fell by the wayside because of the Western Australian government’s strict border stance, which only ended in March this year, requiring travellers into the state to quarantine for two weeks in a hotel.Related

Can Afghanistan's spin threat derail power-packed England?

Chris Woakes doubtful for England's opener against Afghanistan

Gurbaz cleared of fracture, expected to be fit for England game

Cricket Australia confirms postponement of Afghanistan Test

The ACB officials, however, were left slightly miffed when India’s lucrative Test and ODI tour of Australia that summer was able to be salvaged. Still, Afghanistan’s bitterness wasn’t set to linger with the historic Test rescheduled for late 2021 in Hobart.But just a few months before the match, Afghanistan descended into chaos amid the Taliban’s sudden takeover, which meant real concern over the state of women’s cricket there. Cricket Australia took a stance and postponed the Test “until a later time when the situation [in Afghanistan] is clearer”.While bilaterals between the countries are uncertain, Afghanistan have retained Full Membership as an ongoing investigation into the women’s situation continues through an ICC working group.Their Test dreams may have to wait, but Afghanistan arrive in Australia for the T20 World Cup with gusto.

“We’re not just here to participate but here to win matches. We’ve got players and a squad that can do that”Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott

“Certainly sensed a build-up, as well as excitement when we first got here and the new experiences for the players,” Jonathan Trott, Afghanistan’s new head coach, said. “You just listen to the conversations, you’re looking at the body language, it is very exciting for me as a coach. But again, it’s about controlling those emotions and that excitement and channelling it in the right places and right direction.”Afghanistan will have the ultimate initiation to the foreign conditions on the fast Optus Stadium pitch, where England quick Mark Wood tore through Australia’s batting order with rapid pace just two weeks ago.Openers Hazratullah Zazai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz appear most adept at handling the bounce, but the batting order after that appears to be susceptible against short-pitched bowling.Gurbaz has been declared fit after he was struck on the left foot by Shaheen Shah Afridi’s inswinging yorker during Afghanistan’s warm-up match against Pakistan at the Gabba, which was washed out.”The wicket [in Perth] looks really good,” Trott said. “We’re looking to our openers to set a good platform along with Ibrahim [Zadran] at three, and we’ve got some exciting players.”It was a good experience for us playing against Pakistan in a warm-up. I think the prep has been really good… The guys are ready.”Will Afghanistan’s spinners be effective on a fast Perth pitch?•Getty ImagesAfghanistan’s strength, of course, lies with their beguiling spinners led by BBL standout Rashid Khan, although they could be negated by the Perth pitch.Against a belligerent England batting order, they will be under the pump and so too the team’s fielding, which has been put under the microscope.”One of the things we’ve been working on is our fielding, making sure we get an opportunity and are able to put the opposition under pressure,” Trott said. “So they’re little things, and all the little percentages hopefully add up to us putting together a good run in the competition and winning some games.”Just two months into the role, Trott has been taken by his team’s innate passion and obvious skills, which were showcased with wins over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at the Asia Cup before falling away.Not content with being dark horses, Trott hopes to develop a harder edge in a bid for a breakthrough deep run at a major tournament.”I hope we’re still seen as a dangerous side but a side that’s more consistent,” he said. “We’re not just here to participate but here to win matches. We’ve got players and a squad that can do that.”After two long years, Afghanistan finally gets their chance to shine on Australian soil.”There are some remarkable stories in that dressing room,” Trott said. “Hopefully this campaign is going to be another one of them.”

Since getting the pair on board for IPL 2018, the franchise has backed them relentlessly despite their multiple injuries

Deivarayan Muthu01-Oct-2020Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti set the speed guns on fire in India’s unbeaten run to the Under-19 World Cup title in 2018 in New Zealand and knocked over stumps for fun as out-and-out quicks. The Kolkata Knight Riders were so impressed by them that they broke the bank to get both Nagarkoti (INR 3.2 crore) and Mavi (INR 3 crore) on board for IPL 2018.The Knight Riders’ plan was to unleash them together on a helpful Eden Gardens pitch and ambush oppositions. However, while Mavi made fleeting appearances for the Knight Riders in 2018 and was sidelined from the entire IPL 2019, Nagarkoti hadn’t played any form of top-flight cricket, barring two Vijay Hazare Trophy games for Rajasthan, after winning the Under-19 World Cup.More than two years later, they both were fit again and playing together for the Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi. In between, another bunch of Under-19 stars emerged as India made the final of the World Cup in South Africa earlier this year, their former Under-19 team-mates Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw made their senior debuts, one their former Under-19 opponents Tom Banton enjoyed stints in the Big Bash League and Pakistan Super League before becoming team-mates with Nagarkoti and Mavi for IPL 2020. During the time when Mavi and Nagarkoti were on the sidelines, the coronavirus pandemic struck the world, pushing the IPL out of India to the UAE. Had the IPL got underway in April-May earlier this year, Mavi wouldn’t have been fit as he was still recovering from a stress fracture of the back he had suffered in December 2019.Both Nagarkoti and Mavi went wicketless against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Abu Dhabi although the Knight Riders secured their first points. But against the Rajasthan Royals in Dubai, everything came together for Nagarkoti, Mavi and the Knight Riders management, which has relentlessly backed the pair despite their history of injuries.The Knight Riders had similarly backed Andre Russell earlier after he had missed IPL 2017 because of a doping violation. That was expected as Russell is among the best T20 players ever. Mavi and Nagarkoti, however, were unproven in T20 cricket. Heck, Nagarkoti hadn’t played a single T20 before this IPL. Yet, the team management kept reiterating that they were “special” talents and looked after them like how a doting father would looking after his kids when any other franchise might have jettisoned them.”I literally feel like he is one of my kids – he’s that age, and he has that same emotion towards me, I think,” Venky Mysore, the KKR CEO, recently said of Nagarkoti.Ian Bishop has always spoken highly of the duo•ESPNcricinfo LtdOn Wednesday, Nagarkoti and Mavi ripped through the Royals batting line-up courtesy their bustle with the ball and in the field, providing a throwback to 2018, when they had thrilled the likes of Ian Bishop and Sourav Ganguly, and repaying the Knight Riders’ faith in them.Nagarkoti was also a livewire in the field, showing the world why his captain Dinesh Karthik likens his fielding to Ravindra Jadeja’s. When Robin Uthappa dabbed Mavi in front of him at backward point, he tore in from there, swooped down on the ball, and rifled an underarm flick that nearly ran out Jos Buttler. Then, in the 15th over, Nagarkoti sprinted at full tilt to his left from long-on, dived almost parallel to the ground, and grabbed a skied hit from Jofra Archer even though it was swerving away from his reach towards long-off. Spotting the ball under lights and catching it has been a challenge for other fielders in Dubai – as many as ten regulation catches have been spilled at this venue in just six games – but not for Nagarkoti. He showed them how to do it in style.It was Mavi who had set the scene for the emphatic defence by dismissing the in-form Sanju Samson and the dangerous Buttler in successive overs either side of the powerplay. After having Samson splice a pull to short midwicket off a 135kph hard-length delivery that cramped the batsman for room, he shifted his lines wider and had Buttler slicing a catch to short third man.Nagarkoti immediately took over and took out both Uthappa and Riyan Parag in the next over and cranked up his pace to 143kph to harry Tom Curran. The Rajasthan boy was bossing the Rajasthan Royals. At 42 for 5 in pursuit of 175, it was game over for the Royals.However, this (re)union of Nagarkoti and Mavi could well be the beginning of something “special”, as the Knight Riders have been anticipating for over two years. So, how delighted was the team management with the heroics of Nagarkoti and Mavi?”That’s something I really wanted to answer! Just the fact to see both these boys out there playing for us, representing our franchise…The fact that we stuck with them and just to see them out there, it’s so happy,” Karthik gushed at the post-match press conference. “The fact that they’re bowling well and fielding well is a bonus, but just to see them out there. I’ve been wanting to see them since the time they played the World Cup [in 2018]. It’s just great to see them both on the field.”The long-awaited match-winning returns of Nagarkoti and Mavi added so much depth to the Knight Riders attack that they didn’t need their premier spinner Kuldeep Yadav until the 16th over against the tail.

Stats highlights from Bulawayo, where Ireland completed a hat-trick of Test wins

Shubh Agarwal10-Feb-2025

1

This is Ireland’s first Test win after opting to bat first. Ireland were 31 for 5 at one stage, from where they recovered to register a win by 63 runs. In the 21st century, this is the third-lowest score for which a team lost half their side in the first innings (of the match) and then went on to win the contest. Pakistan were 21 for 5, but they toppled England in Dubai in 2012, while Sri Lanka recovered from 26 for 5 to win the Colombo Test against Australia in 2016.

3

Just 10 matches in, Ireland have completed a hat-trick of wins in Test cricket. They are the only side to amass three Test wins in a row within their first 10 Tests. Two of these wins have come against Zimbabwe against whom Ireland hold a 100% win record with two wins in two games.Ireland also have the joint second-most Test wins for a team in their first 10 Tests, only behind Australia’s tally of six wins. Ireland are also the only team with no draws in their first 10 Tests.

6 for 57

The left-arm orthodox spinner Matthew Humphrey took 6 for 57 in the second innings which is now the record for the best bowling figures by an Ireland bowler. He surpassed his spin-bowling partner, Andy McBrine who had picked up 6 for 118 against Bangladesh in Mirpur in 2023.

127

McBrine and Mark Adair helped Ireland revive from 31 for 5 to post a first-innings total of 260. The duo added 127 runs for the seventh wicket, now the second-highest partnership for any wicket in Ireland’s brief Test history.

11 years

Zimbabwe haven’t won a Test at home since their 24-run victory over Pakistan in 2013, stretching their winless streak at home to 11 years.Their last win in Bulawayo came in 2001 against Bangladesh, 20 Tests ago, the longest winless streak at a venue for any team. The next on this list is New Zealand with 17 matches without a win at the Eden Park in Auckland from 1959 to 1981.

90

Nick Welch scored a fighting 90 in Zimbabwe’s first innings. Welch’s effort is the third-highest score for a Zimbabwe batter on debut, only behind the century makers, Dave Houghton (121 vs India in 1992) and Hamilton Masakadza (119 vs West Indies in 2001). There is also Gary Ballance, who scored 137* against West Indies in 2023 in his first outing for Zimbabwe, albeit it was his 24th Test with the preceding 23 coming in an England shirt.

5

Andy Balbirnie’s 66 in the second innings is his fifth 50-plus score, taking him one step ahead of McBrine, Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker (four each) for most 50-plus scores for Ireland in Test cricket.

106 runs and four wickets

With scores of 90* and 16, along with the bowling figures of 3 for 59 and 1 for 69, McBrine is the first Irish player to score over 100 runs and pick up four wickets in a Test. Consequently, he was adjudged the Player of the Match. He also won this award in Ireland’s previous victory over Zimbabwe, making him the only Irish cricketer with more than one Player-of-the-Match award in Test cricket.

Tarik Skubal won the American League Cy Young award in 2024 by winning the pitching Triple Crown and leading the AL in wins, strikeouts and ERA. In 2025 he proceeded to have an even better statistical season, lowering his ERA and WHIP and striking out even more batters than he did during his Cy Young season.

About to enter his age 29 season, Skubal has one more campaign under Detroit's control before he becomes a free agent. As of right now, he's due to make $22.5 million next season, which is about half what Max Scherzer got annually from the Mets when they signed him to a three-year deal back in 2022.

The Tigers made Skubal an offer last offseason that was deemed "non-competitive" and it seems that another incredible season on the mound did not convince them to make whatever he considers a competitive offer.

According to Jon Heyman of the , the two sides are about a quarter of a billion dollars apart. No, seriously. In the words of Heyman, "Yep, that’s not a misprint. It’s close to $250 million."

While the total money or number of years is not clear, Heyman says that the "baseline for Skubal is seen as $400M." So the Tigers could be doing anything from making an insultingly low offer to being right there on the average salary, but far apart on the length of the contract.

Either way, they're going to have to pay Skubal to keep him.

Who is the highest paid pitcher in MLB?

For Skubal to crack the top five highest-paid pitchers, he'd need more than $35 million a year, which is exactly what Corbin Burnes is getting from the Diamondbacks. Shohei Ohtani has an average salary of $70 million, but unless Skubal can hit 50-plus home runs a season as a designated hitter, he should probably focus on what these guys are making.

Here are the five pitchers with contracts worth an average annual value of over $30 million, when they signed those deals and how long they are.

Pitcher

Average Annual Value

Signed

Contract Length

Zack Wheeler

$42,000,000

2025

3 years

Jacob deGrom

$37,000,000

2023

5 years

Blake Snell

$36,400,000

2025

5 years + club option

Gerrit Cole

$36,000,000

2019

9 years

Corbin Burnes

$35,000,000

2024

6 years

Monaco midfielder Paul Pogba has surprised the sporting world by purchasing a stake in Al Haboob, the first-ever professional camel racing team, with the World Cup winner revealing a passion for the sport nurtured on YouTube and stating an ambition to one day own the world's most expensive camel to complete a "beautiful full-circle moment" in his career.

• Pogba enters a new sport

  The French international has never been one to shy away from the spotlight or unconventional career moves, but his latest venture has taken him from the manicured pitches of the Champions League to the dusty tracks of the Middle East. Pogba, currently plying his trade in Ligue 1 with Monaco, has been announced as a strategic investor in Al Haboob, a ground-breaking outfit in the world of camel racing.

  While the crossover between elite European football and the traditional Bedouin sport may shock some, the 32-year-old insists he is fully committed to the sport. His interest in the "techniques and strategies" of the race track resulted in hours of online study.

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• AFP
  

  Pogba's YouTube research and 'dedication'

  Speaking about his decision to invest, Pogba revealed that he has become an avid spectator of the sport, using his downtime to educate himself on the nuances of a discipline that commands massive cultural significance in the Gulf region.

  "I've watched my fair share of [camel] races on YouTube and spent time doing research in my spare time trying to understand the techniques and strategies," Pogba explained.

  For a player who has won the biggest prizes in football, including the World Cup with France and multiple Serie A titles, the midfielder recognises elite application when he sees it. He was keen to draw a parallel between the commitment required in his primary profession and the rigours of his new investment.

  "And what stood out to me is how much dedication it takes from everyone involved," he added. "At the end of the day, sport is sport. It demands heart, sacrifice and teamwork.

  "People might not realise it, but sport always connects in some way," Pogba said. "Whether it's football, camel racing, boxing – the foundations are similar. You need determination, you need focus, you need discipline and grit. That's what makes champions at the end of the day."

• Chasing the 'most expensive' title again

  Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the announcement was Pogba's reflection on his own history with price tags. In 2016, he became the most expensive footballer in history when he returned to Manchester United for £89 million. It was a label that brought immense scrutiny, but one he now views with a sense of perspective.

  "Being the world's most expensive footballer was an honour, but it also came with a lot of hard work, pressure and responsibility," he admitted.

  Now, he has a new financial milestone in his sights, albeit in a very different marketplace, as he dreams of replicating his footballing record in the animal kingdom.

  "Owning the world's most expensive camel one day would be a beautiful full-circle moment – something fun, something meaningful and something that excites me," he said. "Maybe one day we make it happen."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  A 'transformational' partnership

  For Al Haboob, having a global superstar like Pogba on board is a major coup. The team are aiming to modernise and globalise a sport often viewed through a purely traditional lens. Omar Almaeena, a key figure at Al Haboob, believes the arrival of the Monaco star will change the perception of the sport entirely.

  "Paul's involvement is transformational," Almaeena stated. "His influence, leadership, and passion for cultural storytelling reflect exactly what Al Haboob stands for. This partnership is about more than racing; it is about sharing a heritage that deserves global recognition."

  As Pogba continues his season with Monaco, fighting for domestic and European honours, he will now have one eye on the race schedule in the Gulf. Whether he achieves his dream of owning the world's most expensive camel remains to be seen, but his entry into the sport has undoubtedly already achieved Almaeena's goal of global recognition.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após a eliminação do Cruzeiro na semifinal da Copa do Brasil, contra o Corinthians, torcedores vandalizaram um muro com a imagem de Gabigol, localizado na Toca da Raposa I. O jogador desperdiçou uma cobrança de pênalti e deu caminho para a classificação da equipe paulista.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCruzeiroEstratégia de Jardim dá errado em decisão por pênaltis de Corinthians x CruzeiroCruzeiro14/12/2025Fora de CampoJornalistas reagem ao pênalti perdido por Gabigol em Corinthians x CruzeiroFora de Campo14/12/2025

Em imagens divulgadas pela rádio “Rede 98”, o rosto de Gabigol foi pintado com tinta amarela, enquanto a inscrição “vai embora, lixo” apareceu pichada ao lado do nome do atleta. O mural integrava uma ação de marketing realizada no começo da temporada, durante o anúncio da contratação do camisa 9 pelo clube celeste.

Cruzeiro e Corinthians fizeram uma semifinal eletrizante neste domingo (14). Na Neo Química Arena, o time mineiro dominou a partida até o início do segundo tempo, abriu 2 a 0 no placar, dois gols de Arroyo, mas viu o Corinthians diminuir com Matheus Bidu na etapa final. O 2 a 1 levou a decisão para os pênaltis.

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Nas penalidades máximas, Cássio defendeu o primeiro pênalti, cobrado por Yuri Alberto. Gabigol teve a chance de fechar as cobranças, mas perdeu sua cobrança. Nas alternadas, Walace também errou e o Corinthians garantiu sua vaga na decisão.

➡️Pênalti perdido fecha temporada decepcionante de Gabigol pelo Cruzeiro

Em toda sua carreira, Gabriel Barbosa perdeu apenas nove pênaltis no tempo normal, convertendo 53 de 62 penalidades. Pelo Cruzeiro, este foi o terceiro perdido de oito que cobrou.

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Bangladesh could look to strengthen their batting in Dhaka, while West Indies, who have embraced the conditions well, will want to add to their good work from the second game

Mohammad Isam22-Oct-2025Big picture – Another game of patience?The batting line-up that deals with the spin better on these Dhaka pitches will clinch the ODI series – it’s almost that simple.West Indies pinched a one-run win against Bangladesh in the Super Over after 213 played 213 in the second ODI after 92 overs of spin couldn’t find a result, which speaks of how the batters had it.To West Indies’ credit, they have embraced the Dhaka conditions, many of them showing greater belief than their Bangladesh counterparts. They doubled down on bowling spinners, completing the entire innings in the second ODI with only slow bowlers. They didn’t use Justin Greaves even for one over. Interestingly, it was the part-time offspinner Alick Athanaze, who was West Indies’ best bowler, with 2 for 14 from his ten overs.Related

Akeal Hosein – 4am arrival followed by Super Over heroics

Rishad makes light work of dark Mirpur pitch

Akeal Hosein, Roston Chase and Khary Pierre bowled decent spells, though Gudakesh Motie went for plenty, especially in the death overs. West Indies will expect improvement in the spinners’ economy rate, but they will look for a bit more from their batters too.Shai Hope struck a fifty but several middle- and lower-middle-order batters fell after getting starts. Athanaze and Brandon King will be expected to give them a strong start, with Keacy Carty for support at No. 3. Hope will need help from Sherfane Rutherford and Chase among the more experienced batters too. Ackeem Auguste wasn’t convincing on his ODI debut, so another opportunity beckons for the youngster.Bangladesh would also have to give their batting line-up another go, although they would have initially thought scoring 213 on this pitch was a worthy effort. Crucially, they have a dot-ball percentage of 62.04, which demands better strike rotation from them in the third ODI.It is also high time that Bangladesh’s top three contributed more significantly. Soumya Sarkar top-scored with 46 in the previous game but Saif Hassan and Najmul Hossain Shanto haven’t made a big score. The middle order has contributed but with moderate scores and mini partnerships. Bangladesh needed Rishad Hossain’s big-hitting lower down to boost their run-rates in the death overs.Their bowling attack was slightly better than the visitors’ in the second game, even though a tie doesn’t suggest that.Soumya Sarkar has been the best of the Bangladesh batters on show•BCBForm guideBangladesh LWLLL
West Indies WLWWLIn the spotlight – Soumya Sarkar and Akeal HoseinSoumya Sarkar hung around for nearly two hours on the tricky Dhaka pitch in the second ODI. He fell short of a fifty, but it wasn’t a very convincing effort. This, despite hitting a couple of lovely shots, including one of his signature inside-out strokes. Soumya was sent back in the Super Over, where he couldn’t connect properly. It was a tough ask for the enigmatic batter, who has been in and out of the Bangladesh team for the last ten years. Nothing much has changed, but he could do with a bit of spotlight.Akeal Hosein raced to Dhaka to be part of the second ODI, where he played a big role in West Indies levelling the series. He bowled a couple of wides and a no-ball in the Super Over, but managed to keep the Bangladesh batters tied up. He had earlier bowled economically in his return to the ODI setup after two years. That he was playing an international match after very little sleep wasn’t evident. Hosein will continue to exert influence in the rest of the tour, as he is expected to take the new ball in both ODIs and T20Is.Akeal Hosein has hit the ground running•AFP/Getty ImagesTeam newsBangladesh could look at Tanzid Hasan, Jaker Ali and Shamim Hossain for a shake-up of their batting line-up.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Soumya Sarkar, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Mahidul Islam, 6 Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), 7 Nurul Hasan (wk), 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Nasum Ahmed, 10 Tanvir Islam, 11 Mustafizur RahmanWest Indies have Amir Jangoo if they want a change in the top six.West Indies (probable): 1 Brandon King, 2 Alick Athanaze, 3 Keacy Carty, 4 Shai Hope (capt, wk), 5 Ackeem Auguste, 6 Sherfane Rutherford, 7 Roston Chase, 8 Gudakesh Motie, 9 Justin Greaves, 10 Akeal Hosein, 11 Khary PierreRishad Hossain has been sparkling, with ball and bat•BCBPitch and conditionsWhat the ICC match officials report about the Shere Bangla National Stadium pitch will be something to watch out for. It resembles a puzzle-board with different types of turn and different levels of bounce, apart from being two-paced.Stats and trivia Bangladesh played their first tied game in international cricket in the second ODI. Towhid Hridoy and Shai Hope are the only batters to score fifties in the series so far. The two sides combined to bowl 92 overs of spin in the second game, the most in any ODI. Quotes

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is poised to be without a key man for their upcoming Champions League clash against Barcelona, with the Italian facing a selection headache.

Maresca has already been forced into 93 first team rotations this season, the highest number of any team in the Premier League, and it is safe to say his squad depth has been stretched to the bare bones at times.

There were major worries surrounding fitness repercussions after Chelsea’s involvement in the Club World Cup last summer, which saw them play a grand total of 65 matches in a 53-week season.

This was an unprecedented number of matches for the Blues, with Chelsea also reaching the Conference League final beforehand and going on to win Europe’s third-tier tournament.

While they became the first club in history to win all five UEFA club competitions, and took home north of £80 million in prize money from the CWC, their extensive schedule appears to be having a dire effect on the players.

So far, Chelsea have lost Levi Colwill, Cole Palmer, Benoit Badiashile, Enzo Fernández, Pedro Neto, Dario Essugo, Liam Delap, Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, Andrey Santos and Josh Acheampong to injury or suspension at various points this season, and a few absences have been seriously felt.

This all being said, Maresca deserves praise for navigating this storm of injuries and guiding Chelsea to third in the Premier League table, where they’re just six points off league leaders Arsenal and could be considered outside contenders for the title this season.

One player they will be very eager to welcome back at the earliest opportunity is superstar forward Palmer, who’s been battling a niggling groin injury all campaign.

The England international hasn’t featured at all since he limped off in a 2-1 defeat at Man United nearly two months ago, with Maresca stating back in mid-October that he’d be out for another six weeks.

Optimism then followed that he could actually be back and ready to start against Barcelona next week, but according to journalist Simon Phillips, hopes of a return against the La Liga champions have all but diminished.

Chelsea star Cole Palmer now likely to miss Barcelona through injury

According to Phillips, via his Substack, Palmer is now likely to miss Chelsea’s clash with Barça, and a more realistic timeframe for his return could be their London derby at home to Arsenal at the end of this month.

The 23-year-old has been cut and above their superstar man since joining from Man City for what now feels like an absolute bargain fee.

Gus Poyet and others have even tipped Palmer for an eventual Ballon d’Or, highlighting his meteoric rise since leaving Eastlands.

Palmer spearheaded Chelsea to a double (CWC and Conference League) and Champions League qualification with 18 goals and 14 assists in 52 appearances for the west Londoners last season, and once he returns, the forward will provide Maresca with an almighty boost.

However, it appears they could now have to cope without him for one of their biggest games of the season so far against Hansi Flick’s Spanish giants.

Manchester City are closely monitoring Ezri Konsa, with it being revealed Aston Villa may now be forced to cash-in on the defender.

Despite the 1-0 loss against Villa last time out, Bernardo Silva was impressed by City’s performance in possession of the ball, but the attacking midfielder made it clear he thought they struggled at the opposite end of the pitch.

Silve said: “I would say we played quite well with the ball. Our offensive concepts were quite good. Even if we didn’t score, we had chances. We made them defend deep, and they struggled in some moments. On the other side of the game, we were really bad defensively.”

That performance may have been a one-off, considering the Blues have conceded just two goals in their last five matches in all competitions, while also keeping a total of seven clean sheets already this season, which suggests they are relatively strong at the back.

However, John Stones is well-known to be injury-prone and Abdukodir Khusanov struggled against Swansea City in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night, making one error leading to a shot and receiving a 6.1 SofaScore match rating, the lowest of any Man City player.

Man City now closely monitoring Ezri Konsa

Consequently, it could make sense to bring in a new centre-back, and City are now closely monitoring Konsa, according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Aston Villa may be forced to cash-in on the centre-back due to financial issues.

Villa are reluctant to sanction the departure of one of their key players, but PSR regulations may force them into a sale, at which point they would be looking to receive a fee of around £40m – £45m.

A whole host of Premier League clubs are in the race for the England international, however, including Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, so there may be fierce competition for his signature.

The centre-back recently put himself in the shop window with a solid performance against City, keeping a clean sheet and bringing Erling Haaland’s remarkable 12-game scoring streak to an end in his side’s 1-0 win at Villa Park.

The 28-year-old made 12 defensive contributions, the joint-highest number of any player, which kept Haaland at bay, while also recording a pass-completion rate of 95%, indicating he could be an ideal fit in a Pep Guardiola system.

Konsa vs City

Number completed

Clearances

6

Blocked shots

2

Interceptions

3

Tackles won

1

The Villa star, who is also capable of playing at right-back, received high praise from Jamie Redknapp last year too, with the Sky Sports pundit saying: “I think he’s shown he’s a versatile player. He’s got a great appetite for the game. He’s also got a lot of desire, tremendous work ethic.”

Konsa, who is represented by the same agent as Omar Marmoush, could be a solid addition to Man City’s backline, but there are doubts over whether he would be a necessary signing, given that Guardiola already has the likes of Stones, Khusanov, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol to choose from.

Man City open talks to sign Dayot Upamecano Man City now open talks to sign "sensational" £168k-a-week Bayern Munich star

City have made a move for one of Bayern Munich’s key players, with the German club now “really worried” about his future.

ByDominic Lund Oct 28, 2025

Celtic are on the lookout for a new manager this week after Brendan Rodgers officially resigned from his role with the Scottish Premiership champions on Monday night.

Martin O’Neill will take interim charge of the Hoops and will be in the dugout for their league clash with Falkirk at Parkhead on Wednesday night.

Football Insider have already reported that the club are planning to make contact with out-of-work former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou about a potential return to the club.

However, the Hoops are now reportedly looking at another potential replacement for Brendan Rodgers who could be their next version of Postecoglou.

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Following Rodgers’ resignation on Monday night, the board will be compiling a list of possible managers before finalising a shortlist and deciding who they want as their next head coach.

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According to The Scotsman, Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna is one of the people on the club’s list of potential targets to replace Rodgers in the coming days and weeks.

The report claims that the Hoops are considering a swoop to bring the Tractor Boys head coach to Parkhead, and that he is one of the early names under consideration at this moment in time.

It states that he has fans inside the boardroom at Celtic, hence the interest in his services, but it remains to be seen whether or not he would be interested in taking the job.

Why Kieran McKenna would be Celtic's next Ange Postecoglou

The Northern Irish coach, who typically deploys a 4-2-3-1 formation, would be Postecoglou 2.0 for Celtic because he is another excellent coach whose teams play beautiful football.

Gary Neville described Postecoglou’s style of play as “breathtaking” in the Premier League, whilst Hoops supporters saw how exciting it was to watch as their team won five trophies in two seasons with him in charge, per Transfermarkt.

McKenna has earned similar praise for the way that his Ipswich team has played in recent years. Former Barnsley boss Danny Wilson claimed that the Tractor Boys play “sublime football” under the ex-Manchester United coach.

The goal in the clip above provides a taste of the kind of football McKenna’s team can play, with brilliant combination play and movement off the ball to create chances whilst playing through the opposition.

25/26 Championship (11)

16

TBC

24/25 Premier League (38)

22

19th

23/24 Championship (46)

96

2nd

22/23 Championship (46)

98

2nd

21/22 League One(23)

41

11th

As you can see in the table above, the Celtic target took Ipswich from midtable in the Championship all the way to the Premier League, and they are now in the Championship again with an opportunity to get promoted back to the top-flight.

He has improved the Tractor Boys, clearly, during his time there and has been incredibly unlucky not to win two league titles, with 98 and 96 points somehow not being enough for a single title over two seasons.

In the view of his former skipper, Sam Morsy, McKenna’s “one of the best managers around”.

Like Postecoglou, he has a demonstrable style of play that could be exciting for Celtic supporters to watch week-in-week-out, and it is one that has proven to be successful, given the incredible points returns in his two promotion-winning seasons.

Of course, the concern may be that he has not won a league title or done anything of note in a top-flight, but that was also true of Rodgers, who had been sacked by Liverpool, when they first appointed him.

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ByTom Cunningham Oct 28, 2025

Therefore, McKenna could be an interesting appointment for the Scottish giants and one that could get fans excited at Parkhead because of his lovely style of play, as Postecoglou did during his time at the club.