Mitchell Starc ripped through England with a seven-wicket haul but England hit right back thanks to Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse and Ben Stokes

Tristan Lavalette21-Nov-2025

Ben Stokes holds the ball aloft after claiming a five-for•Getty Images

Living up to the hype after such a prolonged build-up, the first Ashes Test started in frenetic fashion with wild momentum swings as pace bowlers from both attacks dominated on a bouncy Perth Stadium surface.By the end of a thoroughly entertaining opening day, England have amazingly finished with the edge after 19 wickets fell in front of 51,531 fans.Stepping up in the absences of fellow quicks Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc had initially given Australia a sensational start to the series with career-best bowling figures of 7 for 58 as England were dismissed for just 172 in their first innings.Related

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Fast-forward Brook sets tempo in thrilling Ashes curtain-raiser

Stats – Stokes and Starc lead the charge as wickets tumble in Perth

In the lead-up to the Test, Starc had stated his preference for series-openers to be played in Australia’s traditional fortress of the Gabba, while he was also dubious about a Perth surface dubbed as a “green monster”. Bowling consistently around 145kph/90mph, Starc relished a green-tinged surface he was able to find some extra zing off to tear through England’s batting.Learning from Starc’s efforts, England’s all-out pace attack hit back against a reshuffled Australia batting order after Usman Khawaja was unable to open having spent time off the field during England’s innings with back stiffness.After months of speculation over who would open, Marnus Labuschagne did end up partnering debutant Jake Weatherald, who at the start of the day had received his cap from David Warner.Much like Nathan McSweeney a year ago against India on the same ground, Weatherald faced a baptism of fire and was trapped lbw by quick Jofra Archer to fall for a second-ball duck.Jake Weatherald was blown off his feet by Jofra Archer to fall for a duck•Getty ImagesKhawaja was still not able to bat by this point, meaning Steven Smith walked out at No. 3 for the first time in a Test since 2017. He had a torrid time, smacked on the elbow by a vicious short ball from Gus Atkinson that required medical attention.Bowling at speeds around 150kph, Archer was a handful and he conjured awkward bounce that accounted for Labuschagne, who was also struck on the elbow and bowled.Having copped another painful blow, Smith battled hard with 17 off 49 balls before edging a sharp delivery from Brydon Carse to second slip. Batting at No. 4 for just the second time in his Test career, Khawaja could do little against a rapid short delivery from Carse that grazed the bat handle and he was caught behind.Feeling in much better spirits than he had earlier in the day, Ben Stokes finished with five wickets in his six-over spell, including Travis Head and Cameron Green – who had threatened with a 45-run partnership – in the shadows to cap England’s remarkable rally.There are eerie parallels to the corresponding India Test from 12 months ago when 17 wickets fell on the opening day. This surface did not appear to be quite as challenging, but sharp bounce and pace was evident with a slew of top-order batters falling caught behind the wicket.Harry Brook was the only one to score a half-century•Getty ImagesEngland’s first attempts of unfurling their aggressive batting style on Australian soil did not go to plan after winning the toss. They did score at 5.3 runs per over but were bowled out in just 32.5 overs, capitulating to lose 5 for 12 in 18 deliveries by the drinks break of the second session.It was the shortest innings of an Ashes Test since Trent Bridge 2015 when Australia were routed for 60 on the opening day. Three of England’s top-six batters were caught behind the wicket – by the keeper or in the well-stocked cordon – in a mode of dismissal that has been common in Perth over the years, while the other three were beaten by pace.England’s fightback later in the day has vindicated their decision to go in with an all-out pace attack, with offspinner Shoaib Bashir missing out in a rarity when fit.There had been an expectation that Australia would bat regardless of which side the coin landed, given Stokes’ preference of bowling first. But he opted to follow the brief history of the ground, where batting first had proven advantageous before the surface cracked up later in the match.Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett walked to the crease amid some jeers from Australian fans, who only just outnumbered their English counterparts in the terraces. Given the high drama over first deliveries of several previous Ashes series, there was a swirl of anticipation as Starc charged in with thundering clapping reverberating around the massive ground.Steven Smith grimaces after being struck on the elbow by Gus Atkinson•Getty ImagesCrawley, of course, had famously swatted Cummins for a boundary on the first delivery of the last Ashes series, but he blocked Starc into the off side in an anti-climax.It didn’t take long for drama to ensue with Crawley, who effectively collared Starc in the 2023 series, playing and missing on the third delivery before being unable to see out the opening over after edging to Khawaja at first slip.There had been concerns over Crawley’s ability to drive on a length in Perth and the shorter length from Starc undid him. While Starc was a handful from the jump, a nervous looking Scott Boland struggled with his lengths in his first red-ball match at Perth Stadium as Duckett pounced with several lovely drives down the ground.After a strong hit-out in the Lilac Hill warm-up cemented his No. 3 spot, Ollie Pope underlined his confidence with several crisp punches down the ground, striking the right mix of balance and aggression.The runs flowed despite the outfield being particularly sluggish after a Metallica concert was held on the ground just three weeks ago. Even though he cruised at run-a-ball pace, Duckett was never at ease against Starc and on 21 was beaten by pace to fall lbw after an unsuccessful review.Joe Root arrived at the crease in the ninth over, with a tough task ahead to produce an elusive century in Australia. But Starc was on a roll and had Root turned inside out to nick to third slip with a cracking delivery that pitched on leg and nipped across. It was Starc’s 100th Ashes wicket and his celebration was fitting.To that stage, Starc had the figures of 3 for 10 from five overs, but Harry Brook was undaunted in his first Test innings in Australia as he unfurled trademark cavalier shots, some of which failed to connect.Brook and Pope combined for a brisk 55-run partnership to steady the ship briefly for England. Starc was playing a lone-hand amid Boland’s struggles, while debutant Brendan Doggett, who came on first change just before the drinks break, bowled sharper than his pace in the 130s suggested.Mitchell Starc acknowledges his five-wicket haul•Getty ImagesPope appeared to be cruising to his first half-century in Australia before being trapped by a full delivery on leg stump from Green, who proved his fitness in his return to Test bowling since March 2024.There was the expectation that batting would be easier after the lunch break and Brook wasted no time by flaying a hapless Boland for six over extra cover that had spectators ducking.But Starc’s momentum was not halted by the interval and he rattled the stumps of Stokes with a cracking delivery that nipped back through the gate as Stokes dropped to one knee in disbelief. It was the tenth time Starc has dismissed Stokes in Tests, heightening the burden on Brook who punched his way to a half-century off 58 balls with the Australian bowlers resisting bowling short.But Brook soon walked off after gloving a short delivery from Doggett, who had only appealed half-heartedly before being swamped by his team-mates in a memorable first-Test-wicket celebration.Doggett, who had earlier received his cap from Boland and his former South Australia coach Jason Gillespie, also dismissed Carse with a short ball as England collapsed.Starc claimed the final two wickets in consecutive deliveries, walking off the ground to a loud ovation from the home fans. But just three hours later he trudged off the field after his dismissal as the match took a dramatic turn.

Bruno Fernandes has been brutally compared to a “one-year-old”, with the Manchester United captain being told that high energy, goals and assists mask his flaws. Ex-Red Devils defender Paul Parker has been discussing the Portuguese playmaker with GOAL and believes that a talismanic presence at Old Trafford can both help and hinder the collective cause.

• Fernandes' Man Utd record: Appearances and goals

  Fernandes has been on United’s books since January 2020, when a transfer from Sporting was completed. He has gone on to make over 300 appearances for the Premier League heavyweights, scoring 102 goals. He has also teed up many more efforts for grateful team-mates.

  The enigmatic 31-year-old has taken plenty of lessons from fellow countryman Cristiano Ronaldo down the years, with nothing but the best being demanded of himself and those playing by his side. His occasionally petulant character can rub people up the wrong way at times.

  There is, however, no questioning his value to United. He is a leader on and off the field, with the Red Devils and their loyal fan base often looking to the man with the armband for inspiration. He has delivered on countless occasions in times of need.

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• Getty
  

  Too much: Fernandes wants to be everywhere

  Fernandes does, however, stand accused of trying to do too much. Speaking in association with gambling portal British Gambler, former Red Devils star Parker told GOAL when asked about United’s engine room: “When you look in the middle, Casemiro does a great job. He is about the players around him. You put him in more consistent sides in the Premier League, he would look a different player. He would be respected and sort the tempo out.

  “At Manchester United he is playing next to someone that doesn’t stand still. He [Fernandes] is like my one-year-old, you leave them somewhere but they are not going to stay there, you put your head down and he’s gone. When he’s gone, he doesn’t leave you a note behind about where he’s going to be. That’s the thing with Bruno, he is going to score a goal or do an assist and the rest is all forgotten.”

• Captain material: Fernandes fills Man Utd armband

  Parker is not the first ex-United full-back to deliver that assessment of Fernandes. Patrice Evra, another title winner with the Red Devils, has also told GOAL: “It’s always sensitive to talk about Bruno. It depends what people call a real captain. With a captain, sometimes you can have someone like Roy Keane or a different one. Bruno is giving assists and scoring goals, this has never been the issue. The issue for me is for him to control the team and the tempo when he gets the ball.

  “You couldn't tell me where he's playing because he's everywhere. So sometimes maybe as a captain, you want to do extra, you want to do too much. And at the end, you're not even at your right position. But United wouldn't be where they are in the table if Bruno wasn't playing.”

  Evra added on Fernandes’ role as skipper: “I don't question the fact about Bruno being a captain – he deserves to be captain because [Ruben] Amorim has chosen him. Look at what's happening to [Harry] Maguire. They got rid of the armband and he now plays like a United player. You saw how people were bullying him on social media or whatever. But he said, I'm staying here.”

• Getty
  

  Transfer talk: Move being mooted for 2026

  While commanding centre-half Maguire has stayed put, it remains to be seen whether Fernandes will do likewise. Questions are being asked of his future heading towards 2026 – when he will have just one year remaining on his contract, as United retain a 12-month extension option.

  Leading teams across Europe, including reigning La Liga champions Barcelona, have been credited with interest. Rumours of admiring glances from the Saudi Pro League are never far away either, with it being suggested on a regular basis that Fernandes could follow five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo – who is still going strong with Al-Nassr at 40 years of age – to the Middle East.

“The skill level exists in our team too, but we lack experience and the ability to execute our plans consistently,” UAE captain says

Danyal Rasool09-Sep-2025What are your big picture goals for UAE in the foreseeable future?
My goal as captain is to make UAE a Full Member. The more we play against Test nations and beat them, that will help all our numbers as well as the team ranking. I believe we have a shot at this and I want to make this happen while I’m still around. We’ve got Afghanistan’s example to follow. I want the same for us, and that’s my goal.Related

• Will UAE punch above their weight in Group A?

• Asia Cup: Politics, passion and a stage for new rivalries

At 31 and in your current form, do you believe you’re in the prime of your career?
You could say that. I’ve been performing for my team for the past three years. If I hang around the team for the next five to seven years, then I hope to achieve the goals I mentioned earlier while I’m with the team.How did the captaincy come to you?
I did very well in domestic cricket here, such that I was offered a national contract before I had even made my debut for UAE. My career started well; I scored a hundred in my first series in a T20I. I continued to perform well, and that was a time the UAE side was in transition. We didn’t have many senior players and the team was quite new.Perhaps the selectors thought I had what it took to be captain, because I was also captain for my domestic side for the previous four to five years. In that time, my team won the D10 and D20 tournaments [ECB domestic tournaments] a number of times. Maybe that record of mine made them think I could do this, and they decided to give me the captaincy.Alishan Sharafu is one of the other big-hitters in the UAE line-up•Getty ImagesYou’ve opened in all but one match in your T20I career, but you attack a lot more in the powerplay than your team-mate at the other end. Is that strategic or just your natural game?
It is a bit of a strategic move for me to attack in the powerplay. For example, when Muhammad Zohaib opens with me, I take the bowler on while the other opener tries to preserve their wicket. In modern cricket, when one of the top four plays most of the innings, the team tends to score 170 or more. When I attack, Zohaib is more circumspect and waits for loose deliveries to put away.UAE got themselves into some really good positions in the tri-nation series, but couldn’t see them through to the finish. Why was that?
It comes down to lack of experience. If we had experience, then in the two games against Afghanistan, and if I hadn’t lost my wicket and Asif [Khan] hadn’t fallen the next over in the first game against them, the story might have been different. Even if we needed 50-55 in the last five overs, we could have chased it down.

“We see each other all the time, and the boys get along very well. So it isn’t much of an issue managing this group. I know now how to use our bowlers, because I know this team so well given the time I’ve spent with them and captained them”

The side relies quite heavily on two or three power-hitters. Do you need more firepower with the bat?
The combination we have now is the best combination. Alishan Sharafu, Asif Khan and myself are among the bigger hitters. We’ve spaced our team’s batting order such that one person who’s at the crease attacks while the other holds up an end or rotates the strike. So I open, Alishan is in the middle and Asif lower down the order. The idea is that we’ve always got someone who can charge a bowler.What would success look like at the Asia Cup for the UAE?
We’ve been working very hard for the past two to three months and can beat anyone in this format. It comes down to what kind of cricket we play on the day, and whether we apply ourselves the way we’ve planned it. We can absolutely inflict an upset on one of India or Pakistan. We could beat Oman and we’ll target one of these two and eye a run to the Super Four.UAE won a series against Bangladesh but then finished second to Uganda in a multi-team tournament in Entebbe. How large is the gap between the more established sides and yourselves?
The skill level exists in our team too, but we lack experience and the ability to execute our plans consistently. When it all clicks, we can give anyone a tough time. In Uganda, I have to be honest, we couldn’t perform to the best of our abilities. We appeared a bit too casual there, and I would like us to forget about that one and not repeat our mistakes from then.

“Five years ago, only your mates and your parents came to watch you here. Now, we see crowds coming to watch and support us. In the matches coming up, we can expect some support, and I’d like to call on cricket fans here to come out and support us during the Asia Cup”

Sharjah saw the ball favour spin quite a bit in the tri-series. What do you expect from the conditions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi?
In Dubai, there will be assistance for spinners, especially in the middle overs. Not so much in Abu Dhabi. The conditions remain the same in both innings. Maybe in the afternoon game, there is a difference, because you get some swing early on under natural light. It also tends to stick in the wicket. But under lights, the ball comes onto the bat beautifully.In the UAE squad, there are plenty of expats who come to watch games, but they’re usually there to support the visiting team, be it India, Pakistan, or Afghanistan? If UAE cricket gets to a higher level, do you think you’ll also find home support?
It’ll take time. Five years ago, only your mates and your parents came to watch you here. Now, we see crowds coming to watch and support us. In the matches coming up, we can expect some support, and I’d like to call on cricket fans here to come out and support us during the Asia Cup.Haider Ali is UAE’s major strike bowler•Emirates Cricket BoardBat first or chase?
Outside the UAE, we can bat first and defend totals because we bowl well. But in the UAE, you get dew in the second innings, and the high humidity makes it difficult to grip the ball. In my opinion, chasing in the UAE is a little bit easier than batting first. That’s why we aim to chase. In that first game against Afghanistan, if we’d applied ourselves just a little bit more and used our experience, we could have won that game easily.Is Haider Ali your prime wicket-taking bowler? Who else should we be aware of?
Haider’s played first-class cricket in Pakistan and has been bowling well here for the past four or five years. Dhruv Parashar, too, bowls very well here. We suffered a real blow when one of our spinners, Zuhaib Zubair, got injured; he was our second-highest wicket-taker behind Haider in Entebbe. He’s out of the Asia Cup with a shoulder injury unfortunately, and that puts the onus even more on Haider to continue to step up.What’s your experience of captaining a side with different cultures, like is the case with the UAE team?
It’s not much of a challenge because we play together every other day. We see each other all the time, and the boys get along very well. So it isn’t much of an issue managing this group. I know now how to use our bowlers, because I know this team so well given the time I’ve spent with them and captained them.15:43

Can Afghanistan make the final of the Asia Cup?

To take you back a bit, you were born in Central Punjab in Pakistan. How did you end up in the UAE?
I began playing cricket in Pakistan. I used to play for Multan Region. I didn’t get much of a chance, though, and I moved here in 2016-17. I had a friend who played for a team here. They used to play local cricket, not quite at the level of formal domestic cricket, more like club cricket.Ramadan is cricket season, and he invited me here at that time. I started then, and I did well. From there, I got involved with the equivalent of the first-class cricket structure in the UAE. I started playing that, and after a few years of success, I made my debut for UAE in 2021.What is the pathway to international cricket in the UAE? How do you make your way into the system?
The way to get in, first of all, is to have a visa, job or a first-class-level team that is willing to give you an employment contract. They sort out a job for you as well as accommodation. But the ICC rule is you have to maintain residency in the country for three years. The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) follows your performances and how you’ve been doing, and you get called up a few months ahead of the time you become eligible if they have a mind to select you for the national team. That’s what happened to me.In the four years since you’ve started playing international cricket, how has UAE cricket evolved?
We were struggling at the start, but in the last two or three years, we’ve been playing very good cricket. The last three years, the ILT20 has been a huge help to the players. Because there are a lot of big-name players in there. It places you in a different kind of pressurised learning environment that help you learn things which prove useful in international cricket.

There’s no denying that Chelsea employed a scattergun spending approach in the early days of BlueCo’s ownership, but that has since been streamlined over the past few years, with Enzo Maresca proving the perfect man for the job.

Sunday’s Premier League clash is a big one, with Stamford Bridge playing host to a top-of-the-table clash between Chelsea and Arsenal. The second-place Blues will narrow the deficit to just three points with a win.

This is a team building toward a period of sustained success, and the tactical readings suggest that Chelsea are already one of the most exciting attacking outfits in the division, even if there is a sense that there are several levels still to be scaled.

Chelsea

2nd

22.1

Man City

3rd

21.8

Arsenal

1st

20.7

Crystal Palace

5th

20.2

Man Utd

10th

19.9

However, a question mark lingers over number nine, with Liam Delap yet to prove he is the answer. Could Chelsea be looking to sign an upgrade?

Why Chelsea are searching for a striker

In fairness, Delap has spent a sizeable portion of his first months in west London in the infirmary. Still, since returning from a hamstring injury that has kept him out for much of the autumn, the English striker has started twice in the Premier League and failed to break his duck on both counts.

That said, he did net his first goal of the campaign for the Blues against Barcelona in midweek, coming off the bench and coolly converting to seal the 3-0 win after neat interplay between Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez.

However, the £30m summer signing from Ipswich Town has yet to prove he has what it takes to nail down a berth at the front of Maresca’s system, and co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart are searching for a potential upgrade.

They may have found one. According to Sky Germany, Chelsea are among the outfits to have been informed that Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy is worth about €50m (£44m), applicable for a number of top European outfits.

Chelsea are in the mix, and though Delap and Joao Pedro make up a dynamic central strike force in west London, Guirassy’s clinical record suggests he could add an interesting dimension to a title-challenging side.

What Guirassy would bring to Chelsea

Guirassy, 29, might not fit the age profile Chelsea have focused on targeting in recent years, but his experience and maturity in the final third would serve as a neat counterpoint to the younger generation.

Delap caught the eye for Ipswich last season, a shining light as he scored 12 goals across 37 Premier League outings. Kieran McKenna’s side were relegated, but so many teams swarmed for Delap’s signature, and Chelsea won the race.

The 22-year-old has a future at Stamford Bridge, but Maresca’s side need someone in the now who can maintain a fight against Arsenal, while pushing deep into the Champions League too.

Guirassy is “one of the best strikers in Europe”, according to German legend Lothar Matthaus, and he ranks among the top 11% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90, as per FBref.

25/26

10

5 + 1

24/25

30

21 + 2

23/24

28

28 + 2

22/23

22

11 + 0

He’s hardly just a mindless poacher, with silky footwork and intelligent positioning that allows him to roam around the attacking half and link up with teammates.

But, at his core, Guirassy is indeed a goalscorer, and Chelsea may find that Delap earns fewer minutes with the Guinean striker in the mix.

It’s a tough one, but given the promising position Maresca’s side have placed themselves into, it might just be the move to make.

Maresca must finally sell Chelsea "passenger" who was like Estevao at 18

The international superstar may have once played like Estevao, but he’s now a problem for Chelsea.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

Kagiso Rabada will remain with the team for the Guwahati Test but return home immediately after and miss the white-ball series

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Nov-2025Kagiso Rabada has been ruled out of the second India vs South Africa Test match, in Guwahati from Saturday, after not recovering sufficiently from the rib bone stress injury that had kept him out of the opening Test of the series in Kolkata.”The injury has been closely monitored by the Proteas medical team, and due to ongoing discomfort in the affected area, Rabada has been withdrawn from the remainder of the tour,” Cricket South Africa said in a statement on Friday morning, a day off from the start of the game. “He will continue the initial phase of his four-week rehabilitation program with the Proteas medical team before returning to South Africa at the conclusion of the second Test.”This will put him out of the white-ball series in India that will follow the Tests.As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Rabada had not bowled since sustaining the injury in training last Tuesday in Kolkata and did not train on Wednesday in Guwahati.Simon Harmer, with an eight-wicket match haul, was South Africa’s bowling star in Kolkata, and they had Keshav Maharaj as the second spinner there with Marco Jansen the fast-bowling frontman and Wiaan Mulder and Corbin Bosch chipping in. Mulder, though, bowled just five overs in the Test, and while Bosch bowled more, he had just the one wicket – of Rishabh Pant in the first innings – to show for his efforts. Bosch made a valuable contribution of 25 runs from No. 9 in South Africa’s second innings, though.Lungi Ngidi is the other fast bowler in South Africa’s line-up.

The Australia allrounder is recovering from a shoulder complaint she has been managing for some time

Nagraj Gollapudi27-Nov-20254:35

Chatter: What type of players could attract most attention at this WPL auction?

Australian bowling allrounder Jess Jonassen is understood to have pulled out of the WPL auction due to injury. Jonassen’s exit was disclosed to franchises by the WPL at the pre-auction briefing on Wednesday.The WPL has also told franchises that batter Pratika Rawal, wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia and seamer VJ Joshitha are all injured though their names are part of the auction pool. However, these three players cannot be part of the mandatory 15-person squad. In case any franchise picks these players, they will not be allowed a replacement.Rawal listed her base price at INR 50 lakh while Bhatia at INR 30 lakh. Meanwhile, Joshitha will invite bids from INR 10 lakh.The WPL has also told franchises that India fast bowler Pooja Vastrakar is not fully fit but will be part of the auction. Kashvee Gautam, meanwhile, has been declared fit. Vastrakar has listed her base price at INR 50 lakh while Gautam at INR 30 lakh.Related

WPL 2026 auction – what teams need, what they can do about it

Wolvaardt, Healy, Ecclestone – Which WPL team needs which superstar

Deepti, Wolvaardt, Ecclestone, Healy in marquee set

Jonassen, 33, has made a big impact in the WPL, winning five Player-of-the-Match awards. Only Harmanpreet Kaur has won more Player-of-the-Match awards (7) in the WPL. It is understood that Jonassen is recovering from a shoulder complaint she has been managing for some time.Alyssa Healy, Meg Lanning, Amelia Kerr and Laura Wolvaardt are listed in the marquee set that will open the bidding at the WPL 2026 auction. Allrounder Deepti Sharma and fast bowler Renuka Singh are the two Indian players in the marquee set.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo anunciou, na manhã desta terça-feira (29), o pagamento integral e à vista de uma dívida de R$130 milhões. A pendência era referente a credores que aderiram ao Plano de Recuperação Extrajudicial do clube, firmado em 20 de dezembro de 2023. As propostas, divulgadas em fevereiro, foram pagas em menos de 60 dias.

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Toda a negociação foi conduzida pelo CEO Thairo Arruda, com o apoio do Especialista e Assessor Especial Eduardo Iglesias, do VP Executivo Jonas Marmello e do Advogado e Assessor Executivo da Vice-Presidência Raphael Sá.

Dia histórico para o Botafogo

-Hoje é um dia histórico para o Botafogo e que reafirma o compromisso assumido pelo John Textor com os alvinegros quando escolheu fazer parte da Família Botafogo. Realizamos o pagamento de acordos com antigos credores que totalizam cerca de 130 milhões de reais do passivo do Clube Social. Um processo realizado de forma ágil e assertiva, que representa um alívio financeiro considerável e que, aos poucos, vai sanando os débitos históricos que nos prejudicaram durante décadas. Vamos continuar trabalhando arduamente para liquidar essas dívidas de uma vez por todas e assim construir um Botafogo cada vez mais forte-, comemorou o CEO do Botafogo, Thairo Arruda.

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BotafogoFutebol Nacional

تحدث ريفالدو، أسطورة برشلونة ومنتخب البرازيل السابق عن رحيل تشابي ألونسو المحتمل عن ريال مدريد بعد الهزيمة أمام مانشستر سيتي ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وخسر ريال مدريد أمام مانشستر سيتي بثنائية مقابل هدف في المباراة التي جمعتهما أمس الأربعاء، ضمن منافسات الجولة السادسة من مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وقال ريفالدو عن تراجع مستوى ريال مدريد والشكوك المحيطة بـ تشابي ألونسو: “من الواضح أن الأجواء في ريال مدريد ليست على ما يرام، هناك توتر بين اللاعبين والمدرب، يحتاج المدرب إلى سلطة لكن عليه أيضًا أن يكون ودودًا مع اللاعبين، وخاصة النجوم فينيسيوس جونيور، مبابي، عليه أن يُقربهم من بعضهم، عندما يحاول أن يكون متسلطًا للغاية ينزعج اللاعبون”.

وعن أن جوارديولا قدوة لـ ألونسو، أضاف في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “سبورت”: “لطالما برع جوارديولا في هذا الأمر وهذا ما يفتقده تشابي ألونسو، الاقتراب بين أهم اللاعبين، عدم النزاع على أمور تافهة وعدم دفع اللاعبين للرحيل باستمرار”.

وأكمل: “الأجواء سيئة ولهذا السبب تنتشر شائعات عن رغبة لاعبين في الرحيل، مثل فينيسيوس، ليس بسبب ريال مدريد، بل بسبب الأجواء، أعتقد أن هناك نقصًا في التواصل”.

واستطرد: “أود أن يستمر ألونسو ويُظهر جودته لكن لكي يحدث ذلك عليه أن يكسب ثقة الفريق”.

اقرأ أيضًا | هنري مدافعًا عن تشابي ألونسو: لاعبو ريال مدريد لا يستمعون إليه.. ورحيله خطأ

وأردف: “إذا رحل، فالانتقال إلى ليفربول خيار ممتاز، إنه يعرف النادي جيدًا فقد لعب فيه وهذا يُسهل المهمة إضافةً إلى ذلك، سيكون انتقالا من نادٍ كبير إلى نادي كبير آخر”.

وتابع حول ذلك: “لا أعتقد أن مكانته الأسطورية في ليفربول ستؤثر عليه سلبًا، لقد أثبت تشابي بالفعل أنه قادر على أن يكون مدربًا عظيمًا، سيظل تحت الضغط لكنه عانى منه كلاعب، هناك هيكل تنظيمي قائم وفي ليفربول سيحظى بلاعبين مميزين لذلك إذا سنحت له هذه الفرصة، فلا داعي للقلق، عليه فقط أن يُظهر شخصيته القيادية”.

وقدم ريفالدو نصيحة إلى مواطنه إندريك: “وضع ريال مدريد معقد أيضًا وهو يدفع الثمن لكنه يمتلك إمكانيات كبيرة، نصيحتي له هي أن يخرج على سبيل الإعارة ليلعب ويصبح لاعبًا أساسيًا ويسجل الأهداف ثم يعود إلى ريال مدريد، لا يزال لديه الوقت الكافي لمحاولة الانضمام إلى تشكيلة كأس العالم، قبل عام كان الجميع يتوقع رحيله والآن بات خارج حساباته عمليًا”.

وأتم: “من المحزن رؤيته على هذه الحال لكن بإمكان إندريك تغيير الأمور، إنه شاب ويملك كل الموهبة لتغيير هذا الوضع، حاليًا يوجد لاعبون أكثر خبرة في ريال مدريد ولن يُخرج المدرب نجمًا ليُشركه، إندريك لديه مستقبل لكنه انضم إلى نادٍ جميع مراكز الهجوم فيه مكتملة ثم جاء مبابي، لهذا السبب لا يلعب، وضعه حساس”.

Looking at the Padres' records the past two seasons wouldn't seem to reveal anything amiss organization-wide—San Diego, after all, won 93 games in 2024 and 90 in '25.

However, according to reports from Kevin Acee of the and Jon Heyman of the , discontent flowed under the surface of ex-Padres manager Mike Shildt's club.

Heyman's report, published Tuesday, revealed that the relationship between Shildt and one of his coaches deteriorated so completely that a fight nearly broke out between them.

On Wednesday, Acee published a more expansive piece in which a slew of team sources "characterized Shildt as unyieldingly demanding of his coaching staff and the team’s support staff and as having a tendency to micromanage and possessing a quick temper that is easily triggered by questioning or feedback."

Notably, Acee's report described Shildt similarly wearing out his welcome with the Cardinals before his surprise firing after a 90-win season in 2021. This time, Shildt walked away of his own accord.

"A half dozen sources, including current and former members of the Cardinals organization and two people who were part of front offices that considered interviewing Shildt in the month after he was fired, said some Cardinals coaches and others threatened to quit if Shildt remained," Acee wrote.

San Diego lost the National League West to the Dodgers by just three games, the closest they have come to winning that division since 2010. After shaking off a Game 1 loss to beat the Cubs in Game 2 of the wild-card series, Chicago put the Padres away in Game 3.

Since its 1969 founding, San Diego has yet to win a World Series. Shildt—aware of staff discord but broadly unapologetic in his conversation with Acee—will not be around to try and change that.

“One of the reasons I am going to leave is a frustration with the stress and the inability to please everybody,” the 2019 NL Manager of the Year with St. Louis said. "I made a decision to go home because of this. I’m tired of dealing with it.”

The World Series between the Blue Jays and Dodgers will conclude in dramatic fashion with a winner-take-all Game 7 Friday night.

Los Angeles had their backs against the wall as they traveled to Toronto facing elimination, but pulled off an epic win in Game 6 after a dramatic ninth inning to force the decider. Rogers Centre will play host to the final game of Major League Baseball’s season, giving the Jays home-field advantage as the franchise tries to secure its first title since 1993.

MLB.com’s Sarah Langs dove into postseason history to find how teams in the Blue Jays and Dodgers’ positions have fared based on prior results. According to her research, teams playing any winner-take-all game in their home park are 69–67, including 31–29 in a best-of-seven series. That gives an ever so slight edge to Toronto, but L.A. certainly secured the momentum in the series by taking Game 6 on the road.

In best-of-seven series that follow the current 2-3-2 format, teams that have won Game 6 to force a Game 7 ended up winning the series 35 of 56 times (62.5%), also according to Langs. When the Game 6 winner has forced a Game 7 on the road, that road team has won the series 14 of 22 times (63.6%).

Langs’s always useful findings indicate the Blue Jays get a small bump for playing at their home park, but the Dodgers get a slightly bigger bump for taking Game 6, especially doing so on the road. If this year’s Fall Classic has taught us anything, it’s that Game 7 could go either way. Baseball fans are certainly in for a treat with the last game of the season as Shohei Ohtani and Max Scherzer toe the rubber for their respective sides.