Tag Futebol

Newcastle United could be set to complete a controversial transfer in the near future, according to a key update from journalist Ben Jacobs.

Will Newcastle make January signings?

The Magpies are enjoying an exciting era with Eddie Howe at the helm currently, qualifying for the Champions League last season after finishing fourth in the Premier League. While the current campaign has got off to a disappointing start, it shouldn't hide the fact that the club are still in a great position moving forward, with some top players on show at St Jamnes' Park.

New signings are vital when it comes to ensuring that Newcastle keep going from strength to strength as a team, and in the summer transfer window, they brought in the likes of Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento to bolster their respective positions.

The Magpies will potentially be looking to sign more new players once the January transfer window rolls around and a new update suggests that they have an eye on one exciting individual.

Will Newcastle sign Chris Rigg?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs claimed that Newcastle are still interested in signing Sunderland youngster Chris Rigg in January, in what would be a controversial capture given the rivalry between the two clubs, while Manchester United are also in the mix.

"It's one to watch, for sure. Even though he is at Sunderland, a vast proportion of his family are all Newcastle fans as well. I think that one could be one to watch in January. Newcastle are concurrently planning for their future as well as the present. Garang Kuol is a good example and so is Harrison Ashby, who West Ham simply didn't want to lose.

"But he needs minutes and time to develop as well, so the player side won't want to rush into anything. However, there's absolutely no doubt that Newcastle are keeping tabs, and I would say that is exactly the same for Manchester United as well."

This would an incredibly notable piece of business by Newcastle, considering how strong the dislike is between themselves and Sunderland, and it would likely go down terribly at the Stadium of Light – and perhaps at Old Trafford too.

Rigg is a hugely exciting young talent who has already scored twice in five appearances for the Black Cats, despite still only being 16 years of age, making him their youngest-ever goalscorer in the EFL Cup. He is also a twp-cap England Under-17 international, and has been hailed as "wonderful" by Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray, who added that he "is doing really well and is a real positive for our football club".

Acquiring young homegrown talent is always vital for Newcastle, ensuring they have a nucleus of English hopefuls within the squad, and if they manager to prise Rigg away from their biggest adversaries, it would feel sweet for so many reasons.

Journalist Pete O'Rourke has shared an update on West Ham United's transfer plans as they eye a marquee striker signing for manager David Moyes.

Who will West Ham sign?

The Irons officially confirmed their first major signing of the summer in Mexico international Edson Alvarez earlier this week, who now wears the number 19 shirt following his multi-million pound move from Ajax.

Partly due to the drawn-out saga surrounding former star midfielder Declan Rice, who eventually completed a £105 million switch to north London, West Ham were made to wait for their first piece of summer business.

James Ward-Prowse has also joined from Southampton, as the Hammers finally get up and moving.

Journalist Dean Jones, though, speaking to GiveMeSport recently, said that the Hammers could bring in as many as five new additions in total before deadline day.

"It feels like a good opportunity West Ham could take advantage of," said Jones on their links to Chelsea midfielder Trevoh Chalobah.

"I think he could actually survive at Chelsea, just about, but I also think he has bigger aspirations than that, and I’ve heard he has been open to listening to new opportunities.

"We’re looking at a massive month ahead for the Hammers, they will sign five players and have to find a way to make this all add up so they have a much stronger squad."

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Replacing striker Gianluca Scamacca, who recently departed for Serie A side Atalanta after just one season, is another task to solve for Moyes, transfer chief Tim Steidten and sporting director Mark Noble.

According to reporter O'Rourke, writing for Football Insider, West Ham will "next prioritise the signing of a marquee striker" – with a "well-placed source" telling him they're scouring Europe and South America for options.

However, West Ham are also considering Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun, who has found his way on to their radar this summer following an exceptional loan spell at Reims last season.

How good is Folarin Balogun?

The young striker enjoyed a standout breakthrough campaign at Reims over 2022/2023, scoring a brilliant 21 goals and raising his price tag exponentially.

There have been suggestions that Arsenal could charge as much as £50 million for the services of Balogun, a price which may well be considered steep when taking into account his lack of English top flight experience.

However, the 22-year-old has been praised by Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, who called his forward a "really committed" and special player.

"I’m so happy for him,” Arteta said on Balogun's form last season.

“He’s a boy that has a really clear idea of what he wants to do with his career. He’s really ambitious, really committed and really brave.

“We discussed a lot before he made that move whether it was the right place to go and the other choices he had. He was so convinced. I’m really happy for him because he deserves what he’s getting.

“When you look at the numbers and what he is doing, it’s just incredible. It’s very rare to see that. But he’s got something special, that’s why we decided to give him a long-term contract and have faith in him and give him the long period that he needs now, because the loan he is having now is really different to the one he had before at Middlesbrough."

Everton are reportedly interested in Midtjylland centre-midfielder Emiliano Martinez, with Sean Dyche looking to improve his squad ahead of the looming 23/24 Premier League season.

The former Burnley boss has already signed Ashley Young and Arnaut Danjuma – with a £13m fee agreed for Sporting Lisbon's 19-year-old striker Youssef Chermiti – and now looks eager to target the midfield.

What's the latest on Emiliano Martinez to Everton?

According to a report from Danish outlet Tipsbladet earlier this week, Everton are interested in Martinez after the 23-year-old's stellar showings with Midtjylland, though it will take roughly £9m for his outfit to grant a departure.

West Ham United are also credited with an interest, though with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano recently revealing that the Hammers hope to close a deal for Edson Alvarez next week, the Toffees could have a clean shot at securing Martinez's signature.

Who is Emiliano Martinez?

Hailed for his "huge" physique by Nacional midfielder Joaquin Trasante, Martinez has been making waves in Denmark after leaving South America in search of a career at the very top of the global game.

The robust midfielder made 33 appearances for Midtjylland last term, scoring one goal in the Europa League, and recorded an average Sofascore rating of 6.87 in the Danish Superliga, completing 85% of his passes, making 2.5 tackles per game and succeeding in 70% of his attempted dribbles.

From his exploits in the Europa League, Martinez has demonstrated his aptitude by recording some impressive metrics – as posted by FBref – ranking among the top 19% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for successful take-ons and the top 1% for tackles and blocks per 90.

It is important to note that these statistics are recorded solely through his performances on the continental stage – where he only made seven appearances – but nonetheless illustrate the calibre of player that Everton would be welcoming to the fold.

FBref lists Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia as a comparable player to the £6k-per-week ace, and given that the Toffees' Merseyside rivals Liverpool are fervently pursuing a deal for the prodigious 19-year-old, who Saints value at £50m, if Dyche were to sign a player with the same level of robustness and tenacity, it could prove a shrewd move indeed.

Lavia has been described as “incredible” by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, and starred for Southampton as the nucleus of their midfield, impressing despite the south coast club's relegation from the Premier League.

The Belgian ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for blocks per 90, while Sofascore highlighted his energy for the St. Mary's Stadium side by completing 86% of his passes, making 2.1 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game, succeeding with 68% of his dribbles.

There is certainly a similarity in style between the respective players, and given that Martinez's 2.5 tackles in the league last term were not bettered by any Everton midfielder in the Premier League, he could clearly make a marked improvement on Dyche's squad.

Everton must now act swiftly if they are to secure the Uruguayan's services, and while West Ham have ostensibly moved on to other targets, further suitors could yet make a move to rival the Goodison Park side's interest.

Celtic's 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign is set to begin this afternoon as they host Ross County at Parkhead on the opening day.

What's the latest Celtic team news?

Brendan Rodgers will be without defenders Alistair Johnston and Yuki Kobayashi and summer signing Marco Tilio, who arrived from Melbourne City, through injury.

However, Hyeok-kyu Kwon, Hyun-jun Yang, Maik Nawrocki, and Odin Thiago Holm could all make their debuts for the Bhoys following their respective moves to Scotland during the transfer window.

Central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers and right-back Anthony Ralston could also make their competitive returns from injury, although the Northern Irish boss has confirmed that they are not fully up to speed ahead of this clash.

Will David Turnbull start against Ross County?

One player who should be unleashed from the start for the game today is attacking midfielder David Turnbull, who could benefit from the change in management this summer.

The Scotland international could thrive if Rodgers opts for his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation as his form in a number ten position under Neil Lennon suggests that the potential is there for him to be a lethal partner for Kyogo Furuhashi at the top end of the pitch.

Turnbull, who only started six Premiership matches for Ange Postecoglou last season, showcased his immense creative talents across 30 league starts throughout the 2020/21 campaign.

He consistently carved open the opposition's defence from an attacking midfield role, which could now be available to him under Rodgers, and averaged 2.9 key passes per game.

Matt O'Riley led the way for the Hoops in that sense last season as he averaged 2.1 chances created per outing. This suggests that Turnbull has the ability to be Celtic's outstanding creative threat if he is able to replicate his form for Lennon under Rodgers' management in a number ten position.

The ex-Motherwell starlet, who was recently hailed for his "excellent" pre-season by the boss, only registered six assists from 104 chances created in the 2020/21 season and Kyogo's presence could provide him with a clinical scorer to make the most of the opportunities he creates.

Odsonne Edouard was the top scorer for the Bhoys during Lennon's final campaign with 18 strikes and Turnbull has a better number nine to find in the box this time around as the Japan international plundered 27 goals in 31 league starts last term.

Kyogo has proven himself to be a sensational goalscorer at this level and is capable of finding the back of the net at an exceptional rate, which is why he could be perfect for the Scottish magician.

Turnbull's ability to create chances at a terrific rate could provide the Japanese hotshot with the ammunition he needs to punish opposition teams and potentially improve upon his 27-goal tally during the upcoming campaign.

Therefore, they could form a fearsome partnership in the final third for the Hoops if Rodgers opts to go with the 6 foot 1 maestro behind Kyogo in a 4-2-3-1 set-up.

That is why the Northern Irish head coach must finally unleash the Scottish ace from the start today against Ross County after a frustrating year for the talented gem, which was mostly spent on the bench under Postecoglou.

أوضح إريك تين هاج مدرب مانشستر يونايتد الإنجليزي، أن فشل النادي في تلبية رغباته ببعض التعاقدات مثل فرينكي دي يونج وهاري كين، أثر على أسلوبه مع الفريق.

ودافع تين هاج عن أسلوب لعب مانشستر يونايتد وأوضح سبب عدم تمكنه من تكرار طريقته مع ناديه السابق أياكس في أولد ترافورد.

وكان من المتوقع أن يقوم تين هاج بالاعتماد على الاستحواذ والكرة الشاملة، وبإصلاح كرة القدم الانتقالية الهجومية التي لعب بها مانشستر يونايتد تحت قيادة أولي سولشاير والتي استمرت تحت قيادة المدرب المؤقت رالف رانجنيك.

وفي مقابلة شاملة مع جاري نيفيل على قناة سكاي سبورتس، تحدث تين هاج الآن عن سبب قراره بعدم محاولة لعب كرة قدم تشبه أسلوب أياكس.

وعندما سئل عن سبب شعوره بعدم قدرته على جلب أسلوب لعب أياكس إلى فريق مانشستر يونايتد، أوضح تين هاج: “لأنه بعد ذلك يتعين عليك جلب لاعبين”.

وأضاف: “لذا، في عملية التوظيف، تحتاج إلى لاعبين يتمتعون بهذه الأصول النموذجية (التي يمتلكها لاعبو أياكس) ولا يمكنك إحضار لاعب هنا لديه أسلوب لعب مختلف ولا أريد تغيير طبيعته”.

اقرأ أيضًا | 6 أندية تتنافس على ضم فيتور روكي من برشلونة

عند سؤاله عما إذا كان ضم فرينكي دي يونج في صيف عام 2022 سيسمح له بلعب نوع من كرة القدم يشبه أياكس، وافق تين هاج وأفاد: “كان من الممكن أن يكون ذلك فرينكي دي يونج وكاسيميرو”.

وأشار: “كان من الممكن أن يكونوا مرتبطين حقًا ببعضهما البعض، وكانا مكملين لبعضهما البعض حقًا، بالتأكيد، لكن هذا لاعب نموذجي، إذا كنت تريد اللعب بأسلوب أياكس، فأنت بحاجة إلى هذا النوع من اللاعبين، نعم”.

وحول نوع اللاعبين الذين يمكن لمانشستر يونايتد التعاقد معهم، أشار تين هاج: “لا يمكن أن يكون هؤلاء سوى لاعبين متميزين”.

وأكمل: “هؤلاء هم اللاعبين الذين لديهم كل مجموعة المهارات، وهي المهارات البدنية وخاصة المهارات العقلية التي يحتاجون إليها للأداء والمساهمة لأنه يتعين علينا الفوز في كل مباراة”.

واستطرد تين هاج: “هناك توقعات من جانبنا في كل مباراة، لذا لا يمكنك تحقيق هذه التوقعات إلا عندما يكون لديك هؤلاء اللاعبين المتميزين”.

واسترسل: “لكن في العقد الماضي وفي هذه الفترة، لم نتمكن دائمًا من الحصول على اللاعبين الذين أردناهم، ولكن بعد ذلك يتعين عليك البناء وعليك أن تتقبل أنك تحصل على المواهب بدلاً من اللاعبين الذين أثبتوا ذلك بالفعل في الماضي”.

وأوضح: “لقد كان لدينا بعض الاختيارات مع مواهب مثل راسموس هويلوند، أستطيع أن أرى مهاجمًا أثبت ذلك بالفعل، ونريد التوقيع معه ولم نتمكن من الحصول عليه، ثم ذهبنا إلى راسموس لأنه موهوب”.

ثم سُئل تين هاج عما إذا كان يشير إلى هاري كين لاعب بايرن ميونخ الحالي، فأجاب: “نعم، وأنت تعلم أن هاري كين سيسجل لك 30 هدفًا، أعتقد أن راسموس سيصل إلى ذلك، لكنه يحتاج إلى وقت، ليس من العدل تقييمه مثل هاري كين، لن أقارن أبدًا بين لاعبين لأنهما مختلفان تمامًا”.

وأصر: “لكن مع هويلوند، أعتقد أنه كان لدينا الإمكانات الأكبر في مركز المهاجم، ونحن سعداء جدًا به، لكنه يحتاج أيضًا إلى وقت للتأقلم ونحن سعداء للغاية لأنه أظهر إمكاناته في تسجيل الأهداف”.

وأتم: “الآن علينا أن نأخذ الأمور بسرعة لأن الصيف قادم، صيف مهم جدا قادم، نريد أن نخطو الخطوة التالية في فريقنا ونضع أيضًا خططًا لخلق بيئة لتجنب مشاكل الإصابات هذا العام”.

Five teams, including Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka, are still in contention for a spot in the WTC final

S Rajesh26-Oct-2024India
Two shocking defeats against New Zealand means that India have left themselves with plenty to do to make a third consecutive WTC final, although they are still hanging on to the top spot currently with a slender lead over Australia. To be certain of a place in the top two in this cycle, India need to win the last Test of the ongoing series against New Zealand – in Mumbai – and then beat Australia 3-2. That will take them to 64.04% points (assuming they don’t lose any points due to slow over rates).Even if Australia win 2-0 in Sri Lanka, they can still only get to 60.53% with two wins against India, while New Zealand will end up at 57.14% if they lose in Mumbai and then beat England 3-0 at home. In that case, South Africa will be the only team which can top India. A 2-2 series result in Australia will leave India on 60.53% in comparison to Australia’s 62.28% (assuming India win in Mumbai, and Australia beat Sri Lanka 2-0).Related

• Nothing's changed, India say, but the evidence suggests otherwise

• India need Kohli and Rohit to regain their old aura

• De Zorzi and Stubbs hit maiden tons to make it South Africa's day

• Bittersweet moment for India, as one of cricket's great winning streaks ends

• McDonald feels Konstas' lack of experience won't hamper Test selection

If India lose in Mumbai, New Zealand can finish on 64.29%, but only with a 3-0 result against England. Then India will need four wins and a draw in Australia to make sure of a place in the final, regardless of other results.However, India can still finish in the top two with fewer wins if the other teams in contention don’t maximise their points. For example, if New Zealand lose in Mumbai and beat England 2-0, they will only get to 52.38%; if South Africa lose one of their five remaining Tests, they will finish on 61.11%; and if Australia beat India 3-2 but draw 1-1 in Sri Lanka, they will finish on 60.53%.New Zealand
At the start of the series in India, it seemed highly improbable that New Zealand would still be in contention for a place in the final. But their stunning wins after two out of the three Tests have given them a chance to dream. If they win each of their four remaining Tests, they will finish on 64.29%. It won’t ensure qualification, but it will certainly keep them in the mix. If they lose one of those Tests, though, their percentage will drop to 57.14%.South Africa
If South Africa win each of their five remaining Tests, they will finish with 69.44%, which will surely be enough for qualification, as only one out of India or Australia can go past that number. Four wins and a draw will leave South Africa with 63.89%, while four wins and a defeat will lower the percentage marginally to 61.11%, which could still give them a chance if other results go their way. They have a favourable schedule, though, with home Tests to come against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, after the second Test of their ongoing series against Bangladesh.If South Africa win their five remaining Tests, it will be enough for a place in the WTC final•AFP/Getty ImagesAustralia
India’s defeats against New Zealand have improved Australia’s chances of making it to the final. A 3-2 series win against India and a 1-0 victory in Sri Lanka will take them to 62.28%, ensuring they finish ahead of India. New Zealand can still surpass that, but only if they win each of their remaining games. If New Zealand slip up, then South Africa is the only team which can go past Australia. To ensure qualification without depending on other results, Australia need five wins from their seven remaining matches.Sri Lanka
With a full 24 points gained from their last two Tests, Sri Lanka have made a strong push towards a top-two finish in this WTC cycle. Their four remaining Tests are against two opponents who are also contenders for the final. If they win each of those matches and take home 48 more points, they will finish on 69.23% and assure themselves of a place in the final regardless of other results. If they lose one and win three, they will end up at 61.54%, which will still leave them with a chance of qualifying, depending on other results.England
The two defeats in Pakistan means that England can finish with a maximum of 48.86% even if they beat New Zealand 3-0 in their last series of the current cycle. That won’t be enough for a place in the final.Even if Pakistan win their last four Tests, it will be too late to make a difference in this WTC•Getty ImagesPakistan
Pakistan’s home form has shown some revival, but it is too late to make a difference in this cycle. Even if they win each of their last four Tests, they can only finish on 52.38%, with no chance of making it to the final.Bangladesh
The three defeats in their last three Tests against India and South Africa have hurt Bangladesh badly – from having 45.83% points at one stage, they have dropped to 30.56% now. Even if they win each of their three remaining Tests, they will only improve to 47.92%, which won’t be enough for a place in the top two.West Indies
West Indies have already played four series and have only scored 20 points out of a possible 108. Even if they win their last four Tests, they can only finish on 43.59%, and are hence out of the race for a spot in the WTC final.

The opener hasn’t played a single T20I this year but knows the next two weeks are crucial with the T20 World Cup looming

Shashank Kishore26-Aug-20224:16

KL Rahul: ‘Playing Shaheen Shah Afridi could have helped challenge ourselves ahead of the T20 World Cup’

KL Rahul is yet to feature in a T20I this year because of injuries, and in the time he has been away, India have shifted towards a new approach to the format from a batting perspective. He may not have been an active part of this process, but he’s aware of it, and happy to buy into it as India look to fine-tune preparations leading into the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.On Thursday, Rahul had his first hit with the T20I squad after arriving from Zimbabwe, where he led India to a 3-0 sweep in the ODI series. With scores of 1 and 30 in the two innings he played in Harare, his own batting form was patchy, and Rahul’s focus in the nets was simply on enjoying an extended session.Even as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav brought out their artistry, Rahul seemed intent on bringing back his fluency. VVS Laxman even jokingly stopped him from coming out of the nets twice. Rahul enjoyed three stints in all, over a three-hour session.Related

The lovey-dovey rivalry between India and Pakistan

India tactically more switched on, while Pakistan look too anchor-heavy

Temperatures rise as Asia's finest gear up for their biggest pre-World Cup test

Scenes from India's training session – Kohli-Babar bromance, and intense nets in Dubai heat

Posers for India: The same old top three? Pant or Karthik, or both?

He was edgy against pace initially, and was beaten on length on at least three occasions by Arshdeep Singh’s angle away from him. Rahul held his own against Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s swing, though, getting right behind the line and moving swiftly into position to drive and play straight. His sessions were closely monitored by two cameras – one behind the stumps and another in front of cover, just outside the net.After his first 30-minute session, Rahul cooled off for a bit and went back in for round two against spin. Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin challenged him by pushing him back with a series of quicker ones and sliders. Rahul focused on his back-foot play, and the big shots that weren’t seen in his first session slowly surfaced late into his second as he tonked a straight hit over the sightscreen.In the third session, Rahul was simply focused on meeting the ball with giant forward strides, especially against Arshdeep, who bounded in tirelessly. The left-arm seamer was tossed a new ball that he swung back in from different lines, ranging from fourth stump to middle, just to get Rahul playing straight and ensuring he wasn’t bringing his front pad in the way. For someone who has all the shots in the book, this session was all about the basics.Then, as the last round was called, Rahul had fun, paddling and ramping deliveries before ending with a flat-batted slap to walk off tired and happy. The punch on the bat as he walked off resonated with satisfaction at grinding his way in.KL Rahul last played a T20I in November 2021•BCCIOn Friday, Rahul spoke of India’s new approach and of enjoying the challenge of bringing it to life. At IPL 2022, his most-recent competitive T20 outing, Rahul’s powerplay strike rates barely crossed 100, drawing plenty of chatter from pundits and former players. In the death overs, though, which he seemed intent on building towards, he struck at 198.36. Overall, Rahul ended the season with the second-most runs – 635 in 14 innings at a strike rate of 135.38 – behind Jos Buttler.”This new approach, we’d spoken about it much before when I was part of the team early on in the year as well and just after the [2021 T20] World Cup,” Rahul said. “Last season we had spoken about what we need to improve individually and how as a team we try to be more aggressive, put the bowlers under pressure by going out there and play with a lot of authority, freedom and aggression.”So I was there when that happened. Unfortunately, I have not been able to play too many T20Is since then, but we have played the IPL, and I played with the same approach, tried to see how with that same approach I can be consistent and still contribute to the team. I haven’t played since the last two-three months, and that is a challenge for me, one I am looking forward to.”It’s done really well for us, the new approach. What the team wanted and what the captain needed has been embraced by everybody, every player in the team, which is great to see and that is the biggest step. That big step has already been taken and embraced by the players, so from now on it’s only about building on it and getting stronger and by the time the World Cup comes, everyone knows exactly what to do.”The next two weeks could be another test of Rahul’s work towards returning to being the white-ball destroyer he can be. He isn’t the captain, and he has a middle order that can take apart the best of attacks. From a team point of view, it’s all systems go. Rahul couldn’t ask for a more ideal scenario than this.

Three key seniors were sick in the lead-up to the final, but where others would have panicked, Saurashtra planned

Shashank Kishore in Rajkot13-Mar-2020Exactly a week ago, the Saurashtra camp was hit by a slew of illnesses. Two days prior to the Ranji Trophy final, Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, the left-arm spinner, Arpit Vasavada, a batting mainstay and Cheteshwar Pujara, their No. 1 batsman, were all sick. Jadeja and Vasavada were running temperatures while Pujara had a throat infection and bouts of dizziness.Three big players not participating in their training session two days ahead of a big game may have given a jolt to most teams. Saurashtra had back-ups and prepared them to be match-ready, even though they hoped the sick trio would be match-fit. And so, two days prior to the game, the reserves underwent a longer than usual hit out at the nets under Jaydev Unadkat’s supervision. The team channelled whatever mild panic they might have felt in a productive way.After victory was achieved on the fifth day of a dreary final that was decided on the basis of a first-innings lead, Pujara revealed how he had to battle against his own body to be ready for an occasion he simply didn’t want to miss.He eventually came out to bat at No. 6 in the first innings, but retired hurt after spending just 30 minutes at the crease. It was only on the second day, after a night’s rest and some medicines, that a “half-okay” Pujara returned to the crease. He then defied the bowling to play “probably one of my slowest knocks (laughs)”. He faced 267 deliveries for his 64, putting on 142 with Vasavada to set the tone for a sizeable first-innings score.ALSO READ: Stats – Saurashtra’s maiden Ranji Trophy title, Bengal lose another final“I had a blackout like feeling when I went in to bat,” Pujara said, with the Ranji Trophy beside him. “It was tough on my body. I was down with fever, throat infection so it wasn’t easy. It was frustrating when I couldn’t come out to bat at my usual No. 4 position for Saurashtra because I knew runs on the board was key and we had won a crucial toss.”On this wicket I thought if I can walk in early, I can start dominating later. The first day is the best time to bat, but I’m happy that I could play my part [later]. I wanted to respect the conditions. On day two when I walked in, it was not easy. I felt a blackout [again], so it was tough. But you have to be motivated and lead from the front and set a good example. We had to set a platform for the bowlers, and that partnership with Arpit (who made a 287-ball 106) gave us a lot of confidence. Once we had 350-plus, we knew with our remarkable bowling attack, we were in a good position.

“If someone takes 67 wickets in a season, I don’t [think] a performance can get bigger than that. There has to be lot of importance to Ranji Trophy performance to get picked for the Indian team and I will be surprised if he is not picked in the Indian team.”Pujara on Unadkat’s Ranji season

“It was a tough pitch,” Pujara continued. “The ball wasn’t coming on nicely, it was slow, so yes I didn’t want to bother about conditions. I needed to put my head down and play a crucial knock, ultimately we needed a good total for the bowlers.”With the ball, the onus was on Unadkat to strike. He came into the match with 65 wickets, needing just four more to break Ashutosh Aman’s record for most wickets in a Ranji Trophy season. As such, no other fast bowler has taken these many wickets in a season. Unadkat came in to a tense final day with no wickets to his name. Bengal needed 72 runs and Saurashtra four wickets, and Unadkat rose to the occasion when his team needed him the most.”It was very draining emotionally and physically to be out there for couple of days and fighting for the coveted trophy. The guys put in everything that they had,” Unadkat said. “Though the energy levels were down a little at times, I think the way we won the semi-finals gave us self-belief. It gave us a marker that there one twist was left in the game and we will have to work hard for it. That hope and belief helped us sail through.”Unadkat finished the tournament with 67 wickets, and Pujara, his best friend, couldn’t have been happier. “If someone takes 67 wickets in a season, I don’t [think] a performance can get bigger than that,” Pujara said. “There has to be lot of importance to Ranji Trophy performance to get picked for the Indian team. Jaydev was modest that he would not be thinking about the Indian call but I will be surprised if he is not picked in the Indian team.”The guys believed in each other and all of us were contributing towards one goal.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O Fortaleza venceu o Sport por 4 a 1 neste domingo (26), na Arena Perbambuco, pela semifinal da Copa do Nordeste. Os gols do Leão do Pici foram marcados por Moisés, três vezes, e Hércules, ainda no primeiro tempo; Gustavo Coutinho diminuiu para o Leão da Ilha. Com o resultado, o Tricolor está classificado para a decisão e encara o CRB em dois jogos.

➡️ A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta!

continua após a publicidade

⚽ COMO FOI A PARTIDA?
O Fortaleza atropelou o Sport, sobretudo no primeiro tempo. Logo aos oito minutos, Moisés abriu o placar em chute rasteiro de fora da área. O atacante do Leão do Pici ainda marcou outros dois gols antes do intervalo, além de dar assistência para Hércules também balançar as redes.

No segundo tempo, o Tricolor diminuiu o ritmo e, apesar seguir criadondo as melhores chances, não conseguiu amplicar o placar. Nos minutos finais do duelo, Gustavo Coutinho descontou para o Leão da Ilha e deu números finais à partida.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ CRB derrota o Bahia nos pênaltis e está na final da Copa do Nordeste

📅 O QUE VEM POR AÍ?
O Sport visita o Goiás na Serrinha na sexta-feira (31), às 21h30, pela oitava rodada da Série B. Por sua vez, o Fortaleza recebe Sportivo Trinidense na quarta-feira (29), às 21h, pela rodada final da fase de grupos da Copa Sul-Americana.

Tudo sobre

Copa do NordesteFortalezaSport

كشف الإعلامي أحمد شوبير، عن ملامح التحركات المقبلة داخل نادي الزمالك، سواء فيما يخص مستقبل الجهاز الفني بقيادة أحمد عبد الرؤوف، أو سياسة النادي في سوق الانتقالات خلال الفترة القادمة، في ظل الأزمة المالية التي يمر بها الفريق.

وقال شوبير في تصريحات عبر برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الثلاثاء: “في الأيام المقبلة ستكون هناك جلسة بين إدارة الزمالك وجون إدوارد لحسم ملف المدرب، هل سيستمر الكابتن أحمد عبد الرؤوف أم لا؟ حتى الآن لا يوجد أي حديث عن رحيله”.

وتابع: “الزمالك مستمر في دعم عبد الرؤوف؛ لأنهم يرون أن أداء الفريق يتحسن، ولذلك سيواصلون منحه الفرصة، أتمنى فقط أن يستمر هذا الدعم بغضّ النظر عن نتيجة مباراة واحدة”.

واستطرد: “إدارة الزمالك تفكر الآن في كيفية تحقيق توازن مالي بعد الأزمة الكبيرة التي يمر بها النادي، لذلك أي لاعب يأتي له عرض جيد بعد كأس العرب أو كأس إفريقيا سيكون مرحبًا برحيله”.

طالع أيضًا | مفاجأة مُدوية.. فيريرا يُعلن الصدام القانوني ضد ميدو بعد “التشهير به”

وأضاف: “أي اسم في الفريق، سواء كان أساسيًا أو احتياطيًا، لو وصله عرض قوي سيتم الموافقة عليه، حتى لو جاء عرض لخوان بيزيرا أو غيره، النادي لا يمانع، بشرط أن يكون المقابل المالي مناسبًا”.

وتحدث عن ملف محمد السيد قائلًا: “النادي يحاول إقناع اللاعب بالتجديد على نفس العرض القديم وهو 5 ملايين، وقد تكون بطولة كأس مصر فرصة لظهوره وإثبات نفسه، الزمالك يفكر كذلك في وضع بند يسمح له بالاحتراف إذا جاءه عرض جيد”.

وتابع: “النادي سيعيد فتح باب التفاوض معه سواء من أجل التجديد أو الرحيل في يناير بطريقة تفيد الطرفين”.

واختتم: “قلت من زمان: لماذا تبعدون اللاعب؟ اتركوه يلعب وتستفيدون منه ويستفيد هو، اللعب هو الذي يكشف مستواه، ولو ربنا كرمه وجاءه عرض أوروبي يتوكل على الله، الكرة ليست كيمياء ولا ذرة، الكرة بسيطة جدًا”.