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Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation from Celtic at the start of last week to end his second spell with the Scottish giants in the dugout at Parkhead.

The Northern Irish head coach opted to move on from the club for a second time after a 3-1 loss to Hearts left the Hoops eight points adrift of first place in the Scottish Premiership table.

Rodgers, as shown in the graphic above, enjoyed a largely successful second spell with the Bhoys, winning four trophies in two seasons, before the disappointing start to the current campaign.

After the ex-Liverpool and Leicester City boss left the Hoops last week, experienced manager Martin O’Neill was placed in interim charge and has managed two matches so far.

A 4-0 win over Falkirk and a 3-1 win over Rangers have shown that the club can afford to take their time to find the right man for the job, as O’Neill is a safe pair of hands for now.

One of the things that the next manager should make a priority when they arrive at Parkhead is reviving Reo Hatate, whose form has dropped off this season.

Why Celtic need to revive Reo Hatate

In the summer of 2024, Celtic reportedly rejected an offer of £10m from an unnamed French club, which shows that they valued him at even more than that at the time.

Then, in the 2024/25 campaign, Hatate stepped up his game to deliver 11 goals and nine assists in 55 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, per Transfermarkt.

The Japan international scored ten goals and created 14 ‘big chances’ in 37 outings in the Premiership, which shows that he provided regular quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a central midfield position.

Unfortunately, the 27-year-old star has endured a frustrating 2025/26 campaign so far, so much so that he has been a substitute in the first two games of O’Neill’s interim tenure.

Appearances

37

8

Goals

10

1

Big chances created

14

1

Key passes per game

1.2

0.8

Assists

4

0

Pass accuracy

82%

81%

As you can see in the table above, Hatate’s influence at the top end of the pitch has waned. The midfielder is not as impactful as he was last term for the Hoops, as a scorer or a creator.

The Japanese star, who has one goal and no assists in 15 appearances in all competitions, is capable of far better and that is why the next manager needs to revive his performances as a priority.

Thankfully, for Hatate, there is a manager keen on taking the role who could be the perfect man to revive the central midfielder’s season.

Former Championship manager interested in the Celtic job

According to 67HailHail, former Middlesbrough head coach Michael Carrick has had his name thrown in the ring for the vacant Celtic job.

The report claims that the former Manchester United central midfielder would be interested in replacing Rodgers at Parkhead in the coming weeks, after leaving Boro at the end of last season.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

It states that the English tactician is looking to get back into management again, as he has been without a club so far this season, and the Celtic job is a potential option for him.

However, 67HailHail adds that Carrick does have some reservations about the size of the job and whether he is ready for it at this point in his career, which the site itself suggests may be a red flag.

However, if he is still interested in taking the job, as the report suggests, then the club should consider him as a genuine option, because he could revive Hatate.

Why Michael Carrick would be perfect for Reo Hatate

Carrick could get the Japan international back to his best in the middle of the park for the Scottish giants, and not just because he was a former midfielder for Manchester United and England.

The English boss plays a 4-2-3-1 formation, per Transfermarkt, and could play Hatate in the number ten position to get the best out of his attacking qualities, which were on full display in the 2024/25 campaign.

Carrick’s coaching in the last two seasons with Middlesbrough, before his exit in the summer, suggests that he can coach a team to be incredibly creative with the ball.

League finish

8th

10th

xPTS (Expected league finish)

73 (5th)

71 (6th)

xG

69.5

67.4

xGA

55.0

56.4

xGD

+14.5

+11.3

As you can see in the table above, Middlesbrough racked up roughly 137 xG in 82 Championship games across the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns, which suggests that Hatate would be in a side that can create plenty of chances for him to start scoring goals again.

Carrick has also shown that he can develop and improve attack-minded midfield players. Finn Azaz, per Transfermarkt, had never managed more than seven goals and five assists in a Championship season before his haul of 12 goals and 11 assists in the division for Carrick’s side last term.

The out-of-work coach, who was hailed as an “insanely talented coach” by former Boro player Lukas Engel, was also named by Morgan Rogers as one of the coaches who helped him to improve as a player.

Rogers is now shining at Aston Villa, with 14 goals and 13 assists last term, and is an England international, which is further evidence that Carrick can help attacking midfielders to thrive.

Therefore, the English head coach could be the perfect appointment to reignite Hatate’s Celtic career because of his formation, his coaching, and his development of attack-minded midfield players.

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ByDan Emery Nov 4, 2025

One of the big issues Ruben Amorim has faced at Manchester United during a tough first season in charge at the club is the number of goals his side have conceded.

United have let in 100 goals in just 53 matches, only five more than they’ve scored.

This is certainly a huge concern for their boss, who, as a result, doesn’t have the strongest record despite going unbeaten in their last four games. Amorim has won 22 games and lost 21 during his year-long tenure so far, with a big reason for that such a shaky defensive record.

That is in spite of the strong performance of Matthijs de Ligt this season.

Why De Ligt has been so important for Man Utd

Despite their unbeaten run of four Premier League games, United’s defence have left a lot to be desired once again this term. The 16 top-flight goals they have conceded is better than just five teams.

However, De Ligt’s performances as the central centre-back in Amorim’s infamous back three have been excellent. The 26-year-old has been a key member of Amoirm’s backline with United’s number 4 having racked up 90 minutes in all ten of their Premier League games.

H, football analyst and host of The Overlap: The Breakdown, has been full of praise for the Dutchman. He described him as a “great box defender” and said he “steps up in the press so well.”

In some instances, he has put up better numbers than one of the best centre-backs in world football, Arsenal star Gabriel.

The Brazilian, described as the Premier League’s “number one” centre-back by pundit Paul Merson, averages 2.1 tackles and interceptions and wins 3.3 aerial duels per 90 minutes. In comparison, De Ligt has made 2.7 tackles and interceptions and won 3.7 aerial duels each game.

Both defensive warriors for their teams, the similarities between the two are clear to see, but there is a United player who has been even more similar to Gabriel this term.

Man United's own Gabriel

One of the big upsides to Gabriel’s game is not just his defending, but his set-piece threat. The Brazilian has “been the main exponent” from set pieces for the Gunners, with his side bagging 12 this season already.

Whilst that is double the number United have managed, they do rank joint-fourth in the top flight for set-piece goals with six.

Casemiro has been one of the biggest threats from those situations, with football content creator Lyes describing him as “one of the best setpiece threats we’ve [United] had in years.”

Indeed, the Brazilian’s most recent strike came from a set-piece. He headed home a Bruno Fernandes corner against Nottingham Forest last Saturday, the third goal he has scored this season. His first strike of the campaign against Chelsea was not directly from a set piece, but was a header from the phase after.

Standing at 6 foot 1 and with a powerful leap on him, it is easy to see why Casemiro dominates from set pieces. His 2.31 aerial duels won per 90 minutes rank him in the top 5% of Premier League midfielders.

However, is not just from deadball scenarios that the vastly experienced 33-year-old has shone for United.

The former Real Madrid star has been excellent in the pivot alongside Fernandes, with his 5.03 tackles and interceptions each game placing him in the 98th percentile for English top-flight midfielders.

Casemiro key stats in PL 25/26

Stat (per 90)

Number

Percentile

Passes into penalty area

1.08

80th

Blocks

2.34

99th

Tackles and interceptions

5.03

98th

Clearances

2.46

89th

Aerial duels won

2.31

95th

Stats from FBref

As important as De Ligt has been for United this season, their number 18 has been equally as vital. With his set piece threat, you can easily draw comparisons to Brazil teammate Gabriel, and his work off the ball in the pivot has been second to none.

Football statistician Statman Dave described him as a “monster” for the Red Devils this season. It is fair to say Casemiro is living up to that praise, with some superb showings.

Related Man Utd have a "beast" in the academy who's another Casemiro in the making

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Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 5, 2025

India’s new-ball bowlers picked off England’s top three with the same ease with which Shubman Gill ticked off records during his maiden Test double-hundred to take control of the second Test. This was a near-perfect day for India’s captain: Gill cruised to 269 before offering his first genuine chance, then snaffled a blinder at third slip to prompt England’s slump to 25 for 3.Gill made clear at the toss that he supported India’s decision to reinforce their lower-order batting after two collapses at Headingley, and it has paid off so far. He added 203 for the sixth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja, then 144 more for the seventh wicket with Washington Sundar, turning 211 for 5 into the highest total that England have conceded in the Stokes-McCullum era.Related

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Gill personified class and composure. He milked Shoaib Bashir for singles with the ease of a father teaching his son a lesson in the back garden, caressed back-to-back boundaries off Brydon Carse through wide mid-on and cover, and treated Harry Brook’s medium pace with utter disdain as he swept landmarks aside.He started England’s innings off the field after his 387-ball epic, and then took a spectacular catch four balls after walking back on. Akash Deep, India’s replacement for Jasprit Bumrah, cramped Ben Duckett for room from around the wicket and induced a thick outside edge; Gill flung himself acrobatically to his left and clung onto the chance, sending last week’s fourth-innings centurion crashing back to earth.Akash Deep struck again with his next ball, a full outswinger that Ollie Pope optimistically tried to whip leg side. His outside edge flew to KL Rahul at second slip, who parried the chance up to himself and grabbed it at the second attempt; Pope said after his first-innings century in Leeds that he was determined to avoid a familiar tail-off as the series wears on but has now failed twice since.India were rampant and soon had a third when Mohammed Siraj, who bowled a faultless opening spell, had Zak Crawley edging to first slip. It was a textbook Crawley dismissal, pushing with hard hands – and no foot movement – at a ball which left him, which left Brook and Joe Root to pick up the pieces: after 151 overs in the field, England were still 362 short of the follow-on mark.While Root was watchful, Brook sensed an opportunity to take the pressure off himself – and to get rid of some close catchers. After surviving an umpire’s call lbw shout – with Sharfuddoula consistent across both innings – Brook charged Siraj, flat-batting him through extra cover before launching him for six down the ground. He made it through to stumps, the deficit still 510.But a 52-run stand could not take the shine off Gill’s day. It is increasingly hard to fathom that he averaged barely 35 in Tests before this tour: he has led by example in his first series as captain and already looks ensconced in his new role at No. 4. Chief among his records were the highest score by an India men’s captain, and the highest score by any India batter in England.He was brilliantly supported by India’s two spin-bowling allrounders. Jadeja was the aggressor at the start of the day, slapping Ben Stokes through the off side for back-to-back boundaries. The pair exchanged words about Jadeja’s habit of taking two strides down the pitch before deciding whether to attempt a run or not, and both were warned off the danger area by umpires.1:39

Aaron: English bowlers were way off their mark

Jadeja fell shortly before lunch, gloving Josh Tongue’s short ball down the leg side for 89, and Washington struggled early against the bumper barrage. But he decided to take Tongue on after lunch, pulling him over long leg for six, and otherwise held up one end while Gill dominated the scoring.Stokes opted to preserve Chris Woakes’ body, and his own: neither man bowled an over after their initial bursts which started the day, with Bashir relied upon to hold up an end as Tongue, Brydon Carse and Brook rotated from the other. It took Root, curiously under-bowled, to break the partnership, ripping an offbreak past Washington’s outside edge and into middle stump.Gill fell shortly after tea, mistiming a pull straight to square leg: it was the first genuine chance he had offered, after a half-hearted lbw shout on the first evening and an outside edge past second slip in Woakes’ early burst on the second day. Bashir was handed the final two wickets on a platter: Akash Deep holed out to long-on and Siraj walked past a carrom ball to be stumped.India’s selection plan is halfway to working: Gill explained that Washington’s selection ahead of Kuldeep Yadav owed to the extra batting he provided, and he played a major role in helping India add a national-record 372 runs for the last five wickets. The second half relies upon them taking 20 England wickets with the resources available: after three early strikes, so far, so good.

Liverpool’s emphatic win over Eintracht Frankfurt was a false dawn. On Saturday evening, the Reds slumped to a fourth successive Premier League defeat against Brentford.

It’s a sad thing to suggest, but it very much seems like Liverpool are struggling to do the basics. This is a side whose cool and calculated football allowed Arne Slot to romp to the league title last season. This group couldn’t be further away from that indomitable outfit.

Who does that boil down to? The manager? The upheaval? The tactical imbalances sparked by a combination of facets? It’s all so difficult to define, and Slot is the only one who can conjure up the answers to placate the masses.

However, we must start with the backline. So much isn’t right, but Liverpool’s defence is painfully poor. Despite their world-renowned reputations, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have flattered to deceive.

Liverpool's defensive struggles continue

Liverpool are in a crisis. It is a saving grace that the season is young enough for a four-game losing streak to not be detrimental, but this does not sugarcoat the severity of the Reds’ woes.

At the epicentre is the skipper Van Dijk, and Konate besides. The centre-backs lack any morsel of their typical security and confidence in the backline, between them winning 20 duels at the Gtech but still failing to keep a clean sheet or produce the kind of convincing display needed to stem the flow.

Defensively, the Reds are a mess. But the problems run far deeper. Van Dijk lacks his typical grace and brilliance; Konate has been below par all year.

The plain truth is the excuses are running out, and while he’s among the most talented footballers in the world, Florian Wirtz continues to be a disappointment in a Liverpool shirt, and he must be dropped from the line-up once again.

Slot must drop Florian Wirtz

When Florian Wirtz joined Liverpool this summer in a record-breaking £116m deal, most anticipated the Reds would add one of the most devastating playmakers in the world to their ranks.

And they did, but Liverpool are a team in disrepair right now, and Wirtz has failed to acclimatise to life in Slot’s squad. And against Andrews’ Bees, the fleet-footed star’s struggles continued.

He racked up two assists against Frankfurt in midweek, but the 22-year-old flattered to deceive against Brentford, with the Liverpool Echo even seeing it fit to brand him with a 4/10 match rating after an inconsequential display in red.

Perhaps most concerning is the fact that the German faded without having taken his foot off the pedal from a work-rate standpoint. To put that another way, the quality on the evening simply wasn’t there.

Minutes played

83′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

54

Shots (on target)

1 (0)

Accurate passes

33/43 (77%)

Chances created

1

Dribbles

1/2

Recoveries

4

Tackles

1/1

Duels won

2/5

While the fact remains that he is among the most talented players in the Premier League, there is a bluntness about his output in Slot’s Liverpool side. The solution comes down to Slot, and Slot does not have the answer. For now, Liverpool and Wirtz’s wait for success rages on.

Indeed, Wirtz is one of the best footballers in the world, but he’s not performing, and Liverpool have got to reach beyond the box and search for left-field solutions to their current problems.

Because Slot’s solutions are falling short, so frustratingly short.

Where now? Liverpool host Aston Villa next week in the Premier League, and then they travel to Manchester City. There is much to ponder, and on the basis of the evidence, it’s unlikely that keeping an under-performing player like Wirtz in the line-up would prove the solution.

Sure, he’s got a show-stopping ability, but this hasn’t been channelled. All told, Liverpool need to make some big changes, perhaps even reverting to type. If that is the case, Wirtz does not feature in Slot’s best 11.

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أعلن يانيك فيريرا، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، التشكيل الأساسي لمواجهة البنك الأهلي، بعد قليل، ضمن منافسات مسابقة الدوري المصري.

ومن المقرر أن يلعب الزمالك والبنك الأهلي، على استاد القاهرة الدولي في الجولة الثانية عشر لمسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

طالع.. خاص | السبب الحقيقي لاستبعاد محمد السيد من مباراة الزمالك والبنك الأهلي

ويأمل الزمالك في العودة إلى طريق الانتصارات مرة أخرى من أجل استعادة صدارة جدول الترتيب من المصري.

ويتواجد الزمالك في المركز الخامس بجدول ترتيب الدوري المصري، ولديه 18 نقطة جمعها من خوض 10 مباريات، استطاع الفوز بـ 5 مواجهات وتعادل 3 مرات وتلقى هزيمتين.

ويحتل البنك الأهلي المركز الـ13 في جدول ترتيب الدوري من الفوز بـ3 لقاءات والتعادل في 5 مباريات وسقط في فخ الهزيمة مرتين. تشكيل الزمالك اليوم أمام البنك الأهلي 

حراسة المرمى: محمد صبحي.

خط الدفاع: محمود بنتايج – حسام عبد المجيد – محمد إسماعيل – عمر جابر.

خط الوسط: نبيل عماد دونجا – عبد الله السعيد – ناصر ماهر.

خط الهجوم: شيكو بانزا – عدي الدباغ – خوان بيزيرا.

Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Axar Patel called correctly at the toss, and opted to bowl against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow. Axar was wary of the dew setting in later in the evening.LSG captain Rishabh Pant said that he would have preferred to bowl first too. He expected the pitch to start slow, and become better for batting later in the evening. While LSG were unchanged – tearaway quick Mayank Yadav is in their Impact Subs list – DC made one change by bringing in Dushmantha Chameera for Mohit Sharma.This is Chameera’s first game of the season and his first competitive fixture since February, when he played for DC’s affiliate team in the UAE’s ILT20, under coach Hemang Badani.Faf du Plessis wasn’t yet fit to return to action for DC. They might call up Donovan Ferreira or Jake Fraser-McGurk as an Impact player when they chase later in the evening.Lucknow Super Giants: 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 5 Abdul Samad, 6 David Miller, 7 Shardul Thakur, 8 Digvesh Rathi, 9 Ravi Bishnoi, 10 Avesh Khan, 11 Prince YadavImpact subs: Ayush Badoni, Mayank Yadav, Shahbaz Ahmed, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat SinghDelhi Capitals: 1 Abishek Porel, 2 Karun Nair, 3 KL Rahul (wk), 4 Axar Patel (capt), 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 Ashutosh Sharma, 7 Vipraj Nigam, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Mukesh KumarImpact Subs: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sameer Rizvi, Donovan Ferreira, Madhav Tiwari, Tripurana Vijay

Birmingham City might not be wrapped up with all their dramatic summer business just yet.

At the start of the frantic transfer window, you couldn’t move for rumours suggesting the Blues were going to splash the cash on another exciting talent, with the number of incoming signings standing at 12.

That tally could well sneak over to the 13 threshold before 7pm, as a late loan deal looks to be in the offing to boost Birmingham’s already flashy attack.

Birmingham to sign Premier League attacker

It would be fair to say the whirlwind activity has slowed down in recent times, however.

Expect the pace to pick back up, though, with Football League World revealing that the Blues are plotting a late loan move for experienced Sunderland forward Patrick Roberts, alongside also not giving up on winning the services of Celtic winger Yang Hyun-jun.

The report states that Chris Davies wants more ammunition after a lacklustre showing in Birmingham’s recent 2-0 loss to Leicester City, with Roberts ticking the boxes.

Derby have also been interested this summer, but it looks as if the Championship newcomers are lone suitors now chasing after the 28-year-old with Sky Sports reporting on Monday lunchtime that the Blues are ‘set to sign’ the winger on loan.

How Roberts could be Gray 2.0

He might well end up being Davies’ second coming of Demarai Gray, offering the Blues another skilful, yet seasoned head up top.

After all, while he has fallen down the pecking order as Sunderland shot up to the Premier League, Roberts would still be a top asset for Birmingham to possess temporarily, based on his previous EFL heroics.

From 170 games at the notoriously punishing level, Roberts has amassed a healthy haul of nine goals and 22 assists, with nine of those goal contributions coming about just last season, before he was cast aside for Sunderland’s own quickfire business.

Gray has also proven himself to be sharp, tricky performer – much like Roberts down the right flank – whenever he’s plied his trade in the tough division, with eight goals and four assists next to his name from 76 Championship career outings.

Two of those assists have been tallied up since his return to the club, with Birmingham hopeful that the loan addition of another second-tier veteran can propel the Blues further into the promotion reckoning, after a largely positive return to the level so far, minus the disappointment of the 2-0 loss at the King Power Stadium.

Roberts at Sunderland in the Champ
Season	Position	Games	G/A
24/25	4th (promotion)	42	2 + 7
23/24	16th	32	0 + 2
22/23	6th	42	5 + 7
Sourced by Transfermarkt

After all, from his three seasons at the level with the Black Cats to date, Roberts has managed to steer the Wearside outfit to two triumphant playoff finishes, culminating in the glory of promotion at the end of last campaign.

Tony Mowbray would even herald his slick Englishman as “magic” during the 2022/23 season, irrespective of his side unfortunately slipping up in the lottery of the playoffs, with Davies now wanting a slice of Roberts at his very best to improve an attack already boasting Kyogo Furuhashi, Jay Stansfield, and the aforementioned Gray.

The West Midlands outfit has shown they can already cut it with the big boys of the EFL’s elite league, with just one defeat from their opening four league encounters.

But, landing Roberts, who is just fresh off a promotion success, could be a sublime addition to really take Birmingham to that next level, as his know-how, alongside Gray’s further experience, attempts to make back-to-back promotions an insane reality.

Birmingham hold talks to sign "valuable" £3m ace; waiting on "green-light"

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By
Henry Jackson

Sep 1, 2025

Glasgow Rangers were no strangers to signing players from Barcelona in the early 2000s, paying big money for Mikel Arteta and Ronald de Boer.

However, those at Ibrox nearly brought in Lionel Messi from the Catalan giants before he broke into the first-team picture at the Nou Camp.

The Argentina icon is rightly recognised as one of the best footballers to ever play the game and hasn’t looked back since making his senior Barcelona debut at the age of 17 in 2004. He spent 17 years with Barcelona before signing for Paris Saint-Germain and then Inter Miami.

Ballon d’Or

2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023

World Cup

2022

Copa America

2021, 2024

Champions League

2006, 2009, 2011, 2015

La Liga

2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019

Ligue 1

2022, 2023

Uefa Super Cup

2009, 2011, 2015

Club World Cup

2010, 2012, 2016

Copa del Rey

2009, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021

Spanish Super Cup

2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018

Supporters’ Shield

2024

MLS League Cup

2023

Olympic Gold Medal

2008

French Super Cup

2022

Messi has won everything there is to win in the game, including eight Ballon d’Or awards, and he finally claimed World Cup glory with his country in 2022.

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However, things could have been so different for the magician, if those in Glasgow got their way.

How Rangers nearly signed Messi from Barcelona

As per a report from Goal, Rangers actually made enquiries to sign Messi on loan from Barcelona prior to his senior debut. Unfortunately, those efforts were turned down by those at the Nou Camp, but it was Alex McLeish’s son, Jon, who found Messi.

Talking on Graham Hunter’s The Big Interview podcast in 2017, McLeish went into detail on how his son’s love of Football Manager alerted him to Messi in 2003, with Rangers on the search for a replacement for Barry Ferguson.

Jon’s prediction of Messi becoming the greatest in the world was accurate, showing the powers Football Manager can have in real life.

After two weeks of conservative physical therapy, Barcelona have decided that Gavi will undergo a minor arthroscopic procedure to return to the pitch as soon as possible. The medical examination will be performed under the supervision of the club's medical staff. This comes after Fermin Lopez also suffered an injury in Barca's La Liga fixture against Getafe, which has now sidelined for a couple of weeks.

Barcelona dealt huge blow in Gavi recovery

Barcelona were hoping for Gavi's injury to subside and for him to return to the pitch after three weeks of conservative therapy, but the plan has not worked out. The club, after their latest scans and tests, believe it is best for the 21-year-old to undergo arthroscopic examination to address his internal meniscus injury. As per the club statement, Gavi's surgery will be performed by Dr. Joan Carles Monllau under the supervision of the club's medical staff.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBarcelona's dire need for injured players to return

Barcelona's plan to give Gavi's injury time to heal itself had to be cut short by a week. This might be due to all the recent injuries the squad have faced and the urgent need to fill spots with highly competitive fixtures ahead. For now, no return date has been announced for either Lamine Yamal or Gavi, but according to a statement from Barca, the club are hopeful that Gavi will be cleared and fit for their next Champions League fixture. The press release further states that an update will be provided after the medical procedure.

Fermin Lopez ruled out of PSG fixture

Lopez is another name that has been added to Barca's long list of injuries. The player was injured in the Blaugrana's clash against Getafe on Sunday, and tests have revealed he is facing an iliopsoas muscle injury in his left leg which will sideline him for around three weeks. This could be another reason why Barca were prompted to put Gavi under the knife.

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AFPPressure mounting on Hansi Flick

With Lopez's recent injury, Barcelona have been caught off guard in their preparedness. Coach Flick will hope to get a few of his star players back before their Champions League fixture on October 1.

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi stressed once again that “whatever happens must be on the basis of equality”

Danyal Rasool30-Nov-2024A day after a virtual ICC board meeting concluded without finalising the venue for the Champions Trophy in 2025, a final decision remains elusive. The PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi was in Dubai today, and while he took in Pakistan’s Under-19 victory over India, there was greater intrigue over whether the PCB, the BCCI and the ICC have been able to come to an arrangement over next year’s tournament.As he did in the early hours of Thursday morning, Naqvi did not categorically rule out a hybrid model for the hosting of the tournament, something he has done in the past. “We will do whatever’s best for cricket,” he told reporters in Dubai. “If we adopt any other formula [except hosting the tournament in Pakistan], it will be done on the basis of equality. The most important thing for Pakistan is its respect; everything else is secondary.”Once more, Naqvi repeated what he stated multiple times at the Gaddafi Stadium earlier in the week. “A one-sided arrangement is no longer acceptable. It cannot be the case that we continue to go to India, but they do not visit Pakistan. Whatever happens must be on the basis of equality.”Related

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Final call on CT25: Fresh venue one of three options, as ICC Board meets on Friday

Champions Trophy: PCB promises to do 'what's best for Pakistan cricket'

What form such an arrangement might look like, remains uncertain. Sources told ESPNcricinfo Pakistan are looking for an equitable solution across a three-year period where any arrangement made for the Champions Trophy is replicated for tournaments held in IndiaNaqvi’s repeated comments around “equality” have raised speculation that the PCB will seek to earn some concessions should they acquiesce to a hybrid model in any form. That could entail an agreement to have India play their matches outside Pakistan, but a decision that any future tournaments India hosts will offer provisions for Pakistan to play their matches outside India. There is also the possibility of some financial recompense for the PCB in addition to such an arrangement, though Naqvi did say earlier this week that decisions would not be based on money.ESPNcricinfo understands a decision should be reached in the next couple of days, though Naqvi’s comments suggest there remain significant loose ends to be tied up. In all likelihood, any proposal will have to be run past the governments of both India and Pakistan before it is presented to the ICC for approval; India was refused permission to travel to Pakistan by the Indian government and the PCB has said repeatedly, as a result, that any action they take will have to be approved by their government.”We need to settle this once and for all,” Naqvi said. “And whatever happens must see everyone treated equally. Any agreement will not be just for the Champions Trophy, but for the long term.”The tournament is due to begin in less than 90 days, on February 19. Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi are the venues scheduled to host the games, though if a hybrid option is chosen, that will involve another venue outside Pakistan. The UAE, where Naqvi met ECB officials earlier today, is the frontrunner in such a scenario.