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Any Glasgow Rangers fan who uses social media every day will likely have seen the clip going around of Hamza Igamane’s goal for Lille at the weekend.

The Morocco international, not for the first time this season, provided the Gers with a reminder of what they are missing with a brilliantly worked goal for the French side.

Igamane was sold to Lille for a fee of £10.4m in the summer transfer window, due to a release clause in his contract that existed before Kevin Thelwell’s arrival at Ibrox.

Ranking Rangers’ attempts to replace Hamza Igamane

It is fair to say that, on current evidence, have failed to replace the Moroccan star with the work that they did for Russell Martin heading into the 2025/26 campaign.

Igamane, as shown in the graphic above, provided a big goalscoring presence as a maverick playmaker, who could play out wide on the left or through the middle as a centre-forward, in his one season with the club.

Rangers signed six wingers and strikers in an attempt to replace the mercurial talent in the summer, and Djeidi Gassama, with six goals, is the only one of them to have scored more than two goals so far this season, per Transfermarkt.

1

Djeidi Gassama

2

Mikey Moore

3

Thelo Aasgaard

4

Youssef Chermiti

5

Oliver Antman

6

Bojan Miovski

Thelo Aasgaard, in theory, should have been the Igamane replacement as he is a number ten with good technical ability and flair, as evidenced by his wonder goal against Dundee United at Ibrox, but he has only scored one goal all season.

In terms of the strikers, Bojan Miovski has scored two, and Youssef Chermiti has scored one, per Sofascore, but the latter is five years younger and could develop into a star in the future.

Meanwhile, we have ranked Mikey Moore in second place for now, but he could rise up to first if Danny Rohl unleashes him in a central position when he is back fit.

The new position Mikey Moore should be unleashed in

The 18-year-old starlet is currently out with a muscle injury, which he is set to return from later this month, so he will not be available for selection against Dundee United on Wednesday night.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, when he is back and available for selection, Rohl should unleash Moore as a number ten in the 4-2-3-1 system, which is the role that Thelo Aasgaard has played, as he has not had an opportunity in that position yet.

Per Transfermarkt, the only two matches that the Englishman has played as an attacking midfielder came against Hibernian and Roma as one of two 10s in a 3-4-2-1 system, which meant that he drifted wide more than being the central pivot of the attack.

Moore, as shown in the clip above, produced his best moment in a Rangers shirt against Dundee when he drifted into a central area from the right wing to spark an attack and score a brilliant goal, in Igamane-esque fashion.

Like the former Rangers playmaker, the teenage whiz has the technical quality, explosive burst of pace, and finishing potential to emerge as a real star for Rohl as a number ten or second striker.

The Spurs loanee, who was described as an “outrageous” talent by U23 scout Antonio Mango, scored 19 goals and provided 13 assists in 24 matches for Tottenham’s U19s, per Transfermarkt, which shows that the potential is there for him to deliver goals and assists on a regular basis.

However, the vast majority of his appearances for Rangers have come out wide, on the left or the right, and he has only scored one goal and registered two assists in 17 games, which is why Rohl should look to unleash him in a new position.

If Moore thrives in a central role and starts to display the kind of form that he did at U19 level for Spurs, Rangers will have a super talent on their hands and could finally say that they have replaced Igamane’s mercurical quality at the top end of the pitch.

A "spell on the sidelines" is needed for the "best player" at Rangers

This Glasgow Rangers star who was called the team’s best player should be dropped from the starting line-up.

ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2025

Julio Rodriguez showed off some incredible baserunning awareness during the Seattle Mariners' clash against the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.

The Mariners outfielder was attempting to get a head start by taking off from second base on a hit-and-run with J.P. Crawford at the plate. Crawford proceeded to lace a ground ball directly at Rodriguez, who had no choice but to dive headfirst underneath the ball in order to get out of its path.

He nimbly avoided the ball, and despite having entered a full slide, was able to get back to his feet, round third base and score a run to extend Seattle's lead to 7–3.

Have a look at the shifty baserunning from Rodriguez:

Had the ball hit Rodriguez, he would've been ruled out to due interference. Fortunately, he avoided such a situation by hitting the deck and deftly maneuvering out of the way of the ball. By the time the ball trickled into left field, Rodriguez was already back on his feet and heading toward home plate.

يستعد منتخب ألمانيا لخوض مباراة مصيرية، مساء يوم الإثنين، في إطار التصفيات المؤهلة إلى نهائيات كأس العالم، نسخة 2026، وذلك ضد نظيره سلوفاكيا.

ويستضيف ملعب “ريد بول” مباراة ألمانيا وسلوفاكيا في الجولة الأخيرة من تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى نهائيات كأس العالم، المجموعة الأولى.

ويتصدر منتخب ألمانيا المجموعة الأولى برصيد 12 نقطة، بفارق الأهداف عن منتخب سلوفاكيا صاحب المركز الثاني.

ويكفي التعادل منتخب ألمانيا من أجل التأهل المباشر إلى كأس العالم، في حين لا بديل سوى الفوز بالنسبة لـ سلوفاكيا من أجل الهدف نفسه. موعد مباراة ألمانيا وسلوفاكيا اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم 

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 10:45 بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ألمانيا وسلوفاكيا اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة bein sports hd 1. معلق مباراة ألمانيا وسلوفاكيا اليوم في تصفيات كأس العالم 

سيعلق علي محمد علي، على أحداث مباراة اليوم.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Tribunal says RCB went ahead with the IPL victory celebrations without seeking or getting necessary regulatory permissions

Nagraj Gollapudi01-Jul-2025A two-person bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has observed that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise was “responsible” for the gathering of about “three to five lakh people” outside the M Chinnaswamy stadium on June 4, a day after RCB had won their maiden IPL title.Eleven people died and over 50 were injured as a result of the stampede caused outside Chinnaswamy stadium, after the police did not have any means to control the swelling crowd.The two-person bench of CAT comprising Justice BK Shrivastava and Santosh Mehra said RCB, which is owned by Diageo, had “created nuisance” by going ahead with the IPL victory celebrations without seeking or getting necessary regulatory permissions. The remarks were part of the 29-page order issued on Tuesday by CAT, which was hearing a case filed by Vikash Kumar, Inspector General and Additional Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru (West).Related

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RCB senior official granted interim bail by Karnataka High Court

Vikash, along with four other cops, were suspended by the Karnataka government which alleged “substantial dereliction of duty” and not seeking “guidance” which led to the situation going “out of control, meant a lot of misery, loss of precious life and embarrassment” to the state government. Vikash challenged his suspension, and the CAT quashed the government order saying the top cop should be reinstated.The CAT order stated that neither RCB nor M/S DNA Entertainment Network Private Limited, the franchise’s event management firm, had sought any permission formally to conduct the victory parade at Chinnaswamy stadium, which has been the home base for the team since beginning of the IPL in 2008. To organise any event like that, the CAT pointed out that under the Licensing and Controlling of Assemblies and Public Procession (Bengaluru city) order, 2009, an application has to be made seven days prior (excluding the date of submission and the event). No such application was filed by RCB or DNA. ‘Gathering of immense proportion’The order said that on June 3, the day of the IPL final, Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) chief executive officer Shubhendu Ghosh wrote a letter, on behalf of DNA Network, to the Inspector at Cubbon Park Police Station (adjacent to Chinnaswamy stadium) that in case RCB won the IPL, there would be “potential victory parades” around the ground which would “end with victory celebrations” inside the stadium. The victory parade route was submitted in the same, but no permission was sought.The CAT order said that when the letter was submitted, it was “not certain” RCB would win the final and importantly it did not contain “any request for granting the permission” to organise the victory parade and celebrations.”The organiser did not wait for the response of the Police,” the order said. “At the eleventh hour, they submitted a letter and started the scheduled programme.”The order also put out the sequence of announcements made by RCB on June 4 on the franchise’s various social media handles starting with the “victory parade is scheduled in Bengaluru” post.The first post was put out at 7.01 am, the order said, and at 8 am RCB “posted a link” on their Instagram: “Army, We can’t wait to be back to the Home of Champions and celebrate with all of you today. Details out soon.” At 8.55 am, the same post was issued again, this time accompanied with a statement from Virat Kohli, RCB’s most senior player.The order said at 3.14 pm on June 4, RCB issued another post on all three social media handles saying the victory parade was being held at 5 pm IST the same day and would be followed by celebrations at Chinnaswamy stadium. The CAT pulled up RCB for “unilaterally” putting up information on celebrations without “obtaining the permission” or without the “consent” of the police.While the RCB post advised fans to “follow guidelines set by police and other authorities” so the roadshow would be enjoyed peacefully, it also said there were free passes being issued on the franchise website with a “limited entry” disclaimer. The order said since the post had no information about “disbursement of passes” it “implied” the event was “open to all”.According to the order, the first post (7.01 am) received 16 lakh views, second (8 am) 4.26 lakh views, the third (8.55 am) 7.6 lakhs views while the fourth (3.14 pm) 17 lakh views.The order said all that resulted in the “gathering of immense proportion” with nearly three lakh people gathered around Chinnaswamy Stadium, whose official capacity is 35,000. The order also stated the police machinery was already stretched having had to regulate in the night immediately after RCB’s victory in the IPL final against Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad on June 3.It was hard for the police to control the large number of people who turned up to catch a glimpse of RCB•Associated Press’Police are not God or have magic powers’The burden on the cops increased further with the Karnataka government organising a felicitation programme. “Therefore, prima facie it appears that RCB is responsible for the gathering of about three to five lakh people,” the order said. “RCB did not take the appropriate permission or consent from the Police. Suddenly, they posted on social media platforms and as a result of aforesaid information the public were gathered. Because of the shortage of time on 04.06.2025, the Police was unable to do the appropriate arrangements. Sufficient time was not given to the Police. Suddenly, RCB created the aforesaid type of nuisance without any prior permission.”The order defended the police saying cops are also “human beings” and they are “neither God (Bhagwan) nor Magician and also not having the magic powers like “” which was able to fulfil any wish only by rubbing a finger.”CAT is a quasi-judicial body which deals with issues related to government and public servants. RCB itself is not part of the proceedings. The tribunal’s observations will have no bearing on the inquiry set up by the Karnataka government to probe the stampede. The inquiry is being conducted by former High Court Justice Michael da Cunha.

Harry Kane might not be plying his trade for Tottenham Hotspur anymore, but he’s a player who will forever remain in their history for his efforts in North London.

The England international was a product of the Lilywhites’ academy setup, subsequently bursting through the ranks before securing his place in the first-team back in 2014.

He would make 435 appearances for the club during his decade in the first-team, even breaking the record for the most goals scored by a player in their history.

His tally of 280 goals surpassed the record set by the late Jimmy Greaves, but his talents within the final third have also been reflected in his international career.

Kane has scored 74 goals for his country, which has also allowed him to break the record set by former Manchester United talisman Wayne Rooney.

However, in 2025, the Lilywhites have a crop of fellow English talents, with many hoping to follow in the striker’s footsteps in being a mainstay on the international stage.

Spurs’ star performers for England in recent years

Alongside Kane, Spurs have had numerous players who have represented England at international level, many of whom have starred and made themselves key members of the squad.

Dominic Solanke and James Maddison have both previously been named in the Three Lions’ squad, but have been unable to make any appearances in recent months due to their respective injury issues.

However, Djed Spence is the latest player to break into Thomas Tuchel’s squad, even starting the friendly against Wales at Wembley on Thursday night.

The full-back featured for 90 minutes in the triumph over Craig Bellamy’s side, subsequently pocketing teammate Brennan Johnson and firing shade at the winger on social media.

His underlying stats were just as impressive, with the defender completing 98% of the passes he attempted, whilst also winning 100% of the tackles he entered.

With the 25-year-old the latest player to make his mark for England, there will be hope that another youngster in the Lilywhites ranks can follow in his footsteps in the years ahead.

The Spurs star who could be England’s next superstar

After making 19 appearances for Spurs last season, 18-year-old winger Mikey Moore is a player with a huge future ahead of him in North London.

He’s spent the majority of his life on the books of the Lilywhites, but was catapulted into the limelight last season as a result of the injury crisis under Ange Postecoglou.

Such a situation even led to the teenager scoring his first professional goal in the meeting with Elfsborg in the Europa League – a moment that will undoubtedly stick with him forever.

However, he was loaned out by Thomas Frank this summer, subsequently joining Rangers until the end of the 2025/26 campaign to gain valuable minutes to continue his progression.

He’s not the only talented Englishman within their ranks, with 16-year-old star Luca Williams-Barnett another player who is set for a bright future in North London.

The attacking midfielder has been starring way above his age group over the last few seasons, with the youngster featuring in the U18s for the majority of 2024/25.

He ended the year with a staggering 23 goals and nine assists in his 24 outings for the Lilywhites, resulting in a jump up once again – now becoming a key member of the U21 side.

Such form has led to the teenager being handed his first senior appearance against Doncaster Rovers last month – with analyst Ben Mattinson labelling him “one of England’s best talents”.

Williams-Barnett’s first-team outing is one thing, but he’s also managed to thrive in the youth ranks once again, now registering eight goals and five assists in his nine outings in all competitions.

Luca Williams-Barnett

9

Rio Kyerematen

5

Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny

4

Oliver Irow

3

Yusuf Akhamrich

3

Tynan Thompson

3

Dane Scarlett

2

Dante Cassanova

2

His numbers for the U21s are nothing short of sensational, with the teenager now boasting the best record of any player in the squad – an unthinkable feat for someone playing five years above their age category.

Williams-Barnett has also cemented his place in the England U18 setup, making three appearances already this campaign and scoring on two occasions – further showcasing his incredible talents.

Given his tender age, there’s no denying that the attacker needs more time in the academy system to develop before being able to make the jump into the first-team squad.

However, if he continues on his current trajectory, there’s no reason why he can’t emulate Kane’s success, whether that be in North London for Spurs or even on the international stage for England.

Bigger talent than Vuskovic: Spurs' "absolute jewel" could be the new Son

While Luka Vušković is impressing on loan at HSV, Tottenham have struck gold on an “absolute jewel” who could become Spurs’ new Son Heung-min.

1 ByBen Gray Oct 10, 2025

Amazingly, Leeds United’s record at this early stage in the Premier League season lines up well to their positive start out of the blocks under Marcelo Bielsa during the 2020/21 season.

Directly after sealing promotion up to the big-time, the much-loved South American would steer the Whites to an unbelievable ninth final position, having initially picked up two wins from his side’s opening five clashes in the league.

Daniel Farke already has two victories under his belt, too, with the 3-1 success away at Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out further mirroring Leeds sides of old when it came to the clinical nature of their first-half display.

Of course, there is still a long way to go, but the German will be hoping he can pull off a similarly high finish down the line.

Leeds will no doubt feel a boost knowing Ao Tanaka is also slowly but surely returning to full fitness, with the Japanese midfielder going down as an instant revelation in the Championship.

The shrewd capture of Tanaka

The Whites really did win in the summer transfer market before embarking on their promotion adventure, as the likes of Jayden Bogle and Joe Rodon joined to enhance the defence, while Manor Solomon added more quality up top on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

Yet, snapping up the services of Tanaka for just £2.9m from Fortuna Düsseldorf managed to slip under the initial radar.

However, it’s safe to say that Tanaka is now a well-known and much-loved presence at Elland Road, with the silky 27-year-old going on to collect five goals and two assists last campaign on the way to Farke and Co. returning to the Premier League.

He made such a blistering impact to proceedings that Farke would even label him as “unbelievable” for what he can offer, with those glowing words backed up by his well-rounded game when averaging both a 90% pass accuracy last season, while also getting stuck in with 4.3 duels per second-tier clash, as per Sofascore.

Further noted as being “difficult to dislodge” from the starting XI by Paul Robinson last season, it is testament to Leeds’ collective strengths so far this campaign that they haven’t been derailed by Tanaka’s injury issues.

While Tanaka has been sidelined, another astute capture achieved this summer has stood out, with the cost-effective buy perhaps going down as Leeds’ best foray in the market since the £2.9m deal to bring the number 22 to English shores.

Leeds have made their best signing since Tanaka

After all, Leeds have managed to bolster their midfield positions this summer, away from solely relying on more of Tanaka’s magic up a division.

Indeed, Anton Stach is also in the running to be considered Leeds’ smartest purchase since landing the Japan international last year, with the versatile 26-year-old costing £20m and proving to be worth all that cash alone just based on this fierce free-kick being hammered home at Molineux.

Wth an assist also next to his name, it’s clear that Leeds have struck gold already with another standout buy from the Bundesliga.

Yet, it could well be argued that Gabriel Gudmundsson is actually a better buy than Stach, despite his electric start to life in West Yorkshire, with the arrival of the Swede making the Whites feel far more assured about their problematic left-back spot.

While Leeds did recruit well when making the step-up, it was a clear body blow when Junior Firpo exited the building this summer, with the former Whites hero amassing ten assists last season from the left-back position.

This left Farke and Co. in a considerable spot of bother as Sam Byram was now the only recognised option on the left. Thankfully, Leeds would seal a deal to bring Gudmundsson for just £10m to fill the Firpo-shaped hole, with this looking to be a worthwhile bargain already.

Games played

5

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches*

63.2

Accurate passes*

31.6 (81%)

Ball recoveries*

3.6

Clearances*

3.8

Total duels won*

4.2

Minus his own-goal horror show away at Fulham, Gudmundsson has been a solid addition, with his calming influence on the ball different to that of a gung-ho Firpo, but more effective in the Premier League.

Moreover, with 4.2 duels won on average, he has more than helped Leeds to pick up those two invaluable victories, with three duels successfully won on the road at the Old Gold. He was arguably the club’s “best player” in that latest victory.

Heralded as a “fantastic” addition to the camp already by ex-Leeds defender Tony Dorigo, it could well be that the Malmo-born star goes on to be viewed as another Tanaka-like bargain, particularly if his efforts steer the Whites to immediate survival and, potentially, even more.

Leeds star spotted "limping" and may now be injured alongside Jayden Bogle

One of Leeds’ replacement players has had his own injury concerns.

ByCallum Kemp Sep 21, 2025

Shanto hopes hosts can remedy their recent record at home, while Ervine looks forward to Zimbabwe bumper year in Test cricket

Mohammad Isam19-Apr-2025

While Bangladesh are gearing up for their first Test in 2025 and preparing for life without most of their stalwarts, Zimbabwe will be playing a rare series in the subcontinent. The first Test in Sylhet from Sunday will mark a fresh start for both teams.Bangladesh ended their 2023-2025World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with four wins, including beating West Indies in a thrilling finish in Kingston in December 2024. Their captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is hoping to build on that success.”As a captain, I think that we need to play every match to win,” Shanto said. “We don’t have that intention to play selfish cricket. As I said, we would start something new and that would start from tomorrow. I also hope that the management will also help us in this regard too. I think our Test cricket has become stagnant for the last 20-22 years. So, we need to change something. We are thinking about that. I hope this will work in our favour.”Related

As good as it gets: A perfect first day for Zimbabwe

In-transition Bangladesh face Zimbabwe test in rainy Sylhet

Bangladesh hire James Pamment as new fielding coach

Williams, Ervine return to Zimbabwe squad for Bangladesh Tests

Williamson backs international windows and WTC 'tweaks'

It’s a unique time to be a Zimbabwe cricketer. They are scheduled to play eleven Tests this year, the most since 2001. They haven’t played as many in the last four years combined. Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine is looking forward to see how his team fares in different conditions. After the Test series in Bangladesh, Zimbabwe will face England at Trent Bridge in May before returning home to play South Africa and New Zealand later this year.”We want to bring a no-fear attitude,” Ervine said. “The guys are not familiar with Bangladesh conditions, but long preparations give you the confidence to go out and express yourself. I understand we haven’t had a great run in Test cricket. I think this is the first year in which we have a lot of Test cricket lined up for us.”The type of opponents in the next few months is really exciting too. We don’t have a lot of experience in Bangladesh, but I think the young group needs to play in different conditions to mature as cricketers.”Sean Williams and Craig Ervine will continue to lead Zimbabwe’s batting line-up•Zimbabwe Cricket

Among Zimbabwe’s batters, only Ervine and Sean Williams have Test experience in the subcontinent. The likes of Ben Curran, Wessly Madhevere and Brian Bennett have shown promise, and have been picking the brains of the seniors.”They are trying to find out the little key pointers to play in the subcontinent,” Ervine said. “Sean Williams has done very well in Bangladesh. They are picking those brains. [They are asking] what have you done, what works for you – preparation wise and mental wise. So that they can put that into practice. Our process started with the week preparation back home. When we got here, it is a continuation of that, and slight adjustment to the conditions.”Bangladesh are hoping to become a more consistent team and there is considerable focus on their captain’s shaky form and their cricketing culture. Shanto has scored just one fifty in his last ten Test innings and his last hundred was back in November 2023.”It is disappointing to talk about our Test culture despite being in the arena for more than two decades,” Shanto said. “We had a good 2024, winning four Tests against good oppositions.”We have been talking about building a team culture, figuring out how we want to play. The new coach [Phil Simmons] has also shared his philosophy about how he wants to take the team forward. We are supposed to play five or six Tests this year so I am hopeful that we can show something new in 2025.”Shanto’s domestic form is more encouraging. He scored back-to-back fifties for Abhani Ltd in the Dhaka Premier League earlier this month. His Test form is part of Bangladesh’s wider top-order problem: their openers haven’t scored a Test ton in two-and-a-half years.”Obviously everyone needs to be consistent,” Shanto said. “If I’m talking about myself, in the last year, in many innings I got out after getting set like scoring 30-40 runs. This is not acceptable in this format, because I was getting out after going through the tough periods. I have worked on that. I will try more.”Of course, the top order isn’t performing. But they are trying. And I think with the resources we have got, we have to give them enough chances to be ready. As you said, we don’t face that challenge in domestic cricket. So, if we give them opportunities in international cricket, they will start to perform.”Shanto has another challenge to deal with. Bangladesh have lost their last five home Tests, including Sri Lanka trampling them in Sylhet last year.”We didn’t play well at home last year,” Shanto said. “We couldn’t execute the plans we had. I think it will be important to bring the results at home. Getting the results away is difficult. As we were able to do that, I would hope that we would do better at home too.”

He was due to join up with the Lions team for the domestic first-class final, but did not arrive in Johannesburg

Firdose Moonda10-Apr-2025South Africa’s Test captain Temba Bavuma has suffered an elbow injury again and will miss the domestic first-class final which starts in Johannesburg today. Bavuma was due to join up with the Lions team on Tuesday from Cape Town, but did not arrive in Johannesburg.The Lions found out late on Wednesday that Bavuma would not play the match because of the niggle, which has taken place just over two months before the World Test Championship final in June.ESPNcricinfo has ascertained Bavuma’s injury is on the left elbow – the same one he has injured before. The Lions are unaware at this stage how serious the injury is and were caught off guard by Bavuma’s late withdrawal. On Wednesday morning, Lions captain Dominic Hendricks told the media he was looking forward to playing with Bavuma in the marquee game.Bavuma fractured his left elbow in 2022, which forced him out of South Africa’s tour to England that year and sidelined him for three months. He then reinjured the same elbow when he fell awkwardly while completing a single against Ireland in an ODI in Abu Dhabi last year and missed South Africa’s Tests against Bangladesh. He had no red-ball match practice before the home summer and spoke openly about battling mental demons after a wretched run with his fitness, which also included injuries to both hamstrings. Despite that, Bavuma made a stirring comeback with two centuries in four Tests and a run of four fifty-plus scores against Sri Lanka. He also captained South Africa to the Champions Trophy semi-final but has batted with heavy strapping on his elbow throughout the season.Since the Champions Trophy, Bavuma has played no competitive cricket but was present with the Lions for their final first-class league match in Bloemfontein last week, which was completely rained out. He then traveled to Cape Town and was due to rejoin the team ahead of the final against the Titans but news of his injury has since emerged.South Africa have just over eight weeks before the WTC final against Australia which starts on June 11. They are planning practice matches from mid-May, including a game against an international opposition in England, ahead of the final. They will not play any cricket before then with several players involved at the IPL 2025 and others on the county circuit. Bavuma does not have any overseas engagements and the final was due to be his last match of the season, but the latest niggle has scuppered those plans. He was named on CSA’s central contract list this week.

If we just ignore the minor injury crisis, this looks set to be an incredibly exciting campaign for Chelsea.

Granted, Enzo Maresca’s side did drop points in their Premier League season opener, but back-to-back wins against London competition have proven that they’re a better team than last year.

That shouldn’t be much of a surprise, though, as the Blues made a host of brilliant signings over the summer, including Joao Pedro, who already looks more than settled.

That said, Todd Boehly and Co will hope he keeps up the good form as they’ve already made a significant loss on someone who’s been compared to him.

Joao Pedro's start to life at Chelsea

Chelsea were quick to sign Pedro this summer, paying Brighton & Hove Albion around £60m and bringing him in before the end of the Club World Cup campaign.

It was a good thing they did, as the Brazilian made an instant impact, scoring three goals in three appearances in the competition, including one in the final against Champions League champions Paris Saint-Germain.

His brilliant form continued into pre-season with a couple of goals against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan, before his first blank in the season opener against Crystal Palace.

However, you can’t keep such an incredible player down for too long, and away to West Ham United, the former Watford ace got back up and running with a headed goal, and then he grabbed another goal at home to Fulham on Saturday.

In all, it’s hard to think of another signing in the Premier League this season who has got off to as good a start as the prolific forward has.

It’s not just the goals either, as the 23-year-old dynamo has also provided two assists in the league so far, and his overall play makes him stand out wherever he is on the pitch.

Interestingly, Chelsea signed a player who has been compared to Pedro, but instead of him becoming a success in West London, he was just sold for a sizable loss.

Chelsea's former Pedro

Given the number of players Chelsea have signed over the years, it’s no surprise that they’ve had more than their fair share of duds.

Where Are They Now

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Yet, unlike many teams, the Blues are remarkably good at either minimising their losses on these players or even making a small profit on them.

Unfortunately, that did not happen with Christopher Nkunku.

The French international joined the Blues under former boss Mauricio Pochettino in the summer of 2023 for a fee of around £52m, and after two disappointing years in West London, was sold for up to £36m to AC Milan this summer.

While that isn’t too bad a fee to get for the player, it does represent a £16m loss, which is quite sizable for a player who has been compared to Pedro.

Yes, the former RB Leipzig gem, who could only muster a tally of 18 goals and five assists in 62 appearances for the Blues, has been likened to Maresca’s new star.

The comparison stems from FBref, which has concluded that the new Milan man was the sixth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the former Brighton ace in the Premier League last season.

We can see how such a conclusion was reached by delving into some of the underlying numbers in which the pair ranked so closely.

These include metrics such as non-penalty goals plus assists, key passes, shot and goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Pedro & Nkunku

Statistics per 90

Pedro

Nkunku

Non-Penalty G+As

0.51

0.49

Key Passes

1.39

1.37

Shot-Creating Actions

3.32

3.32

Goal-Creating Actions

0.42

0.39

Ball Recoveries

2.73

2.84

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 PL Season

These numbers do suggest that the underwhelming Frenchman is still a talented attacker, but just someone who could not get to grips with life in the Premier League and turn good underlying numbers into concrete results.

Away from the stats, the other similarity between the two players is their ability to start in various positions, from up top to out wide and even in attacking midfield.

Ultimately, Pedro looks like the real deal for Chelsea, and while there is always a chance things don’t work out, it feels like he’ll succeed where Nkunku failed.

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Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 3, 2025

Ex-Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has vehemently defended the club in the Negreira case, asserting former refereeing chiefs had no influence over the club's results due to their biases favoured Real Madrid. With Rosell challenging critics to review matches and Real Madrid escalating complaints to FIFA, Spanish football faces a high-stakes debate over integrity, influence and accountability.

Sandro Rosell’s defence in the Negreira case

Rosell appeared before the judge last week in the Negreira case, which is investigating over €7 million allegedly paid by Barcelona to former referees’ chief Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018. Audio recordings broadcast on capture Rosell’s assertive defence: he stressed that Negreira “had zero weight” in the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) and that the only influential figure historically was the CTA president, who “has always been a Real Madrid fan.”

Rosell challenged critics to watch the matches from the period under investigation: "Yes, it's very easy. Let's watch all the matches and have five referee experts come and tell us in which match the referee helped us. Let them come. Here they can't say I filed the case due to lack of evidence. Here the evidence is in favour of the accused. It's the other way around."

During the latest hearing, former presidents Josep Bartomeu and Rosell, along with Negreira’s son, also clarified that payments made between 2013 and 2018 were for sports and refereeing advisory reports, not to influence results. The court heard that services were provided for both the first team and reserves, and that Enriquez Negreira’s departure from the Federation was unrelated to his son’s employment at Barca.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMadrid's official complaint to FIFA

Madrid’s recently submitted complaint focuses on refereeing inconsistencies, citing specific incidents such as Arda Guler’s disallowed goal, Kylian Mbappe's marginal offsides, and Dean Huijsen’s red card against Real Sociedad. Club president Florentino Perez insists on international scrutiny, arguing that domestic refereeing lacks credibility. When asked about the complaint, coach Xabi Alonso emphasised that defending the club’s interests is legitimate but cautioned against a one-track focus on refereeing.

The complaint also references the Negreira case, contending that the scandal continues to cast a shadow over Spanish officiating, as many referees active today came through the system during Negreira’s tenure.

Rosell critiques Madrid’s actions

The former Barca president did not shy away from criticising Madrid’s recent refereeing complaints, pointing to their escalation to FIFA.

"A gentleman's club should have accepted this and not dragged it out for life as they are trying to do to cover up other things," he said. "Like now, for example, after four league games, they have already gone to complain to FIFA about the refereeing. Where is Mr. Negreira now?"

Rosell further took shots at Los Blancos and emphasised that sometimes you have to accept your defeat.

"Here they can say that we're closing the case because the evidence supports the accused… and that's it. Let's all sit down and watch the games again. I'd love to. Maybe some people here wouldn't like to watch it again. I'm sorry. But sometimes you don't win. Sometimes you lose, and you have to accept that."

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AFPWill there be an official review of the Spanish referee committee?

Barcelona now awaits the court’s judgment in the Negreira case, which will determine the fate of former presidents Rosell and Bartomeu. Meanwhile, Madrid are seeking FIFA scrutiny over refereeing inconsistencies.

The unfolding situation raises a critical question: can there be an official review of the Spanish Referee Committee (CTA)? While the court addresses the criminal and financial aspects of the case, FIFA or the Royal Spanish Football Federation could potentially review refereeing standards, procedures, and oversight to ensure fairness and transparency in La Liga. This period of scrutiny represents a pivotal moment for Spanish football, as both legal and regulatory outcomes could reshape the governance of officiating for years to come.