India will face Bangladesh in the final in Dubai on Sunday
PTI06-Dec-2024
Vaibhav Suryavanshi top-scored with 67•Associated Press
Vaibhav Suryavanshi starred with a second successive half-century as India stormed into the Under-19 Asia Cup final with a comprehensive seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in Sharjah on Friday.The 13-year-old, who became the youngest cricketer ever to be bought at an IPL auction last month, smashed five sixes and six fours for his 36-ball 67 as India chased down a target of 174 with as many as 170 balls to spare.India will face Bangladesh in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.Related
Bihar's Suryavanshi becomes youngest IPL player at just 13
Bangladesh defeated Pakistan by seven wickets, completing a chase of 117 in 22.1 overs in the first semi-final in Dubai.Opting to bat, Sri Lanka could only manage 173 in 46.2 overs despite a valiant effort from Lakvin Abeysinghe (69 off 110) and Sharujan Shanmuganathan (42 off 78).Their innings struggled to gain momentum but Indian bowlers were in full control with Chetan Sharma (3 for 34), Kiran Chormale (2 for 32), and Ayush Mhatre (2 for 37) wreaking havoc in the middle overs.Ayush Mhatre’s 34 off 28 laid a solid foundation for the chase as he put on a stand of 91 with Suryavanshi for the opening wicket.The young left-hander from Bihar troubled the Sri Lankan bowlers from the beginning as he started with consecutive sixes and a boundary off Sigera, who ended up giving away 31 runs in his opening over.Mhatre too played his strokes at the other end as the duo raced to 87 for no loss in eight overs before Vihas Thewmika gave Sri Lanka their first breakthrough by removing the batter.But Suryavanshi kept the run rate ticking despite losing his opening partner, forging another crucial association with C Andre Siddharth (22).He didn’t stop there, taking the attack to the bowlers with his aggressive strokes, including scoring two sixes off Aayan Khan. Captain Mohamed Amaan (25 not out) and KP Karthikeya (11 not out) then completed the chase.
Liverpool did not know how things would pan out as they stepped into the unknown following Jurgen Klopp’s decision to step down. But the Reds rode the crest of that wave of belief and emerged as Premier League champions with Arne Slot at the helm.
Milos Kerkez, one of Europe’s most promising full-backs, has been signed, and Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz have both completed transfers from Bayer Leverkusen to Merseyside. Giorgi Mamardashvili is Alisson Becker’s new training partner between the sticks.
And, of course, Liverpool have now finalised a £79m deal for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, who has been described as “the perfect centre-forward” by pundit Owen Hargreaves.
The exciting part is that there’s more still to come. However, this isn’t one-way traffic for the Anfield side: Trent Alexander-Arnold left for Real Madrid many weeks ago; Darwin Nunez is slated to move away.
And Luis Diaz is the focus of a concerted approach from Bayern Munich.
The latest on Luis Diaz's Liverpool future
There’s a lot of noise around Diaz and his Liverpool future, and it feels like he might be set to leave in the coming weeks.
Luis Diaz
Bayern have already seen a £58.5m bid knocked back for the Colombia international, and they are reportedly ready to bid again.
Though Slot won’t want to lose such an important part of his first-team squad, Diaz is 28 and has entered the next-to-the-last year of his contract. A new deal doesn’t appear to be forthcoming.
Liverpool have Cody Gakpo on the left flank, but Diaz has emerged as a shrewd option at centre-forward in Slot’s system, and it might take more than just Ekitike, who is 23, to replace him.
Luis Diaz – Liverpool Career by Position
Position
Apps
Goals
Assists
Left winger
76
31
21
Centre-forward
16
8
1
Right winger
6
1
1
Data via Transfermarkt
Thus, the spending might not be concluded just yet for the Merseysiders.
Liverpool favourites for Diaz replacement
On Thursday, perhaps the biggest breaking news of the transfer window emerged. Alexander Isak wants to explore a move away from St James’ Park this summer.
Well, according to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool have retained their interest in the Newcastle United striker, even after sealing a deal for Ekitike, with a first approach made at the start of last week regarding his availability.
In fact, Arsenal and Chelsea, both keen on the Premier League superstar, have been informed that his preference would be to join Liverpool this summer, should he leave St. James’ Park.
Isak
However, Isak would cost a significant outlay. The Magpies would want him to eclipse the June deal for Wirtz, seeking a British-record £130m fee for his signature.
The 25-year-old has not travelled with Newcastle for their pre-season tour in Asia and is exploring his options as he targets a move to Merseyside.
Why Alexander Isak could help Liverpool replace Diaz
Analyst Raj Chohan declared Isak to have been “the best striker in the world” last season, having scored 27 goals and supplied six assists across 42 matches in all competitions for Newcastle.
The likes of Erling Haaland and Viktor Gyokeres might have scored at a more clinical rate, but the Sweden star is unmatched when it comes to creativity, completeness.
As per FBref, he ranked among the top 16% of centre-forwards across Europe’s top five leagues last season for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90.
It’s accepted that Isak would take Liverpool’s team to the next level, combining with Ekitike and Wirtz and Mohamed Salah to an extraordinary effect. There’s no question that he would be the pick of the goalscoring bunch.
The £120k-per-week striker would definitely mark an upgrade on Diaz, who impressed as a makeshift number nine last season but doesn’t have that natural-born instinct that Isak would bring to the table.
To be sure, Diaz stood out for his electric movements and off-the-ball movements, ranked among the top 3% of strikers across Europe last year for both progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.
However, in Isak, Liverpool would be signing a new sensation capable of upholding such tactical virtues while concurrently transcending the goal threat that Slot currently has at his disposal from central options, with pundit Alan Shearer noting his “world-class” ball-striking ability.
Premier League – Top Scorers Since 22/23
#
Player
Apps
Goals (per 90)
1.
Erling Haaland
97
85 (0.88)
2.
Mohamed Salah
108
66 (0.61)
3.
Alexander Isak
86
54 (0.63)
4.
Ollie Watkins
112
50 (0.45)
5.
Bryan Mbeumo
101
38 (0.38)
Data via Transfermarkt
Furthermore, while Diaz’s haul of 17 goals and eight assists across all competitions in 2024/25 denotes his high-level clinical ability, he enjoyed several purple patches throughout the season, bagging braces against Manchester United and Bournemouth in September, and another against Tottenham Hotspur in December.
Diaz also posted a hat-trick during Liverpool’s 4-0 romp over Bayer Leverkusen Champions League.
Liverpool forward Luis Diaz
Such details are hardly to the South American’s detriment, but they do highlight his proneness to stretches without prolific impact, and in Isak, Liverpool would not have that same problem, for he is one of the most consistently threatening strikers in the business, and creative besides.
If the cogs fall into place and Liverpool truly have a window to strike at Newcastle’s talisman, they must do so. Such a signing would cement Slot’s project as one of the definitive of this generation – worldwide.
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Fifties to Grace Scrivens, Cordelia Griffith and Jodi Grewcock drive seven-wicket victory
ECB Reporters Network14-Sep-2024
Grace Scrivens was one of three Sunrisers batters to reach fifty•Getty Images
Half-centuries from captain Grace Scrivens, Cordelia Griffith and Jodi Grewcock steered Sunrisers to a maiden Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy final appearance as they chased 233 to beat 2022 champions Northern Diamonds by seven wickets in a one-sided semi-final at Headingley.Sunrisers will meet South East Stars in next Saturday’s final at Leicester.Sunrisers held firm in a contest which swung back and forth, with opener Scrivens posting 56 off 73 balls, Griffith 68 off 89 off and Grewcock 63 not out off 68. The latter two posted season’s-best scores as victory was sealed in the 44th over.Diamonds, aiming for a fourth 50-over final in the five-year regional era, posted 232 for 8 thanks to opener Emma Marlow’s measured 63 added to 49 from Sterre Kalis and a late 32 not out from 15 balls for Phoebe Turner.Six of the seven bowlers employed by Scrivens, including herself, struck before she confidently laid the platform for a chase all but finished off by a 134-partnership for the third wicket between Griffith and Grewcock. It was their region’s highest of the season.Having elected to bat, the Diamonds innings was built around a solid start and a blistering end.Marlow shared in two early partnerships of substance – 48 for the first wicket with Lauren Winfield-Hill and 42 for the third with Kalis, who was run out at the end of the penultimate over.When Marlow fell, caught and bowled by new ball seamer Kate Coppack as the score fell to 119 for 3 after 29 overs, Sunrisers put the squeeze on impressively.Coppack was excellent in conceding only 29 runs from her 10 overs, while leg-spinner Grewcock also struck once and was nearly as miserly as she conceded 26 in eight overs.Coppack’s new-ball partner Eva Gray struck twice with her lively seamers, getting Erin Burns caught at mid-off and Abi Glen caught at short third as the score fell to 185 for 7 in the 47th over.Led by Phoebe Turner, Diamonds then counter-attacked as she crashed five boundaries in her cameo, including four of them off Gray as the 49th over cost 20.Key seamer Sophie Munro only bowling two early overs, including the wicket of Rebecca Duckworth caught behind, before leaving the field injured hurt Sunrisers on a sunny Headingley day. But they cruised with the bat.Sunrisers have now won eight RHF Trophy matches this season. In the first four seasons of regional cricket, which started in 2020, they only won six combined.Scrivens shared an opening partnership of 70 in 14 overs with Jo Gardner, which included the former hoisting the off-spin of Australian all-rounder Burns for six over wide long-on.After Gardner had been trapped lbw by Beth Langston for 19, Scrivens reached her fifty off 66 balls – her fourth added to a century in this campaign.Her haul of 514 runs is the second best in the competition.However, the left-hander was trapped lbw by Katie Levick’s leg-spin not long afterwards, leaving Sunrisers 91 for two in the 19th over.From there, Griffith took on the senior role to steer the chase, with one late cut for four off Levick particularly memorable. She also clubbed a Rachel Slater full toss over square-leg for six.By the time she reached her fifty off 64 balls, Sunrisers were all but over the winning line at 181 for two in the 36th over.Grewcock rubber-stamped things with a 54-ball fifty, effectively ending the Diamonds existence given their players will now head to pastures new following the domestic restructure ahead of 2025.Levick trapped Griffith lbw, but it was nothing more than consolatory as Sunrisers get one last dance.
Manchester United are now willing to trigger the £8m release clause required to sign a “fantastic” Casemiro replacement, according to a report.
Casemiro's future at Man Utd
Widespread recent reports have suggested that Casemiro wants to stay at Man United, following talks with new Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti, which could be viewed as a positive, given that the 33-year-old ended the season very well.
The 33-year-old made it clear he was proud of the way he was able to force his way back into the starting XI, saying: “Of course, you want to win titles, but one of the most successful seasons of my career, without a doubt, was this one. For turning things around, with hard work and dedication.”
However, there have been suggestions that the former Real Madrid man is not the player he once was, with Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher famously claiming the midfielder should call it a day at the top level and move to the MLS or Saudi Arabia.
According to a report from Spain, United are now looking at replacements for Casemiro, given that the Brazilian is past his best, and they are willing to trigger the £8m release clause in Wilfred Ndidi’s Leicester City contract.
The Red Devils don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to sign Ndidi for such a low fee, having tracked the midfielder for quite some time, and the fact he is experienced in the Premier League means it shouldn’t take too long to adapt to life at Old Trafford.
The 28-year-old is viewed as a long-term replacement for Casemiro, but there is also a possibility the two midfielders are used interchangeably next season, should the Brazil international remain at the club.
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ByBrett Worthington Jun 30, 2025 Ndidi could be "fantastic" Casemiro replacement
Should Casemiro decide he wants to stay at Old Trafford, it will be difficult to get him off the books, given that the central midfielder remains under contract for another year, and his £350k-a-week wages could be prohibitive for potential suitors.
Casemiro and Fernandes
However, there are signs that Ndidi could be a solid replacement for the maestro on a long-term basis, having performed very well across some key defensive metrics over the past year, despite Leicester’s relegation from the top flight.
Statistic
Average per 90
Tackles
3.29 (95th percentile)
Blocks
1.82 (93rd percentile)
Clearances
3.10 (97th percentile)
Aerials won
2.36 (96th percentile)
Not only that, but the Nigerian has been lauded as “fantastic” by members of the media, and he is vastly experienced at Premier League level, having made 220 appearances in the competition.
At just £8m, Ndidi could be a bargain addition to Ruben Amorim’s squad, but it doesn’t look like Casemiro will be on the move in the near future.
After confirming their takeover, the 49ers are now reportedly advancing their efforts to land their first signing of the summer at Rangers in the form of an in-demand defender.
49ers complete Rangers takeover
It’s been a long time coming, but Rangers have finally confirmed the news that a consortium of investors led by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises has completed an official takeover. The new owners, as confirmed on Rangers’ official website, have committed to investing £20m into the club which will be subject to shareholder approval next month.
49ers chief Paraag Marathe shared his excitement about getting started at Ibox, saying: “At 49ers Enterprises, we have built a track record of sporting and business success, but our driving motivation is our deep connection to the clubs and communities we serve.
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“We are excited to join Andrew and our other consortium of investors in a new era for this iconic club, and we are determined to build something that supporters can be proud of for years to come.
Cavenagh added onto that by saying: “We are deeply grateful for the trust placed in us by the Rangers Board, shareholders, staff, and supporters. This club’s history and traditions speak for themselves, but history doesn’t win matches.
“We know that the true way to honour the club’s heritage will be to drive performance. Our focus is simple: elevate performance, deliver results, and bring Rangers back to where it belongs – at the top.”
At the start of a new era, the first task that the 49ers must complete is clear. Rangers need a new manager. Names such as Davide Ancelotti have found themselves linked on that front in recent weeks, but the path that new owners go down remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, the 49ers have also already reportedly turned their focus towards securing the first incoming of a new era and one that could arrive at a bargain price when the summer transfer window swings open.
49ers advancing Toure transfer for Rangers
According to Africa Foot, as relayed by Sport Witness, the 49ers are now advancing a free transfer to sign Almamy Toure on a free transfer for Rangers. The Kaiserslautern centre-back is set to leave the 2. Bundesliga club at the end of his current deal this summer and could be on his way to Scotland as a result.
An experienced defender at 29 years old and a full Mali international, Rangers are not alone in the race to sign Toure. The veteran centre-back also reportedly has interest from Italian club Genoa, Turkish side Trabzonspor and America’s Philadelphia Union.
Almamy Toure for Kaiserslaughten.
Amid such interest, it would be an impressive first move from the 49ers if they were to beat others around Europe to a key defensive reinforcement. Toure’s arrival would also hand whoever takes to the dugout next an ideal start in pursuit of building a side capable of catching Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.
Arsenal have been one of the Champions League’s most frequent participants, but have not been able to take home the famous trophy.
The Gunners have come unstuck against Bayern Munich and PSG since returning to the competition after six seasons away, with Mikel Arteta’s side spending years in the relative wilderness of the Europa League (as well as one year out of Europe altogether) before threatening to go all the way in 2024/25.
From repeated last-16 heartache to final… heartbreak, the Gunners have had quite a journey in the Champions League over the years.
So how does Arsenal’s Champions League record shape up? While they had two European Cup campaigns in 1971 and 1991, they have appeared in 21 of the last 27 editions of the UEFA Champions League ahead of their expected entry in 2025/26.
Arsenal's top 25 Champions League moments
Arsenal have enjoyed some of their greatest European nights in the Champions League.
ByMark Marston May 15, 2025
Here is a complete Arsenal record in Europe’s premier club competition.
Season
Stage reached
Beaten by
1998/99
Group stage
Dynamo Kyiv, Lens, Panathinaikos
1999/00
Group stage
Barcelona, Fiorentina, AIK
2000/01
Quarter-finals
Valencia
2001/02
Second group stage
Leverkusen, Deportivo, Arsenal
2002/03
Second group stage
Valencia, Ajax, Roma
2003/04
Quarter-finals
Chelsea
2004/05
Round of 16
Bayern Munich
2005/06
Final
Barcelona
2006/07
Round of 16
PSV
2007/08
Quarter-finals
Liverpool
2008/09
Semi-finals
Man Utd
2009/10
Quarter-finals
Barcelona
2010/11
Round of 16
Barcelona
2011/12
Round of 16
Milan
2012/13
Round of 16
Bayern Munich
2013/14
Round of 16
Bayern Munich
2014/15
Round of 16
Monaco
2015/16
Round of 16
Barcelona
2016/17
Round of 16
Bayern Munich
2023/24
Quarter-finals
Bayern Munich
2024/25
Semi-finals
PSG
1998/99 First CL campaign ends in group stage disappointment
Arsenal secured their maiden UEFA Champions League berth after winning the Premier League title in Arsene Wenger’s first full season at the club.
Their first two seasons in the competition were marked by the Gunners playing their home games at Wembley in order to play in front of larger crowds, with the national stadium having almost double the amount of seats as Highbury.
Unfortunately, with only group winners guaranteed a quarter-final place, Arsenal were left to rue some late equalisers as they ended up finishing third on the head-to-head rule.
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
Group stage
Lens (a)
D 1-1
Vairelles / Overmars
Group stage
Panathinaikos (h)
W 2-1
Adams, Keown / Mauro
Group stage
Dynamo Kyiv (h)
D 1-1
Bergkamp / Rebrov
Group stage
Dynamo Kyiv (a)
L 1-3
Rebrov, Holovko, Shevchenko / Hughes
Group stage
Lens (h)
L 0-1
Debeve
Group stage
Panathinaikos (a)
W 3-1
Sypniewski / Asanovic (og), Anelka, Boa Morte
1999/00 Fiorentina and Barcelona win at Wembley to eliminate Gunners
Arsenal came up against some world superstars such as Gabriel Batistuta and Rivaldo in the first group stage, and while they were far from embarrassed, they fell short by a point to finish third once again.
They found solace in a run to the UEFA Cup final, where they were beaten on penalties by Galatasaray.
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
Group stage
Fiorentina (a)
D 0-0
None
Group stage
AIK (h)
W 3-1
Ljungberg, Henry, Suker / Nordin
Group stage
Barcelona (a)
D 1-1
Luis Enrique / Kanu
Group stage
Barcelona (h)
L 2-4
Bergkamp, Overmars / Rivaldo, Luis Enrique, Figo, Cocu
Group stage
Fiorentina (h)
L 0-1
Batistuta
Group stage
AIK (a)
W 3-2
A. Andersson (2) / Overmars (2), Suker
2000/01 Gunners suffer away goals heartbreak Pt. 1
The 2000/01 campaign was the first time the Gunners made it through the group stage – a feat they repeated for the following 16 years.
It was also the one and only time they made it past the second group stage before it was discontinued in 2003.
Qualifying comfortably from the group as winners, they survived a second group stage including would-be familiar foes Bayern Munich, before falling to Valencia on away goals in the quarter-finals despite Ray Parlour’s first-leg screamer.
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
Group stage
Sparta Prague (a)
W 1-0
Sylvinho
Group stage
Shakhtar Donetsk (h)
W 3-2
Wiltord, Keown (2) / Bakharev, Vorobey
Group stage
Lazio (h)
W 2-0
Ljungberg (2)
Group stage
Lazio (a)
D 1-1
Pires
Group stage
Sparta Prague
W 4-2
Parlour, Lauren, Dixon, Kanu / Labant, Rosicky
Group stage
Shakhtar Donetsk (a)
L 0-3
Atelkin, Vorobey, Byelik
Second group stage
Spartak Moscow (a)
L 1-4
Marcao (2), Titov, Robson / Sylvinho
Second group stage
Bayern Munich (h)
D 2-2
Henry, Kanu / Tarnat, Scholl
Second group stage
Lyon (a)
W 1-0
Henry
Second group stage
Lyon (h)
D 1-1
Bergkamp / Edmilson
Second group stage
Spartak Moscow (h)
W 1-0
Henry
Second group stage
Bayern Munich (a)
L 0-1
Elber
Quarter-final 1st leg
Valencia (h)
W 2-1
Henry, Parlour / Ayala
Quarter-final 2nd leg
Valencia (a)
L 0-1
Carew
2001/02 Double winners fall short in Europe again
Arsenal won all their home games to squeeze into the second group stage, where although they defeated eventual finalists Bayer Leverkusen, the Gunners were knocked out, with two defeats against then-Spanish giants Deportivo proving crucial.
Wenger’s men continued to impress on the domestic front, with another league and cup double leaving European success as the missing part in the trophy cabinet.
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
First group stage
Mallorca (a)
L 0-1
Engonga
First group stage
Schalke (h)
W 3-2
Ljungberg, Henry (2) / Van Hoogdalem, Mpenza
First group stage
Panathinaikos (a)
L 0-1
Karagounis
First group stage
Panathinaikos (h)
W 2-1
Henry (2) / Olisadebe
First group stage
Mallorca (h)
W 3-1
Pires, Bergkamp, Henry / Novo
First group stage
Schalke (a)
L 1-3
Mulder, Vermant, Moller / Wiltord
Second group stage
Deportivo (a)
L 0-2
Makaay, Tristan
Second group stage
Juventus (h)
W 3-1
Ljungberg (2), Henry / Taylor (og)
Second group stage
Bayer Leverkusen (a)
D 1-1
Kirsten / Pires
Second group stage
Bayer Leverkusen (h)
W 4-1
Pires, Henry, Vieira, Bergkamp / Sebescen
Second group stage
Deportivo (h)
L 0-2
Valeron, Naybet
Second group stage
Juventus (a)
L 0-1
Zalayeta
2002/03 Gunners draw four of six second-phase games
Experienced Champions League participants by this point, Arsenal secured a routine second group stage spot after seeing off the likes of Borussia Dortmund and PSV.
While they had their moments in the second group stage – including Thierry Henry’s hat-trick against Roma – failure to convert draws into wins saw Ajax and Valencia pip the Gunners to the two quarter-final berths.
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
First group stage
Borussia Dortmund (h)
W 2-0
Bergkamp, Ljungberg
First group stage
PSV (a)
W 4-0
Gilberto, Ljungberg, Henry (2)
First group stage
Auxerre (a)
W 1-0
Gilberto
First group stage
Auxerre (h)
L 1-2
Kanu / Kapo, Fadiga
First group stage
Borussia Dortmund (a)
L 1-2
Rosicky (2) / Henry
First group stage
PSV (h)
D 0-0
None
Second group stage
Roma (a)
W 3-1
Cassano / Henry (3)
Second group stage
Valencia (h)
D 0-0
None
Second group stage
Ajax (h)
D 1-1
Wiltord / De Jong
Second group stage
Ajax (a)
D 0-0
None
Second group stage
Roma (h)
D 1-1
Vieira / Cassano
Second group stage
Valencia (a)
L 1-2
Carew (2) / Henry
2003/04 Wayne Bridge denies Invincibles shot at European glory
Thierry Henry celebrating for Arsenal.
With the second group stage now a thing of the past, Arsenal were arguably at their very best and poised to bring the Champions League to N5 for the first time.
A disastrous start to the group stage was remedied by three successive victories which included their 5-1 demolition of Inter at San Siro, before easing past Celta Vigo in the last 16 and being handed a quarter-final tie with London rivals Chelsea.
Despite a rocking first 45, Arsenal were unable to make their home advantage count as the Blues snatched the tie late on, leaving the Gunners to wonder what might have been as FC Porto went all the way.
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
Group stage
Inter (h)
L 0-3
Cruz, Van der Meyde, Martins
Group stage
Lokomotiv Moscow (a)
D 0-0
None
Group stage
Dynamo Kyiv (a)
L 1-2
Shatskikh, Belkevich / Henry
Group stage
Dynamo Kyiv (h)
W 1-0
Cole
Group stage
Inter (a)
W 5-1
Vieri / Henry (2), Ljungberg, Edu, Pires
Group stage
Lokomotiv Moscow
W 2-0
Pires, Ljungberg
Round of 16 1st leg
Celta Vigo (a)
W 3-2
Edu, Jose Ignacio / Edu (2), Pires
Round of 16 2nd leg
Celta Vigo (h)
W 2-0
Henry (2)
Quarter-final 1st leg
Chelsea (a)
D 1-1
Gudjohnsen / Pires
Quarter-final 2nd leg
Chelsea (h)
L 1-2
Reyes / Lampard, Bridge
2004/05 Arsenal fall to Bayern despite second-leg win
Arsenal topped their group despite winning just two of their six matches, though their reward of meeting Bayern Munich in the last 16 (sound familiar?) saw the Gunners endure another early exit.
After a 3-1 defeat at a snowy Olympiastadion, Arsenal threatened to stage a remarkable comeback in the second leg, but their 1-0 win was not enough to advance to the quarters.
2005/06 Gunners lose in Paris finale amid historic campaign
Arsenal’s closest call to date came in what was their final European campaign at Highbury. They bowed out in style by easing through the group, and enjoyed a magical night at the Santiago Bernabeu before holding Real Madrid to a goalless draw in north London.
Their penultimate night under the Highbury lights in Europe saw Cesc Fabregas and Thierry Henry see off Juventus before another shutout in Turin, while there was more drama in the semi-final.
Kolo Toure scored Highbury’s last-ever Champions League goal as they took a slender advantage to Spain, where a late Jens Lehmann penalty save secured Arsenal a place in the Champions League final.
The final was also fraught with controversy, with Lehmann’s first-half sending-off leaving the Gunners up against it, though they somehow led at half-time through Sol Campbell’s header.
Barcelona’s equaliser had more of a hint of offside about it, before the 10 men’s luck ran out late on, as Juliano Belletti’s winner broke Arsenal hearts.
2006/07 PSV’s Alex nets at both ends to send Gunners out
Arsenal’s fourth-place finish the previous year – their lowest under Wenger – saw the Frenchman’s side in the unfamiliar territory of having to enter the qualifying rounds, where they defeated Dinamo Zagreb over two legs.
The Gunners topped their group once more, but their run came to an abrupt end when Alex nodded in a last-gasp equaliser for PSV in the last 16 to defeat Arsenal on aggregate.
2007/08 Contentious penalty sees Arsenal’s San Siro victory count for nothing
This was another campaign that left the Gunners licking their wounds, as Arsenal were minutes away from the semi-finals before a late, debatable penalty call at Anfield put paid to their efforts to see off English opposition in the Champions League.
Arsenal dazzled at times in the group stage, securing their biggest-ever Champions League win in their 7-0 rout against Slavia Prague. They then dispatched holders Milan with a memorable victory at San Siro before meeting Liverpool in the last eight, where the Reds’ European experience showed.
Chelsea have submitted a £30m offer for an “extraordinary” midfielder, who is keen on a move to the Premier League this summer, according to a report.
Blues planning to strengthen several positions
The Blues haven’t been shy to splash the cash during the Todd Boehly era, and it appears as though they could be gearing up for another summer of heavy spending, having identified targets in a number of key positions.
A new striker is of particular interest, and talks have now been opened over a deal for Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap, who would ideally arrive at Stamford Bridge prior to the beginning of the Club World Cup in June.
In terms of centre-back targets, AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen appears to be among the main candidates, with the west Londoners entering discussions for the 19-year-old, while AC Milan’s Theo Hernandez could be brought in at left-back.
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Another position in which Enzo Maresca clearly feels he needs to strengthen is central midfield, despite both Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez putting in some impressive performances this season.
According to a report from Spain, Chelsea have now submitted a €35m (£30m) offer for Real Betis’ Johnny Cardoso, but they are not alone in their pursuit, with Premier League rivals Bournemouth making a bid of the same value.
Real Betis'JohnnyCardosocelebrates scoring their first goal
The Blues have been interested in Cardoso for quite some time, and they have now presented a concrete offer for his services, which could be tempting for the Spanish side.
The midfielder wants to move to the Premier League this summer, which indicates he could be keen on heading to Stamford Bridge, but he may have a number of options on the table, with several foreign teams thought to be keen.
"Extraordinary" Cardoso impressing in Spain
It is little wonder the American is starting to attract attention from across Europe, given that he has been impressing for Betis for quite some time, particularly catching the eye from a defensive point of view.
The 23-year-old ranks extremely highly across some key metrics for midfielders over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.
Statistic
Average per 90
Tackles
2.66 (75th percentile)
Interceptions
2.07 (98th percentile)
Clearances
2.47 (91st percentile)
Aerials won
1.59 (85th percentile)
Not only that, but the Betis star has received very high praise from sporting director Manu Fajardo, who lauded the central midfielder as “extraordinary”, while he has also caught the eye of freelance scout Ben Mattinson.
Cardoso could be an excellent signing for Chelsea, although bringing in a new defensive midfielder shouldn’t be a priority this summer, given that Caicedo and Fernandez have both impressed this season.
Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank risks losing the dressing room if he fails to trigger a turnaround in fortunes in the club's upcoming fixtures. It has been claimed that several players are starting to lose faith in the Dane due to his tendency to make late tactical adjustments, which often leaves the players confused about their responsibilities during games.
Frank could lose Spurs dressing room amid poor run
According to a report from , sources close to the Tottenham Hotspur dressing room have indicated that there is growing uncertainty and confusion among players under the stewardship of head coach Frank. The report highlights the frequent last-minute changes to player roles – with tactical adjustments made just before kick-off or even scrapped entirely in the early phases of the match – as the primary factor behind Frank's waning authority in the dressing room. The Tottenham players are not happy with Frank's managerial style and the recent stretch of poor results has only exacerbated the situation.
In the aftermath of Spurs' 2-1 defeat to Fulham, the former Brentford boss insisted that he continues to retain the backing of the club's hierarchy, but there's no denying that he is under mounting pressure to turn things around, starting with Wednesday's visit to St. James' Park against a resurgent Newcastle.
Furthermore, he will also be tasked to maintain unity within the dressing room and continue steering the ship with leadership and authority. Several senior players are said to be unsure of their roles and responsibilities during games, with last week's edge-of-the-seat 5-3 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League highlighted as an instance when a late tactical tweak caused confusion. Even though some squad members are understood to enjoy working under Frank, there is concern that he risks losing the broader dressing room unless performances and results improve soon.
AdvertisementAFPFrank blanked by Van de Ven and Spence
Following Spurs' narrow 1-0 home defeat to London rivals Chelsea at the start of November, defenders Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence headed straight to the tunnel without greeting the supporters, much to the surprise and disappointment of Frank. He was left rooted to the spot after seeing two of his players leave the pitch without showing appreciation to the fans in a moment that could be pointed to as the first signs of fragmentation between the squad and the coach.
“All the players are, of course, frustrated. They would like to do well, they would like to win, they would like to perform. I understand that," the Dane told reporters after the game.
“I think it’s difficult to be consistent in good times and bad times, that’s why I went around to the fans as I did, it’s more fun when we win, I can tell you that.”
When asked whether it was "acceptable" for both players to ignore him, Frank responded: “I understand why you ask the question. But I think that’s one of, how you can say, small issues.
“We have Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence doing everything they can. They’ve performed very well so far this season. Everyone is frustrated. We do things in a different way, I don’t think it’s a big problem.”
Signs of a divide between Spurs and their fans
The loss to Fulham was a bitter blow to Spurs' aspirations this season, as well as their overall morale as the season heads into the second half. The Cottagers raced to a two-goal lead within the first six minutes, and Marco Silva's side would have Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to thank for his howler.
The Italian's blunder drew a cacophony of jeers and boos, which angered the Spurs boss after the game. “I didn't like that our fans booed at him straight after and a few times he touched the ball," he defiantly stated. "They can't be true Tottenham fans because everyone supports each other when you are on the pitch. And we do everything we can to perform. After, fair enough, boo, no problem. But not during. That's unacceptable in my opinion."
In fact, even Pedro Porro couldn't hold himself back from lashing out at the fans. Taking to Instagram, he leapt to the defence of his team-mates, writing that "what I will not tolerate is hearing disrespect from the fans to my teammates, hence my frustration at the end of the game.”
Amid a difficult run of form, the last thing Spurs’ players and Frank need is a strained relationship with the fans. Their unwavering support, as it has been through the years, could be the catalyst needed to turn things around, even against all odds.
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Getty Images SportFrank's job at Spurs not under scrutiny
November was an extremely difficult month for Spurs. They lost four games and drew once, with their only win coming in the Champions League against Copenhagen. After capturing 17 points from their first nine league games, the London-based outfit have gone four Premier League games without a win. What's more, only four teams have earned as few, or fewer, points than Spurs' total of four from the last five league games.
Regardless, reports suggest that the 52-year-old retains the backing of the Spurs hierarchy, who remain adamant on giving Frank more time to lay his tactical imprint on the squad.
Tough fixtures in the form of Newcastle, Liverpool, and Crystal Palace await Frank and Co. in the month of December. It’s crucial for Spurs to secure some positive results, not only to relieve Frank of the inevitable pressure if progress isn’t made, but also to dispel any doubts the players may have about the manager’s tactics and management.
These three bilateral matches take place just days before the T20 World Cup in February
ESPNcricinfo staff11-Nov-2025West Indies and Afghanistan will face each other over three T20Is in Sharjah next year as both teams build up towards the World Cup. The bilateral series is scheduled to begin on January 19 just days before the ICC event kicks off in India and Sri Lanka in February.CWI’s Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, said: “This series provides an ideal platform for our preparation. Facing strong opposition in subcontinental conditions will help us sharpen our combinations and approach, and it also gives our players a chance to build confidence on surfaces similar to those we’ll encounter in India and Sri Lanka.”West Indies co-hosted the last T20 World Cup, where they went through to the Super Eight stage but couldn’t make the knockouts. Afghanistan did make it to the semi-finals of that event, which was a first for them. The two teams have played eight T20Is against each other with West Indies leading the head-to-head 5-3.All three T20Is of this bilateral series will take place in Sharjah on January 19, 21 and 22.Naseeb Khan, CEO of the Afghanistan Cricket Board, said: “Competing against the West Indies on the brink of a global event presents an excellent opportunity for our team to finalize their lineup and enhance their preparations for the upcoming mega event in India and Sri Lanka.”West Indies are currently playing a five-match T20I series in New Zealand, which they trail 2-1. Afghanistan’s last T20I assignment was against Zimbabwe in October, which they won 3-0.
Breetzke and de Zorzi have been added to the T20I squad; Baartman has been included in the ODI squad
ESPNcricinfo staff23-Oct-2025David Miller has been ruled out of South Africa’s T20I series in Pakistan, while fast bowler Gerald Coetzee will miss the entire white-ball leg of the tour due to injuries.Miller was named stand-in captain for the T20I series with regular captain Aiden Markram rested, but he has been sidelined after scans conducted on Wednesday confirmed he had suffered a grade-1 right hamstring strain during training in the build-up to the tour. “He will now begin a phased rehabilitation program,” CSA said.Allrounder Donovan Ferreira will captain the side in the three-match T20I series, which begins on October 28 in Rawalpindi. Ferreira had recently led South Africa in a one-off T20I against Namibia, which South Africa lost by four wickets.Coetzee was ruled out of both the T20I and ODIs in Pakistan due to a pectoral muscle injury. The 25-year-old sustained the injury during the T20I against Namibia. He bowled 1.3 overs in that game before he left the field and did not return.”Subsequent scans revealed the extent of the injury and following specialist consultation, he has commenced a structured rehabilitation program under the supervision of the Cricket South Africa High Performance and Momentum Multiply Titans medical teams,” CSA said.Left-arm seamer Kwena Maphaka had also been ruled out of the Pakistan tour with a hamstring strain, which he sustained while playing in a domestic first-class match in early October.South Africa have included batters Matthew Breetzke and uncapped Tony de Zorzi in the T20I squad, while fast bowler Ottneil Bartman was named as Coetzee’s replacement in the ODI squad. Breetzke had earlier also been named captain of the ODI side. The three-match ODI series begins right after the T20I leg, on November 4 in Faisalabad. The T20I squad will depart for Islamabad on October 23.
South Africa’s squad for Pakistan T20Is
Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Quinton de Kock, Donovan Ferreira (capt), Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Andile Simelane, Lizaad Williams, Ottneil Baartman
South Africa’s squad for Pakistan ODIs
Matthew Breetzke (capt), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, George Linde, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Sinethemba Qeshile, Ottneil Baartman