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When Chelsea signed Ellie Carpenter in the summer transfer window, one of the first thoughts for many was: What does this mean for Lucy Bronze? Eight years younger than the Lionesses star, Carpenter firmly established herself as a world-class right-back during a trophy-laden five-year stint with Lyon. Was she now moving to London to usurp one of England's biggest names?

Those questions have been fuelled further by events at the start of this season. With Bronze on the sidelines, recovering from a fractured tibia that she played through to help her country win the European Championship in July, Carpenter has been electric, marking herself out as one of the Blues' best performers so far in the new campaign.

But while, on paper, it might look like the two are battling for the same spot in the Chelsea XI, that's not necessarily the case. In fact, Carpenter's arrival is actually good news for Bronze and even England, something that can begin to become apparent after the Lionesses star made her return from injury in Sunday's win over Tottenham.

AFPNew system

Another thought that would've popped into the heads of many when Carpenter's signing was announced by Chelsea in the summer would have related to the way the Blues ended their first season under head coach Sonia Bompastor, who led her new team to just a second-ever treble by winning the Women's Super League, FA Cup and League Cup, all without losing a game across the three competitions.

In Chelsea's last game of the WSL season, and the FA Cup final which followed it a few days later, Bompastor set her team up with a back three for the first time. In the first instance, at home to Liverpool with the league title already wrapped up, it felt like a potential one-off, but when the Blues came out in that same shape against Manchester United at Wembley, it felt more significant. That feeling only increased with the signing of Carpenter, who has experience both as a wing-back and on the right-hand side of a back three, as well as in the orthodox full-back role.

It was a system that suited a number of Chelsea players, including Niamh Charles on the left side of the defence and the flying Sandy Baltimore, and Carpenter's arrival only gave Bompastor greater chance to use it moving forward.

AdvertisementGetty'They can play together'

Bronze played at right wing-back in both of those games at the end of last season, with it a position she has experience in, especially at England level, and one she suits. It allows the 33-year-old to lean into her attacking threat and incredible athleticism, while knowing there is a little more protection behind her from a defensive perspective.

However, Bronze can also play as a right-sided centre-back in a back three. It's no surprise, then, that the Chelsea boss is adamant that both Bronze and Carpenter can, and will, play in the same team.

"I think they can play together," she said last month. "It's an option. I think all the best players will play. I will have to pick a starting XI, but in my mind, I always think about what is the best team or the best starting XI going into every game, and if both Ellie and Lucy are performing at the same time, at a high level, they will both play. I think both of them can play in those two positions, the right full-back or the right wing-back. We can expect to see them both on the pitch at the same time."

Getty ImagesExciting prospect

It's a prospect which only makes Chelsea's right-hand side more threatening. Carpenter has already exploded onto the WSL scene, charging up and down the wing to great effect while forming promising partnerships with the likes of Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Alyssa Thompson in front of her. Bronze getting forward as a right centre-back, knowing that the defensive areas are better protected in this system, can surely only benefit Carpenter as she continues that form, while there may also be games where Carpenter is better-suited to the deeper role as Bronze pushes forward.

The versatility and high-quality of both players increases the depth at Bompastor's disposal and the options she has when it comes to team selection, while also ensuring she can play a back three or a back four even if one of them is unavailable. Had the Blues not signed Carpenter in the summer transfer window, it is unlikely that we would've seen this back three at the start of the season, given Bronze has been out for the first few weeks. Now, though, Bompastor isn't relying on the England star to be fit every time she wants to deploy that shape, as would've been the case for the most part last term.

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It also improves the unpredictability of this Chelsea team, something the manager is particularly happy about.

"I think that's good for us to be able to play back three, back four, because when we face opponents, sometimes they will doubt what we can use going into the game," Bompastor said in September, after Carpenter shone as a wing-back in victory over Manchester City on the opening weekend. "We want to be as strong as possible in different systems and I think it's good to have those options."

And it's not just in the shape that Chelsea can spring a surprise. "I think being unpredictable in terms of system, but also in terms of different profiles we can bring into every game, it's something important," Bompator added.

James Vince takes Hants over the finishing line with thunderous 87

ECB Reporters Network01-Aug-2019Mason Crane and Liam Dawson spun Hampshire towards victory before James Vince took them over the winning line with a thunderous 87 not out to give the visitors their first victory at the Cloudfm County Ground in Chelmsford for five years.Spin twins Crane and Dawson ripped through Essex Eagles’ batting in the middle overs as they snatched figures of 5 for 55 from their combined eight overs to set up a seven-wicket thrashing.The Eagles, having been 81 for 1 at one point, lost nine wickets for 52 runs in 47 balls, to fall well below par.Hampshire knocked off the 134 required inside 14 overs, with captain Vince raising his bat for his second fifty of the competition, to condemn Essex to a single win from their opening five fixtures.Hampshire, who have now won two Vitality Blast matches on the bounce after ending their Somerset hoodoo last week, hadn’t previously won on this ground in any competition since a T20 victory here in 2014 – with this being only their 10th success at Chelmsford this century.Vince won the toss, stuck Essex in, and was immediately high-fiving Chris Wood and Dawson after Cameron Delport edged the first ball of the match to first slip.Adam Wheater and Tom Westley, who had been promoted to the top of the order then enjoyed a boundary-hitting contest. Westley won the battle with three huge sixes and a trio of boundaries to Wheater’s four inventive fours and sole maximum in the pair’s 81-run stand in 53 balls.But Dawson and Crane entered the attack and dismissed Westley and Wheater in successive overs before ripping through the rest of the Eagles’ batting.Crane then suckered Ryan ten Doeschate into a hoof down the ground, Chris Morris snaffling at long-off, before Dan Lawrence was bowled next ball.Shane Snater was run out by Wood attempting a foolhardy second run and then Simon Harmer chipped to Sam Northeast at short cover, Dawson and Crane ending with middle-order figures of 2 for 32 and 3 for 24 respectively.Overseas duo Adam Zampa and Mohammad Amir quickly followed as Essex lost eight wickets for 32 runs in an epic 40 ball collapse.Paul Walter then thumped 26 off 13 balls to give the hosts some respectability but Matt Quinn was castled to leave him stranded – the Eagles all out for 133.Aneurin Donald scored four and out in two balls before Vince and Rilee Rossouw comfortably ticked through the runs in a 78-run stand. Vince, who opened his campaign with 50 against Kent, tonked one over long-on to accompany a series of gorgeous fours to reach his milestone in 34 balls. Rossouw slapped to the straight boundary to depart for 25 but Vince continued to take his tally to three sixes and 12 fours.He ended unbeaten on 87 as he and Northeast eased Hampshire towards the line with a 50 stand. The latter was bowled but Vince scored the winning runs two balls later.

Arsenal fan Scott Law has been found guilty of assaulting Manchester United legend Roy Keane last September.

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Fan who clashed with Keane found guiltyGiven a three-year ban and 80 hours of serviceWill appeal the decisionGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The events unfolded in the aftermath of Arsenal's 3-1 win over Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium. Law reportedly clashed with Keane as the Red Devils legend made his way to undertake post-match analysis at the stadium. The 43-year-old has now been found guilty of common assault as per the BBC, and has been handed a three-year footballing ban along with a fine of £650 plus a victim surcharge of £114. The Essex resident has also been ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work.

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Law revealed that throughout the proceedings of the game, he and Keane were involved in constant 'banter' with him being seated close to the Sky Sports studio. The fan said that the altercation "turned more aggressive" and when he went to use the toilet he was approached by the former footballer. Last week, CCTV videos emerged from the Emirates which showed Keane elbowing Law in the face, however, the proceedings found the action in question as 'self-defence'.

Getty WHAT'S MORE?

Keane, who had the image of being an 'aggressive' player during his footballing career, countered the claims and District Judge Angus Hamilton announced that he believed that the former player was 'calm and not agitated' leaving the studio. He also found a lot of holes in Law's story, which changed multiple times.

WHAT NEXT FOR LAW?

In an announcement made on behalf of Law outside of court, Charles Sherrard KC, the 43-year-old's defence attorney, said [via The Guardian]: “I was found guilty by a judge who excluded me at times from my own trial. The prosecution deprived me of key footage for my defence. I most definitely plan to appeal this conviction. I will not be making any further statements.”

Mahmudullah has recovered from the calf injury he picked up against Afghanistan, and is expected to play on Tuesday

The Preview by Karthik Krishnaswamy01-Jul-20193:00

Nafees: If Mahmudullah not fit, bring in Sabbir

Big pictureThey’ve beaten South Africa, they’ve brushed aside West Indies, and they’ve looked impressive even in defeat. They are still in contention for a semi-final spot, just about, and they might have had an even more realistic chance had rain not kept them from playing Sri Lanka in Bristol.Rather than ruminate over what could have been, however, Bangladesh will want to focus on what can still be: they win their two remaining matches. First up are India, fearsome opponents in many ways but also one with weaknesses in key areas, namely the middle and lower order.Those weaknesses, exacerbated by injury, give Bangladesh a clear target: get early wickets, and somehow get past Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. It’s easier said than done. And we haven’t even mentioned India’s bowling.Still, Bangladesh couldn’t be meeting India at a better time. Their vulnerabilities have been plain to see in their last three games, they are no longer unbeaten, and they’re playing their second game in three days. Most of Bangladesh’s batsmen, on the other hand, have been in solid form, their superstar is having one of the great World Cups for an allrounder, their bowling is more than useful on slow pitches – Edgbaston fits that description – and they are playing after an eight-day gap.But India are experts at shrugging off setbacks and putting up calm and professional displays against teams they are expected to beat. Bangladesh know this well: they’ve pushed India hard in each of their last three meetings at ICC tournaments. But whether in Melbourne, Bengaluru or, indeed, Birmingham, India have found a way to win. Will Birmingham 2019 be any different?Form guideBangladesh WLWLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
India LWWWWIn the spotlightHe’s a hero for what he puts his knees through every time he plays, and an inspirational captain, but Mashrafe Mortaza’s primary skill is his fast bowling, and he won’t be pleased with his returns at this World Cup: one wicket in six games, an average of 279.00, and an economy rate of 6.34. Can he summon up the spirit of Trinidad 2007 and produce a big performance in a must-win game?Against well-directed bowling and smart fields on a slow pitch, with India’s required rate climbing into absurd territory, and with only a long tail to come, MS Dhoni did the sensible thing against England, and played for net run rate. The widespread censure that came in that innings’ wake will not bother him overly, but one thing should worry him ahead of the game against Bangladesh. He has struggled to score quickly against spin for quite a while now, and particularly so at this World Cup – 41 off 87 balls, one four, zero sixes. What plans does he have to combat all the overs of Shakib Al Hasan, Mehidy Hasan and Mosaddek Hossain he is likely to face in the middle overs?MS Dhoni plays a shot•IDI via Getty ImagesTeam newsMahmudullah was Bangladesh’s one big injury worry ahead of this game, with the batsman having picked up a grade 1 tear in his calf during the match against Afghanistan. But the eight-day gap between that game and this one has given him enough time to recover, and he is likely to feature on Tuesday.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Soumya Sarkar, 3 Shakib Al Hasan, 4 Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5 Liton Das, 6 Mahmudullah, 7 Mosaddek Hossain, 8 Mehidy Hasan, 9 Mohammad Saifuddin, 10 Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), 11 Mustafizur RahmanIndia’s wristspinners struggled to come to terms with the flat pitch and asymmetric ground dimensions against England, and went for a combined 160 from their 20 overs, while picking up just the one wicket. With Bhuvneshwar Kumar back to full fitness after suffering a hamstring injury against Pakistan, India could leave out one of the wristspinners and play three fast bowlers. Alternately, if they choose to retain faith in Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal but want to strengthen their lower order, Bhuvneshwar could replace Mohammed Shami, who picked up five wickets against England but was expensive at the death.India (probable): 1 KL Rahul, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli (capt), 4 Rishabh Pant, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Kedar Jadhav, 7 Hardik Pandya, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav/Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Jasprit BumrahPitch and conditionsThe same Edgbaston strip that hosted the England-India game on Sunday will be in use once more. If it plays similarly, it should be flat but slow down as the match progresses, which will favour the team batting first. The position of the pitch on the square will also mean one square boundary is significantly shorter than the other. Kohli wasn’t too pleased with this, and his side did not match England’s know-how, with ball or bat, in exploiting this quirk, but now that they’ve played one game here, they might be better prepared for the challenge.4:08

Agarkar: Couldn’t see any intent to hit the big shots from Dhoni, Jadhav

Strategy puntRather than a like-for-like replacement for the injured Vijay Shankar, India have called in Mayank Agarwal, an opening batsman who is yet to make his ODI debut. With KL Rahul not quite coming off at the top of the order, and with Rishabh Pant not yet seeming to possess the middle gears of a top-notch No. 4, India could be looking to return to a combination similar to the one they played before Shikhar Dhawan left the tournament with a broken finger.The game against Bangladesh may come too early for Agarwal, but India could still think of moving Rahul back down to No. 4 and pushing Pant up to open. This could have two positive effects on their team composition.It will give them an aggressive left-hand option to partner Rohit Sharma and allow him to take his time settling down, and it could also allow Rahul to face more spin. At this World Cup, he has averaged 21.25 against pace, with a strike rate of 56.29, as against 87.00 and 88.78 against spin. Rahul’s ability to play the reverse-sweep – a shot most of India’s middle order doesn’t play that much – and target the shorter boundary could also come in handy.Stats that matter Soumya Sarkar is one of only six batsmen in ODI history to score more than 1000 runs as opener at a 30-plus average and a strike rate of over 100. If he scores 53, Mahmudullah will become the fourth Bangladesh batsman to score 4000 ODI runs. Jasprit Bumrah is five wickets short – and Kuldeep Yadav eight wickets short – of 100 in ODIs.Quotes”We have to be 100 per cent in every area. Good thing that we still in the tournament but we have to play a lot better than what we played in our previous games.”
, wants still more from his team.”It does because when you have not major combinations coming from the lower order a Bhuvneshwar Kumar becomes vital or anybody who is handy at No. 8, maybe, could be [Ravindra] Jadeja. What it does is it gives a bit of a freedom to somebody batting at 6 and 7 so that they could start going at the bowling maybe, if you are batting first, a little earlier rather than leaving it for the last three or four overs. It is a tactic we have been debating about [while discussing] the team combination. We will have to reassess those combinations.”
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Manchester United's non-football staff have been given a week to decide if they wish to continue working for the club as Sir Jim Ratcliffe cuts costs.

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Man Utd staff offered chance to leaveClub seeking to cut costsFollows Ratcliffe's demand to work from officesWHAT HAPPENED?

An email was sent to every Manchester United non-football employee on Tuesday afternoon inviting en-masse resignations. It appears to be driven by cost-cutting following new minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe's move into power. Staff have until midday on June 5, eight days from receiving the email to decide whether they want to continue working at the club, with reporting that some consider it more a programme of "voluntary redundancy", rather than the "voluntary resignation" the club is describing. further explains that staff have been offered early payment of an annual bonus that would normally be due in September if they choose to leave now.

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The invitation to resign is a consequence of the recent instruction for all staff to work full-time from the club's various office sites at Carrington, Old Trafford and in London. The email acknowledged that "a number of colleagues prefer not to commit to this new way of working and are keen to understand their options". But the offer to leave is also open to those already based onsite full-time. There seems to be a degree of the new INEOS regime preparing a clean slate from which to implement their culture at the club. Ratcliffe had rather coldly told staff with regard to ending the flexible 'work from home' policy: "If you don't like it, please seek alternative employment." One significant problem that exists is not enough office space to accommodate all current staff.

WHAT MAN UTD SAID

A spokesperson for the club said: "This isn't a voluntary redundancy programme. The club recognises that not everyone wants to work from the office full-time so has provided options for staff who don't wish to return to the office to step away now."

DID YOU KNOW?

Manchester United recorded a £42 million ($53.6m at today's rate) loss for the 2022-23 season, despite raking in what was at the time a Premier League record revenue of £648.4m. The club employs more than 1,000 people in various roles and it is suggested that saving on staff costs will both help them comply better with financial regulations and invest in the playing squad.

Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner doesn't know if Lionesses star Mary Earps has played her last game for the club, though he hopes not.

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Earps out of contract at Man Utd this summerToone linked with Barcelona moveSkinner addresses futures of bothWHAT HAPPENED?

Earps was in between the sticks for the Red Devils on Saturday as they were brutally beaten by Chelsea, a win that secured the Women's Super League title. There is a possibility that it could have been her final game for the club, with her contract up this summer.

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England's No.1 has been linked with Arsenal throughout the past year and although those rumours have now gone quiet, there is sure to be interest in one of the best goalkeepers in the world if she cannot agree a new deal at United.

WHAT SKINNER SAID

Asked if Earps had played her last game at Old Trafford at the weekend, Skinner replied: "I hope not. I hope not. They are still conversations that are ongoing. At some point, as a head coach, you have to walk away from that situation and allow your focus to be on the team – and the same with Mary. Me and Mary have got a really good relationship and I hope to work with her for many years to come. I'm hoping that we can come to some agreement, but I think it's important we leave Mary out of that situation and the two parties can continue to have conversations away from the player and the head coach."

DID YOU KNOW?

Ella Toone, another key member of this Man Utd team, has also been linked with a move away despite being under contract. Reports this week suggested that she could be a transfer target for Barcelona, though Skinner said: "I've heard nothing and I'm sure I would have been told if that was the case. From my perspective, everyone knows how important Tooney is to what we do at Manchester United, especially me."

His captain Faf du Plessis blamed the batsmen for their defeat against India

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Southampton05-Jun-2019″Stranger things have happened,” allrounder Chris Morris said. Following three defeats to begin the 2019 World Cup, this is what South Africa have to cling to, if they are to progress to the semi-finals.ALSO READ – Bumrah, Rohit and Chahal give India winning startHaving arrived in the UK with the aim of winning at least six of their round-robin matches, they are now faced with winning six in a row to make that a reality. It is possible that even five wins could be enough to make it into the knockouts, or in an absolute best-case scenario, four. But although they’ve got the two favourites out of the way, they’ve still got to get past Australia, New Zealand, a possibly resurgent Pakistan (who is to tell if their upswing lasts), and West Indies.”The guys are very disappointed and a bit angry, which they are allowed to be,” Morris said after the loss to India. “We will sort that out in our heads tonight and when the sun comes up tomorrow we will go back to the drawing board and take on our next opponent. It’s pretty simple – win the next six and crack on. Maybe we need a bit of luck to go our way.”Captain Faf du Plessis, who before the the match, spoke of his team as being one that already needed a psychological lift, has a tougher road ahead than practically any other captain in the competition presently. He blamed his batting order for the defeat.”It’s a change-room that is hurting,” du Plessis said. “We’re trying to make sure that we keep fighting, but we’re still making mistakes all the time. Today was once again a great example of someone not batting through. That’s what you need in England. You need one guy batting through. And then if you can get a total, your bowlers can try and put some pressure on. But to have so many 30s and 40s is not acceptable.”The only period of the game in which South Africa seemed to have a glimmer of a chance was the early overs of India’s chase, as Kagiso Rabada delivered a furious spell of quick bowling. Twice he could have had Rohit Sharma – the eventual centurion – out, when short balls ballooned in the air off the batsman’s bat and glove. One of those balls fell into space, however, and the other was spilled by a diving du Plessis, to reprieve Rohit on 1.”He was a champion today,” du Plessis said of Rabada. “He was extremely unlucky. I’ve never seen so many balls just fall in different areas. But sometimes, that’s how the game goes. When you’re not playing your best cricket, little 50-50 things go against you. We’ve got to try and make sure we turn those 50-50 chances towards us. But he was unbelievable today.”

England to play four Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is before Australia arrive for limited-overs tour

ESPNcricinfo staff24-May-2019Centurion will remain the host venue for South Africa’s Boxing Day Test against England later this year, with CSA confirming its fixture list for the 2019-20 season. As well as a full England tour featuring four Tests, three ODIs and three T20Is, South Africa will also host Australia for six limited-overs matches in February and March.England will travel to Cape Town, the traditional venue for South Africa’s New Year Test, followed by matches in Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg. Durban misses out on a Test but is the venue for an ODI and T20I; England will also travel to East London for the start of the T20I series.The tour will begin in mid-December with one two-day and one three-day tour match in Benoni. After the Tests, England have two one-day warm-up games scheduled in Paarl.Australia’s arrival in late February will see them go straight into T20Is at Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, with the three ODIs scheduled for Paarl, Bloemfontein and Potchefstroom – Australia’s first visit to Senwes Park since the 2003 World Cup.”This will be a huge summer both for our Standard Bank Proteas, who are currently ranked in the top three in all three formats, and for our fans who can look forward to action-packed and top-quality entertainment against two of the powerhouses of world cricket,” CSA chief executive Thabang Moroe said.”The Test matches will take on particular significance as this will be our first home series in the ICC World Test Championship following our away series in India in October. I am delighted also to announce that we will be working closely with SA Tourism around the Test host venues of Pretoria, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg to ensure that this series creates a win-win situation both for cricket and the South African economy.”The two KFC T20 international series take on extra relevance as we start our preparation for the ICC Men’s World T20 to be played in Australia in October and November next year.”South Africa 2019-20 fixturesDec 26-30 – 1st Test v England, SuperSport Park, Centurion
Jan 3-8 – 2nd Test v England, PPC Newlands, Cape Town
Jan 16-20 – 3rd Test v England, St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth
Jan 24-28 – 4th Test v England, Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
Feb 4 – 1st ODI v England, PPC Newlands, Cape Town
Feb 7 – 2nd ODI v England, Kingsmead, Durban
Feb 9 – 3rd ODI v England, Bidvest Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
Feb 12 – 1st T20I v England, Buffalo Park, East London
Feb 14 – 2nd T20I v England, Kingsmead, Durban
Feb 16 – 3rd T20I v England, SuperSport Park, Centurion
Feb 21 – 1st T20I v Australia, Bidvest Wanderers, Johannesburg
Feb 23 – 2nd T20I v Australia, St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth
Feb 26 – 3rd T20I v Australia, PPC Newlands, Cape Town
Feb 29 – 1st ODI v Australia, Eurolux Park, Paarl
Mar 4 – 2nd ODI v Australia, Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein
Mar 7 – 3rd ODI v Australia, Senwes Park, Potchefstroom

Jude Bellingham's dad copied his son's iconic celebration at Santiago Bernabeu ahead of Real Madrid's thrashing of Alaves.

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Bellingham's dad copies son's celebrationMadrid star laughs inside Santiago BernabeuFamily watch Los Blancos thrash AlavesWHAT HAPPENED?

Before Bellingham scored in Madrid's 5-0 rout of Alaves on Tuesday night, his father Mark Bellingham and brother and Sunderland star Jobe were seen in the stands ahead of kick-off. It was clear all parties were happy to see one another in the iconic ground, with the trio all smiles.

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Jude's dad can be seen with Jobe high up in Santiago Bernabeu while the Madrid star was on the pitch. The camera shows Mark copying the 20-year-old's celebration, something the England international found amusing.

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Bellingham has been a revelation for Madrid this season. Following his £88 million ($111m) move from Borussia Dortmund last summer, he has scored 23 goals and bagged 12 assists in all competitions. The former Birmingham City star has helped them to La Liga success and now just one game away from lifting the Champions League for a record-extending 15th time. And much of this would not be possible without the support of his family, celebrations and all.

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Bellingham's Madrid side are next in action on Sunday away to Villarreal before rounding off their La Liga season on May 25 at home to Real Betis. A week later, they take on former side Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley.

An injured Richarlison might have played his last game for Tottenham as Al-Hilal set sights on the Brazilian for a summer transfer.

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Richarlison has picked up an injuryWill miss Copa America with BrazilMight move to Saudi in the summer transfer windowWHAT HAPPENED?

According tothe Brazilian has picked up a calf injury which sidelined him from Brazil's Copa America squad. Manager Dorival Junior revealed to Brazilian media that the club had not officially confirmed Richarlison's injury, but it was significant enough to warrant his exclusion from Brazil's 23-man squad. This setback compounds Richarlison's recent struggles with fitness, having only recently recovered from a knee injury that sidelined him for a considerable portion of the season.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesWHAT DORIVAL JUNIOR SAID

Brazil coach Dorival Jr said: “Richarlison has a calf injury. It has not yet been made official by the club, but we contacted the player and he informed us."

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Richarlison's latest injury would prevent him from playing with his Tottenham teammates in the remaining three fixtures in the Premier League. This means that his appearance against Liverpool on May 5 could well be his last match in Tottenham colours as Al-Hilal, the current leaders of the Saudi Pro League, have set their sights on acquiring him during the summer transfer window, according to

DID YOU KNOW?

Despite Richarlison having three years remaining on his contract, Al-Hilal is confident of securing a deal for the 27-year-old. While no formal approach has been made yet, Tottenham are expected to entertain offers, especially with manager Ange Postecoglou planning a significant squad overhaul in the upcoming transfer window. Moreover, the club, backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, reportedly made inquiries to Tottenham regarding the Brazilian forward in January, following Neymar's season-ending knee injury.