تشواميني: ألونسو ليس سبب الخسارة أمام سيلتا فيجو.. ونستطيع إيقاف هالاند

تحدث أوريلين تشواميني، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد حول مباراة مانشستر سيتي ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ومن المقرر أن يخوض ريال مدريد مباراة هامة نظيره مانشستر سيتي مساء غدٍ الأربعاء ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا، على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة.

وقال تشواميني، في المؤتمر الصحفي والذي نقلته صحيفة “آس”: إنه لمن دواعي سروري اللعب في دوري أبطال أوروبا، وخاصةً على أرضنا وأكثر من ذلك، ضد مانشستر سيتي، منافسنا القوي، نتطلع إلى ذلك بشوق”.

وأضاف حول طلب ألونسو باللعب بحماس أكثر: “لا أعرف موقفنا ولكن إذا لم نفُز، فذلك لأننا بحاجة إلى تحسين أدائنا، أن نلعب بشكل أفضل دفاعيًا وهجوميًا، علينا أن نتحسن، نأمل أن نتمكن من ذلك، ما يحدث الآن لا يمكن أن يستمر”.

وأكمل: “علاقتي مع ألونسو؟ كلنا في هذا معًا، إذا أردنا الفوز، فعلينا جميعًا القتال من أجل ذلك مع المدرب، مع الفريق، نحن في الملعب وعلينا أن نبذل قصارى جهدنا، غدًا لدينا فرصة جيدة لقلب الأمور”.

اقرأ أيضًا | ألونسو يعلق على معاقبة محمد صلاح ويوضح موقفه من تدريب ليفربول

وعن عدم الضغط العالي على الفرق المنافسة كما كان، أوضح: “علينا التحسن في هذا الجانب، في البداية نرغب في الضغط، أحيانًا نؤدي ذلك بشكل جيد، وأحيانًا أخرى بشكل سيء للغاية، علينا التحسن لاستعادة المزيد من الكرات”.

وتابع حول مواجهة هالاند: “سنناقش خطة اللعب مع المدرب اليوم، لدينا العديد من الإصابات في خط الدفاع لكن لدينا العديد من اللاعبين القادرين على تقديم أداء عالي، علينا جميعًا أن ندافع معًا ونظهر التزامنا، نلعب ضد فريق رائع، هالاند لاعب مذهل لكن إذا لعبنا بكامل طاقتنا، يمكننا الفوز بهذه المباراة”.

واستطرد” النقص في الحدة؟ ضد سيلتا بالطبع، وفي مباريات أخرى أيضًا، إذا لم نلعب بأقصى قوة فسيكون الفوز صعبًا للغاية، علينا أن ندرك أن الفوز بهذه المباريات يتطلب بذل قصارى جهدنا، لم نفعل ذلك ضد سيلتا، ويجب أن نفعله غدًا”.

وسُئل تشواميني ما هي المشكلة، في الفريق أم ألونسو، فأجاب: “ضد سيلتا، كان لدى المدرب خطة جيدة لكننا نحن اللاعبين من نلعب، إذا خسرنا 2/0 فذلك بسبب مشكلة، مثل نقص التركيز وذلك ليس خطأ المدرب، سنتحسن”.

وأتم: “مانشستر سيتي فريق رائع خاصةً عند الاستحواذ على الكرة، علينا أن نكون متماسكين دفاعيًا، وأن نخلق الفرص لمهاجمينا عند الاستحواذ على الكرة، ستكون مباراة ممتعة للغاية”.

Dav Whatmore: 'I shake my head looking at advertisements for coaching these days. It really is ridiculous'

The Fortune Barishal team director talks about seeing cricket evolve in his three decades of coaching, young talent coming through the ranks in the BPL, and more

Interview by Mohammad Isam16-Feb-2024In 1996, Dav Whatmore coached Sri Lanka to the World Cup. Then he changed the way Bangladesh played cricket forever in his stint with the side from 2002 to 2007. He coached in Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Nepal and Singapore. Now he is back in Bangladesh as Fortune Barishal’s team director in this season’s BPL. We spoke to Whatmore about coaching and changes in the game in his time in it.You have come to Bangladesh after many years. Do you have good memories? How is it to come back?
When I knew that I was coming, I was looking forward to it, obviously. It didn’t disappoint. There are so many familiar faces – but I forgot most of their names! I am smiling, saying hello, but trying to remember their names. The outpouring of love and affection in this country is overwhelming. It is very humbling.I am just so happy to be here. I am here for the franchise, as a team director. I have tried to pass on my experience to anyone who is interested.What have you seen that has impressed you here?
I have seen a lot of young players. Before we played our first game against Khulna, I asked what they were like. They are saying a lot of the high-performance boys are there. Bloody hell, they were really impressive. They beat us twice.I also do understand that the totals have been a little bit low in this [BPL] edition. The surfaces that they are playing on contributed to it, but that’s okay. I may be guilty of looking through rose-coloured glasses, but I see good potential there. There are a number of good local Bangladeshi players, more of them than when I was here [last].Someone like Mehidy Hasan Miraz?
He has already been identified and won games for Bangladesh. I have had the privilege of working with him. He is a very coachable young man. He is open to listening, and that’s great. Him and Shakib [Al Hasan] are two very good batters in the top six, and will bowl a lot of overs. They are world-class players. Not many teams can boast of that.You have been on a journey for the better part of the last 20 years. You have even worked in Nepal.
It was just at the end of Covid. There was no other work and I was keen to do something. I went to Nepal. But then the ICC kept cancelling games. There was a lot of training. A little bit of domestic cricket. It was a bit of a disappointment.Nepal is one of the few Associate countries where you have to be indigenous to play for the team. You have to be a Nepali. They have a lot of talent. They have more allrounders than most countries. It was pleasantly surprising. It was good to work with them. They work hard. They were competitive in their own level of competition. They are still developing their pool of talent.

“I read and see a lot of the big international cricketers saying that they will protect the sanctity of Test cricket, but then they leave the format. They go in search of good money in the leagues”

What is it like to work around the world?
I really enjoy it. Any job you take is a challenge. It differs from one environment and one country to another. I always look forward to testing myself. I love working in this industry. I love working with people.You left a legacy in Bangladesh, and there has always been a certain positivity about you in other places like Pakistan and Zimbabwe.
I don’t necessarily accept these assignments to leave a legacy. I work the way I normally work, to try to build a healthy and happy environment. When you have some success along the way, you are remembered. I am me, whatever “me” is. Others will have an opinion. I am who I am.You’ve seen cricket evolve. You now have serious cricket in America. You have a competition like the Hundred. How do you view all these changes?
I do understand that the future is going to be more of franchise cricket. Test cricket will survive, but only in a handful of countries. I read and see a lot of the big international cricketers saying that they will protect the sanctity of Test cricket, but then they leave the format. They go in search of good money in the leagues.The lure of T20 cricket is very big. It draws players to finish their cricket with their respective boards prematurely. Some boards are managing their players to ensure that they stay longer. The other negative knock-on effect is that it is reducing the available time for bilaterals in the Future Tours Programme. The ICC tournaments are also taking a chunk of time from the calendar.This is the fast pace that’s ahead of us. A lot of good things are coming out of it. A lot of people are benefiting, like umpires, scorers and referees. They are earning a good living.Maybe every four years everyone will be interested in a World Cup or every two years in a T20 [World Cup]. They are also trying really hard to have some sort of context for the five-day game with the World Test Championship. But it is going more and more on the franchise route.You developed the style of going hard in the first 15 overs with Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana. Mark Greatbatch had done it before you but you reshaped the Sri Lanka batting line-up to be more aggressive. It’s now become the norm across cricket today.
It is all reflective of changing to a fast-paced life. Cricket is also part of it. It is attracting a whole new audience that comes to watch at the ground. Television is drifting away. Live streaming is the way to go. Digital platforms are the future. There is unbelievable money in the IPL and the English Premier League.Whatmore at the home of the late Manzarul Islam. In his time as Bangladesh coach, Whatmore oversaw their first Test victory, against Zimbabwe in 2005•Raton GomesFortune Barishal have the likes of Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah, and younger players like Mehidy and Mohammad Saifuddin. The changing of the guard from the big five to the younger players is the biggest talking point in Bangladesh. You also oversaw a transition when you were Bangladesh head coach.
The challenge is to do it correctly and effectively. You have to manage the transition as well as you can. Historically it is difficult to manage it successfully. You want happiness from the old guard that’s leaving, and happiness from the new guys coming in.There are now some really good servants of the game in the country who are coming to the end of their careers. There are some good youngsters coming along who are, quite rightly, looking for more opportunities to showcase at the highest level.You had veterans like Khaled Mahmud, Khaled Mashud and Habibul Bashar coming to an end of their careers during your time as Bangladesh coach. What would your advice be in this present context?
You need to have the incumbents ready. Keep them in the A team a little longer. Any hint of an injury, they come in. Maybe a senior player, from the goodness of their heart, will say, for the betterment of Bangladesh cricket, ‘Let’s bring in this guy for a game or two. Let’s have a look at how he goes.’ If it can be communicated correctly, you may have more of a chance to integrate. It would be better than historically what’s been the case. Not just here in Bangladesh. Everywhere.It is not an easy thing, though. The boys still need to have good competition. The A team will provide the opportunity to do that. Also to be around the senior men’s team as often as possible to get an idea of the level of pressure and how things work. There was a legspinner that was taken to New Zealand. If he was identified as a potential [future player], little things like that can bridge the gap. But, it is a difficult thing to manage. Do these transitions become harder to manage in a country where emotions often get the better of practicality?
I can understand the emotions in this country. It is great to see the passion. I am no different than everybody else. I am emotional as well. Because I am not a Bangladeshi, sometimes I am not as upset when we lose to a particular opponent. When I coached Pakistan, we were playing against India. I knew about the rivalry.During the Champions Trophy, we lost to them in Birmingham. It pissed everyone off that I wasn’t as emotional in the post-match interview. I am angry at the loss, but I didn’t show it emotionally. They thought I didn’t care. I do care. But sometimes if you are not part of the country, you can be falsely judged as not being emotional.

“When I bumped into older coaches, they told me I changed coaching forever. They said we used to go to the nets wearing black trousers and shoes, white shirt. You came in shorts, took your shirt off. I made sure the cameras weren’t there when I took the shirt off “

What was Dav Whatmore like as a coach 30 years ago, compared to how he is now?
I think I was lucky to have blinkers on. I was doing what I was trained to do at the Institute of Sports. I just focused on the job that I was doing. I had the good sense not to come to the Aravindas, Arjunas, Gurusinghas and Mahanamas, who had played a lot of Tests. I’ve played seven [Tests]. I am not going to tell them how to play. I can maybe give a bit of feedback. Having an Australian accent helped – it was something different, even though I was Sri Lankan.I focused a lot on the youngsters. I organised training. The proper reason to come [and coach] – to get something out of it. It was really good with the support staff. Everything was written down and planned. Years later when I bumped into older coaches, they told me I changed coaching forever. They said we used to go to the nets wearing black trousers and shoes, white shirt. You came in shorts, took your shirt off. You involved yourself with all that. I had no idea it was an effect I had. I was just being me. I made sure the cameras weren’t there when I took the shirt off ().How would you advise a coach who is starting off?
I shake my head looking at advertisements for coaching these days. The list of duties goes on for four pages. It really is ridiculous. You have to be a Rhodes scholar to read these requirements. I am thinking, how can a coach do all that stuff?I think the modern coach has to be good on the laptop. He has to be organised. But at the end of the day, you are working with humans. People.You have to know technique and tactics. You have to be extremely organised. You have to communicate effectively in team meetings. You have to work with individuals on their personal performance.Communication is so important. You have to know about nutrition and mental skills. It would help if you played the game, but it is not compulsory. You know about the levels of pressure. End of the day, it is about communication and management skills.You gotta have the balls to say, ‘No more practice. You are going to rest. We are not training.’ A lot of coaches do all sorts of things to justify their job. Sometimes the best thing to do is to shut up.

Organizada do São Paulo se reúne com elenco e comissão técnica no CT da Barra Funda

MatériaMais Notícias

da betsul: Membros da Torcida Independente, principal organizada do São Paulo, estão no CT da Barra Funda para uma reunião com o elenco e comissão técnica do Tricolor. A informação foi divulgada pelo ‘GE’ e confirmada peloLANCE!.

da stake casino: Cerca de dez membros da torcida foram liberados para entrar no centro de treinamento e conversar com os jogadores. O treinamento da equipe nesta terça-feira (16) está marcado para às 16h. O clube se prepara para enfrentar o Palmeiras, nesta quarta-feira (17), às 20h30, no Allianz Parque.

A expectativa é de que líderes do elenco, assim como o técnico Rogério Ceni participem do encontro com os torcedores. Nomes como Bruno Alves e Gabriel estão no centro de treinamento. A torcida gostaria de conversar com líderes do elenco, como Miranda. Volpi e Luciano. A situação do São Paulo está delicada no Campeonato Brasileiro. A equipe está na 15ª posição, com 38 pontos, dois a mais que o Juventude, primeiro time dentro da zona de rebaixamento.

CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DO BRASILEIRÃO DE 2021!

A situação foi agravada pela goleada sofrida por 4 a 0 para o Flamengo, no último domingo (14), no Morumbi.

Man Utd ready to join race for "unbelievable" £75m CM amid interest in Bruno

Manchester United are now ready to join the race for an “unbelievable” £75m midfielder amid the interest in Bruno Fernandes and doubts over Casemiro’s future.

Man Utd keen on new midfielder with Casemiro's future up in the air

Casemiro’s contract is due to expire at the end of the season, but the Brazilian has remained a key player for Man United, having arguably proven Jamie Carragher wrong since the Sky Sports pundit infamously suggested he needed to “call it a day.”

The 33-year-old has made seven Premier League appearances this season, with the only game he missed being due to suspension, and the midfielder’s defensive attributes have been on display on a regular basis over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Tackles

4.05 (99th percentile)

Blocks

2.33 (99th percentile)

Clearances

2.81 (94th percentile)

There have been widespread reports suggesting the former Real Madrid man could still extend his contract, but his future remains up in the air, while there are also some doubts over whether Fernandes will remain a United player.

According to a report from The Mirror, the Portugal international, who is regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world, is attracting interest from elsewhere, with Saudi Pro League clubs known to be keen.

Consequently, Man United are now ready to enter the race for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, who has been a shining light for the Tricky Trees amid their poor start to the season.

Having impressed for Forest and England, Anderson’s asking price is now a whopping £75m, with a number of rival Premier League clubs also keen, including Manchester City and Chelsea.

Ruben Amorim views rebuilding his midfield as a priority, having previously looked at signing Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, with United now big admirers of the Forest star too.

Carragher said Man Utd star was "awful" in 24/25, now he's their best player

Manchester United appear to have conducted incredible business with the addition of one star.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 21, 2025 "Unbelievable" Anderson impressing for club and country

The 22-year-old has become a regular starter for the Three Lions under the helm of Thomas Tuchel, recently putting in a fantastic display in the 5-0 win against Latvia, completing 121 passes and making four tackles, the highest number of any player.

Newcastle United defender Kieran Trippier has also made it clear he is a huge admirer of his former teammate, taking the time to praise his performances for Forest.

A £75m asking price is steep, but Anderson is a very well-rounded midfielder, also placing in the 85th percentile for assists per 90 over the past year, compared to other midfielders, so he would undoubtedly be an exciting addition to Amorim’s squad.

Multan Sultans owner decides not to renew ownership of PSL franchise

Owner Ali Tareen says he would “rather lose the team standing on my feet than run it from my knees”

Danyal Rasool25-Nov-2025

“The Sultans have always meant more to me than just numbers” – owner Ali Tareen•PCB

Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen has announced he will not renew his ownership of the PSL franchise. In a statement on social media, Tareen said he was bidding farewell to the franchise he has owned for seven years.In doing so he appeared to take a parting shot at PSL management, saying he would “rather lose the team standing on my feet than run it from my knees”. That was in keeping with an ongoing dispute with the league, as well as hinting at differences that seem to have built up with the other owners”Being part of this team has been one of the greatest honours of my life,” Tareen’s statement said. “Despite the financial losses year on year, I never once thought about walking away. The Sultans have always meant more to me than just numbers. And I have always been willing to go as far as needed to protect it.”The statement, posted soon after the five other franchises formally confirmed that they had decided to renew ownership of their respective teams, throws a spanner into the works of the 11th edition of the PSL. The tournament is already set to expand to eight teams, which means two new owners. If the PSL and Tareen fail to strike a deal, as now seems increasingly inevitable, the PCB will have to hunt for a third.Tareen’s statement represents the low point of a relationship that has been deteriorating for the best part of a year. During this time, Tareen has stepped up his criticism of the PSL management, which he accused of a lack of transparency and vision.

In response, the PCB sent a legal notice that accused him of being non-compliant with his ownership contract, and demanded a retraction and public apology. Tareen responded with a sarcastic “apology” video which ended with him tearing up the notice they had sent.In the following weeks, Tareen found himself increasingly locked out of discussions in the build-up to the 11th season. He was the only owner not to receive a renewal offer letter. Tareen said last week that Sultans had received no response to any communication from either the PCB chairman or the PSL management, threatening to take legal action.ESPNcricinfo understands that the PCB sent Tareen an email earlier this week, asking him to apologise and delete all social posts critical of the PSL and its management, representing the continuing impasse that existed between the two partiesWhen Sultans had launched as the newest franchise in 2018, it was initially owned by Schon Group, who withdrew after year later. After that, Alamgir Tareen, Ali’s uncle, became majority owner of the franchise alongside as Sultans won the PSL in 2020, and reached the final on four consecutive occasions. After Alamgir died in 2022, Ali rose to become sole owner of the franchise.”Please know that this team has always been much more than its owner,” Tareen’s statement concluded. “It belongs to you and to South Punjab. So whoever takes control of the Sultans next, please keep supporting them with the same passion. You can count on me to be in the stands supporting them too.”ESPNcricinfo has approached the PCB for comment.

Chelsea now looking to sign "outstanding" £168k-a-week CB who's won 11 trophies

Chelsea are now looking to sign an “outstanding” experienced centre-back who’s won 11 trophies, having struggled defensively at times this season.

Blues fall to ninth after Sunderland setback

Enzo Maresca has been forced to contend with a number of injury problems already this season, with the manager particularly light on options in defence, given the absence of Levi Colwill and Benoit Badiashile, who are both set to be out for quite some time.

Colwill is a long-term absentee, having suffered an ACL injury in the summer, while Maresca has confirmed Badiashile won’t be back for another couple of months, saying: “Benoit will be out until December. He is injured again with a muscle problem. He was doing fantastic, showing how good he is, and we will wait for him.”

That said, the manager is still likely to be concerned by just how susceptible his team have been to conceding chances, with Nottingham Forest missing four big opportunities and hitting the woodwork last weekend.

The Blues got away with it against Forest, but Sunderland made them pay on Saturday, with the Black Cats emerging as 2-1 winners at Stamford Bridge, which means the hosts have fallen to ninth in the Premier League table.

As such, Maresca may need to bolster his backline if Chelsea are to transform into title contenders, and they are now looking to sign Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano, who is facing an uncertain future at the Allianz Arena.

That is according to a report from CF Bayern, which states the west Londoners want to sign Upamecano in 2026, at which point his contract with the German club will have expired, having been unable to agree a new deal.

Chelsea now join race to sign "hugely impressive" £70m Champions League forward

A new forward has emerged as a target for the Blues.

ByDominic Lund Oct 26, 2025

With the Blues potentially looking to offload ‘bomb squad’ member Axel Disasi, a new centre-back could be brought in to replace him, and the Bayern defender has been identified as a target, although there could be competition from Real Madrid.

"Outstanding" Upamecano could be exactly what Maresca needs

Jamie Carragher has made it clear just how much he disagrees with BlueCo’s recruitment policy of signing young players, saying: “Chelsea should be title contenders and considered Champions League challengers this season. Instead, their hierarchy seems content to be praised for being the smartest recruiters in the business – the world’s richest development club.”

In fairness, while Chelsea did win the Club World Cup in the summer, the model is yet to translate to success in the Premier League, and more experienced players are arguably needed if they are to become title contenders.

As such, the “outstanding” France international, as lauded by Joshua Kimmich, could be exactly what they need, given that he is experienced at the top level, winning 11 major trophies throughout his career, and the 27-year-old’s passing ability indicates he could be an ideal fit in a Maresca system.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Passes attempted

89.32 (99th percentile)

Pass completion %

93.4% (96th percentile)

Progressive passes

6.39 (95th percentile)

The £168k-a-week star’s potential availability on a free transfer is an added bonus for Chelsea, who clearly need greater strength in depth at the back, given that 19-year-old Josh Acheampong has emerged as a regular starter.

Rashid, Nabi, Mujeeb to depart BBL for international duty; Siddle suffers minor fracture

Rashid Khan will play his last match of the BBL season against the Melbourne Stars on Monday night as he, Mohammad Nabi, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman head to the UAE for Afghanistan’s ODI series against Ireland.While the legspinner is available for Monday’s clash the Strikers will be without Peter Siddle after scans revealed he had suffered a fracture in his left thumb while attempting to field a powerfully struck ball from Jake Fraser-McGurk in the loss to the Melbourne Renegades.The ODI series between Afghanistan and Ireland was originally scheduled to begin on January 18 in the UAE but the first ODI has been pushed back to January 21 after negotiations between the two boards. The series was nearly moved to Oman.Nabi, who was player of the match for his phenomenal 71 not out against the Strikers on Friday night, has already departed for the UAE and won’t play in the Renegades next match against the Brisbane Heat in Melbourne on January 14.But Mujeeb is expected to play in that fixture for the Heat before heading to the UAE. He will also play against the Sydney Sixers on Sunday night.Siddle’s fracture is minor and on his non-bowling thumb so there is a chance he could play in the Strikers return clash against the Melbourne Stars at the MCG on January 15.

Alex Carey, Harry Conway and Nic Maddinson hit by Queensland's border restrictions

The Adelaide Strikers pair are unavailable to face Brisbane Heat due to restrictions on anyone who has been in Greater Sydney since December 9

Alex Malcolm22-Dec-2020Adelaide Strikers pair Alex Carey and Harry Conway have been ruled of Wednesday’s match against the Brisbane Heat at the Gabba due to Queensland’s border closure to anyone who has been in Greater Sydney since December 9Carey and Conway were part of the Australia A side that played in Sydney on December 11 to 14 against India at the SCG. Despite Carey playing in Hobart on Sunday night, the pair were forced to miss the flight to Queensland with the remainder of the Strikers and Sydney Sixers players and were instead flown to Adelaide where they will prepare for the Strikers’ match against the Perth Scorchers on December 28.CA was made aware of the Queensland government’s imminent border closure for people who had been in Greater Sydney from December 9 on Sunday. The Queensland government advised that anyone who had been in the Greater Sydney area would be required to do 14 days quarantine when arriving in Queensland after 1am December 21.The Queensland government’s decision directly affected the Australia A players in the BBL travelling from Tasmania to Queensland on Monday but not the players in the Australia Test squad who have already been cleared for travel exemptions to Melbourne from Adelaide.Carey and Conway were the only two Australia A players who were unable to get to Queensland ahead of the restrictions because of their participation in the Strikers match against the Sixers on Sunday night.The pair were available to play on Sunday night in Hobart due to the fact that the Tasmanian government had not yet imposed any quarantine rules on people who had travelled from Greater Sydney after December 9.Queensland’s border closure has also impacted the Melbourne Stars who will be without Nic Maddinson for their next BBL match against the Sixers on the Gold Coast on Boxing Day.Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Ben Dunk, Adam Zampa, and Seb Gotch were all granted leave from the BBL bubble after their last match against the Perth Scorchers on December 16 in Launceston.Maddinson was unable to get to Queensland in time prior to the border closure and he has gone straight to Canberra for the Stars’ clash with the Sydney Thunder on December 29.Zampa is currently in New South Wales but he is in Byron Bay, well clear of the Greater Sydney area, and hasn’t been in that area since it was declared a Covid hotspot. He is due to link up with the Stars squad prior to their clash on the Gold Coast on Boxing Day and there are currently no concerns about his availability.CA was able to fly all of the other Australia A players involved in the game against India in Sydney into Queensland ahead of the border closure and therefore none of them are required to quarantine and will be available to play in the respective BBL matches in Queensland.

Yves Bissouma facing another Tottenham sanction after being filmed inhaling laughing gas a year after being hit with ban by Spurs for same offence

Yves Bissouma is facing fresh disciplinary action from Tottenham after footage emerged of the midfielder inhaling laughing gas for the second time in just over a year, reigniting concerns over his conduct and future at the club. Spurs have launched a new investigation into the 29-year-old, who was previously suspended for the same offence and has yet to feature this season under Thomas Frank.

Tottenham launch investigation after Bissouma's laughing gas incident

Tottenham have launched an internal investigation after Bissouma was filmed inhaling nitrous oxide from a balloon during the early hours of November 3, with the footage reportedly recorded at a party in London and reported by . The video, which he is said to have sent to a woman invited to join him, has raised immediate disciplinary concerns, given his previous suspension for the same behaviour. Spurs confirmed that the matter is being handled internally after the footage was published, intensifying scrutiny on a player who is already out of favour this season.

The incident is particularly serious because possession of nitrous oxide for recreational use has been illegal in the UK since 2023, carrying potential criminal penalties. With Bissouma having already apologised for a similar offence last year and having served a club suspension as a result, this second episode has sparked renewed questions over his professionalism at a time when he has not played a single minute this campaign.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBissouma's turbulent period at Tottenham

This latest controversy adds to a turbulent period for Bissouma, whose Tottenham future has been uncertain since he was dropped from the squad for persistent lateness at the start of the season. Thomas Frank has left the Mali international out of both his Premier League plans and Spurs’ Champions League squad, noting at one point that there was still a way back but emphasising standards that must be met. The landscape has worsened for the midfielder following an ankle injury sustained on international duty, keeping him sidelined during a period when he needed to rebuild trust.

Off the pitch, Bissouma has endured further turmoil with revelations in November that he had been the victim of a major fraud, losing £800,000 from a Coutts bank account. Although the club maintain an option to extend his contract beyond June, his position is fragile, with Spurs considering triggering the clause primarily to protect his transfer value ahead of a possible January sale. The latest footage contributes to a pattern of off-field issues that could accelerate an exit, especially with earlier interest from Turkish clubs failing to materialise in the summer.

Bissouma suspended last year for the same offence

Bissouma was previously suspended in August 2024 after posting clips of himself appearing to inhale laughing gas, prompting Ange Postecoglou to sanction him for what the manager described as a failure to uphold professional standards. The midfielder issued an apology at the time, acknowledging a “severe lack of judgment” and stressing the importance of his responsibilities as both a footballer and a role model. After serving his punishment, he worked his way back into the side, making 44 appearances last season and playing the full 90 minutes in Tottenham’s Europa League final win over Manchester United.

Despite that recovery, his situation deteriorated sharply early in the current campaign, with Frank dropping him from matchday squads due to tardiness. The club’s decision to omit him from its Champions League squad reflected a further slide in standing, compounded by an ankle injury suffered while representing Mali in World Cup qualifying. With his contract approaching its final months and the club assessing long-term options, the recurrence of last year’s misconduct has become an additional complicating factor.

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Getty Images SportTottenham launch internal investigation into Bissouma

Tottenham’s internal investigation will dictate the scale of any new disciplinary action, with another suspension possible given the seriousness of the repeat offence. Bissouma must wait to recover from injury while also attempting to repair his standing with Frank if he is to regain consideration for first-team football. Whether Spurs choose to sell him in January, activate the one-year extension or give him a final chance will depend heavily on the outcome of the probe and the midfielder’s response in the weeks ahead.

Slow and deadly Harshit Rana adds cutting edge to KKR attack

Rana has repeatedly shut down some of the biggest hitters in the world and his spell in the IPL 2024 final only enhanced his reputation

Deivarayan Muthu27-May-20241:09

Moody: Difference between KKR and SRH became evident tonight

Mitchell Starc bowled arguably the ball of IPL 2024 in the final to hit the top of Abhishek Sharma’s off stump with a ripping outswinger. In the next over, Vaibhav Arora bowled an outswinger of his own to make Travis Head look silly. Harshit Rana’s dismissal of Nitish Kumar Reddy wasn’t as headline-grabbing, but it was deception at its best.In his very first over, Rana dug in three straight slower offcutters into the red-soil Chennai pitch. He found grip and bounce and bowled it so slow that it seemed more like an offbreak. Aiden Markram and Reddy were desperate to break free. Rana knew it and cranked the fourth ball up to 146kph. He got it to angle in towards off and straighten late off the seam. Reddy was beaten for pace, and could do nothing but nick it behind to the keeper.Slow. Slow. Slow. Frighteningly fast.Related

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The two Starora overs that defined the IPL final

Most other bowlers do it the other way. But there are some like Dwayne Bravo, Harshal Patel and now Rana who are bucking that T20 convention.Once the ball became older and the Chepauk track slower, Rana rolled out one cutter after another. Heinrich Klaasen was on a run-a-ball 16. He was desperate to get a move on now. But Rana denied him the pace and shifted his line even wider – possibly wider than a set of stumps outside off – to have him chopping on the next ball with a 116.4kph offcutter. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) were 90 for 8 in 15 overs. Their last recognised batter was gone. Game over.Simon Helmot, SRH assistant coach,who has worked closely with Bravo in the CPL, delivered a glowing appraisal of Rana’s defensive skills.Harshit Rana showed his bowling chops in the IPL 2024 final•BCCI”He has some variations and I think his variation was his quicker ball and fuller ball,” Helmot said after KKR thumped SRH to win their third IPL title. “Obviously, he has those slower deliveries as well. No excuses but nothing certainly went right for us with the bat. I think Klaasy [Klaasen] playing the ball onto the stumps from wide outside off stump was probably something that didn’t go our way.”He seems to have the ability to adapt his bowling style depending on the conditions. Obviously, he’s well-versed with what the opposition are trying to do. Look, there’s a rich battery of fast bowlers here in India that are exciting, I think, and that’s what the IPL often to bring out – a lot of talent – which bodes well for the Indian cricket team and obviously we’ll be looking for lots of players like him when it comes to auction time next year .”In the first meeting between the two teams this season, Rana had similarly bested Klaasen with his slower cutter. The stakes weren’t as high as on Sunday, but still defending seven off five balls after having conceded a six to Klaasen in the first ball of the final over on a flat Eden Gardens pitch is no mean feat.The guy has been repeatedly shutting down some of the biggest hitters in the world. Against Lucknow Super Giants in Kolkata, Rana restricted Nicholas Pooran to 16 off 11 balls with cunning pace variations on wide lines from over the wicket.In all, Rana picked up 19 wickets in 13 games, the most by an uncapped Indian player and only Jasprit Bumrah (20), Varun Chakravarthy (21) and Harshal (24) have more wickets than him this IPL. The slower ball has been responsible for ten of Rana’s 19 wickets, according to ESPNcricinfo’s logs. The variations have particularly served him well in the middle overs (between seven and 16) where he has the best economy rate (7.88) among fast bowlers who have bowled at least 100 balls during the phase this season. It’s better than the likes of Pat Cummins (7.92), Harshal (8.96) and his own team-mate Andre Russell (10.31).1:20

How dominant were KKR this season?

What makes Rana so difficult to put away?”Oh! I haven’t had to face him . He’s learning his skills or he’s learning what his skills are capable of this IPL,” Starc said. “I obviously didn’t know him beforehand. So, he seems pretty confident in his abilities. He started the season having had to close out a game against the second-best team in the tournament. He’s bowled some tough overs and he’s had to bowl the last overs in some games and he’s taken a good amount of wickets throughout.”I think he’s certainly open to listening – whether it would be from Shreyas [Iyer] as captain or working around [with other bowlers at] training. He’s certainly got the ability and he’s only young. He’s going to get better and better the more he works at it. The variations in his pace or slower balls have worked a treat at certain stages as well.”Rana was just a net bowler with Gujarat Titans in 2022 before KKR brought him in as a replacement player in the same season after Nitish Rana, his Delhi team-mate in the domestic circuit at the time, had suggested his name to the team management. In two seasons, he has improved beyond sight.He is also a capable batter – he has a first-class hundred to his name and averages nearly 50 after nine innings – though KKR didn’t require his secondary skill this season. He is already part of the India A system and IPL success could well put him in contention for higher honours.

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