Tag Futebol

Can Celtic get back to winning ways?

Last Sunday, the Hoops were beaten by the side bottom of the Scottish Premiership for the first time since November 2005, shockingly defeated 1-0 by struggling St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.

Considering Rangers also lost a day earlier, Hibs claiming a 2-0 win at Ibrox, it mattered very little, and Celtic could be crowned champions as soon as this weekend.

If Brendan Rodgers’ team beat Kilmarnock on Saturday, and then their fierce rivals are defeated at Pittodrie a day later, a record-equalling 55th top division title will be rubber-stamped.

As the Hoops target victory over Derek McInnes’ Killie, Rodgers must drop his club-record signing and unleash a fit again star instead.

Arne Engels mixed first season at Celtic

Last summer, after selling Matt O’Riley to Brighton for a reported £25m fee, Celtic broke their club record to replace him, with Arne Engels arriving on deadline day from Augsburg at the cost of £11m.

Upon his arrival, Rodgers labeled the Belgian a “young player of real quality”, while Graeme McGarry of the Herland claims the 21-year-old has ‘huge potential’.

To date, Engels has scored ten goals and registered 12 assists across all competitions, with 32 of his 45 appearances coming from the start, underlining that he has been a mainstay.

However, in more recent times, Joe Donnelly of the Glasgow Times notes that Engels has regularly ‘failed to make a significant impact’ in many Celtic matches, scoring only once in his last 12 appearances, hooked after 66 minutes in Perth last Sunday.

Thus, Rodgers must, now, ruthlessly ditch the Belgium international from the starting line-up due to his recent lack of impact at the top end of the pitch, and his dull display last time out.

The Celtic star who should replace Arne Engels

Back in February, Paulo Bernardo suffered an ankle injury during a Scottish Cup tie against Raith Rovers that saw him sidelined for five weeks, heartbreakingly missing out on the two-legged Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

Since then, the Portuguese U21 international has seen just 28 minutes of action, coming off the bench during the 3-0 rout of Hearts a fortnight ago, before remaining an unused substitute against St Johnstone last time out.

Bernardo himself said “I can play football again, so I’m really excited”, describing the injury he suffered as “bad” but stating he will do his best and give his all during the remainder of the campaign.

Bernardo initially joined Celtic on loan from Benfica, before making the move permanent for a reported £3.5m fee last summer.

So far, he’s scored just seven goals and registered only seven assists in 70 outings in hoops, but let’s take a deeper dive into his statistics when compared to Engels.

Appearances

37

45

Minutes

1,544

2,800

Goals

3

10

Assists

4

12

Chances created

30

64

Big chances created

5

14

Passing accuracy %

87.95%

84.64%

Through-balls

2

12

Ball recoveries

74

109

Touches per 90

79

72

The table shows that, throughout the season, Engels’ statistics are better, albeit he has played around 1,300 minutes more across all competitions, which certainly skews the data.

Bernardo meantime, boasts a higher pass completion percentage, more ball recoveries per 90 minutes, and registers marginally more touches per game.

Thus, the Portuguese midfielder definitely deserves a shot against Kilmarnock, building up his match-sharpness ahead of a Scottish Cup semi-final against the side who have just beaten Celtic, namely St Johnstone, at Hampden on Easter Sunday.

Rarely-seen Celtic flop is fast becoming their new James McCarthy

The rarely-seen Celtic flop could end up becoming the new James McCarthy at Parkhead.

ByDan Emery Apr 10, 2025

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da bet esporte： A Secretaria de Esportes de São Paulo de São Paulo e a Federação Paulista de Futebol planejam realizar a primeira edição da Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior ainda em 2023. O projeto nasceu na pasta ligada à prefeitura paulistana e foi levado pelo secretário de esportes e lazer Cacá Vianna à FPF, que acenou positivamente quanto à possibilidade de promover o campeonato.

– A gente começou esse trabalho no ano passado. O futebol feminino tem crescido muito, e quando eu cheguei na Secretaria a gente apresentou essa proposta de criar um campeonato. Já tivemos as peneiras no sub-15 e sub-17, que foram feitas no Centro Esportivo Manchester, que é da prefeitura, em parceria com a Federação Paulista de Futebol, e desde o ano passado, quando eu apresentei essa proposta para a equipe que compõe Federação de começar com um campeonato pequeno, mas dando a possibilidade de São Paulo sair na frente e ter a possibilidade de fazer a primeira Copa São Paulo de Júnior Feminina – disse o secretário com exclusividade ao LANCE! durante o Sports Summit, feira de esportes que acontece no pavilhão de eventos do estádio do Pacaembú, em São Paulo, entre os dias 25 e 27 de abril.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFora de CampoJoão Guilherme relembra episódio que um torcedor tentou invadir a cabine de transmissãoFora de Campo25/04/2023Futebol NacionalQuanto ganham os clubes que se classificam para as oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil? Veja valoresFutebol Nacional25/04/2023Mais EsportesVôlei de praia: tricampeã mundial, Talita completa 200 competições internacionaisMais Esportes25/04/2023

da marjack bet： +Brasil campeão do Sul-Americano sub-17: confira quem é quem entre os nomes da Seleção Brasileira

A iniciativa também é uma forma da capital paulista demonstrar apoio à CBF na candidatura para ser sede da Copa do Mundo feminino em 2027. Haverá a concorrência europeia, na tríplice candidatura que envolve Alemanha, Bélgica e Holanda, da América do Norte, com Estados Unidos e México em parceria, e também da África do Sul, representando o continente africano. Neste ano, o Mundial acontece na Austrália e Nova Zelândia, entre os meses de julho e agosto.

– Lógico que não terão 132 equipes, como acontece no masculino, mas a gente vai dar o pontapé inicial até vislumbrar São Paulo disputar a Copa do Mundo de Futebol Femininio em 2027, que é uma grande importância também para o Brasil, não só para São Paulo. A gente vai entrar na briga , junto com a CBF, para que São Paulo mais uma vez puxe a discussão do fortalecimento do futebol feminino no Brasil – salientou Cacá.

De acordo com o secretário municipal de esportes de São Paulo, a Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior na categoria feminina tem a sinalização de adesão de algumas equipes profissionais, como Corinthians, Ferroviária, Grêmio, Internacional e São Paulo. No entanto, a confirmação dependerá de um calendário que possibilite a participação dessas equipes.

– Tem que aguardar o calendário do Campeonato Brasileiro. A gente precisa ver os locais, porque esses jogos terão torcidas. Não dá para jogar em um campo sem arquibancada, estrutura. É isso que precisamos organizar. E a Federação (Paulista de Futebol) tem uma logística importante nesse sentido – destacou o secretário.

O próximo passo para que o projeto avance será o alinhamento com o Poder Executivo de São Paulo. Reuniões entre os representantes da secretaria municipal de esporte e da Federação Paulista de Futebol com o prefeito da capital paulista, Ricardo Nunes, já estão agendadas, enquanto as entidades realizam estudos para adequar o evento com os espaços de calendários que os clubes e locais de partidas possuem.

A Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior é disputada desde 1969 – com ausências somente em 1987 e 2021. A competição chegou a 53 edições em 2023.

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The game unites the country, cutting through race, religion, caste and class in the way few other things can

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Jun-2019When the Sri Lanka squad left to undertake pre-World Cup training in the UK, a little over three weeks ago, a stultifying unease had settled upon their island. Rocked to its core by the seven bomb blasts that wrenched away more than 250 lives on Easter Sunday, the island’s parks and beaches had emptied, restaurants sat idle, and much of the vivacity of Sri Lankan life had given way to fear.In the weeks since, some semblance of normalcy has been restored. Classrooms are full of students again. Offices hum once more, commuter trains are packed, and the negative foreign-travel advisories – which had helped bring Sri Lankan tourism to a virtual standstill – have begun to be relaxed. Yet there are daily reminders that not all is as it once was. Armed guards stand outside churches, mosques, hotels and malls. Children as young as five must have their bags inspected before they enter school grounds. The news is a vortex of rumour, nationalist fervour, haunting admissions, and wild allegations. Analysts attempt to grapple with local manifestations of a global threat, the government attempts to chart a peaceful course forward, and every fresh revelation wages a fresh onslaught on the psyche. Here is a nation in need of a distraction – a purpose cricket has so often served.ALSO READ: ‘I’ll never forget the scene’ – Shanaka revisits Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday horrorThe game is uniquely qualified to speak to Sri Lanka in harrowing times, because there is no pursuit that cuts through race, religion, caste and class in the country quite as comprehensively. Resoundingly popular in the north – where cricket survived the deprivations of the decades-long civil war – as it is in the wild south-east, or up in the tea-growing hills, it is at once a sport beloved by the working- and middle classes, as it is controlled by elites. Once a weapon used by British to subjugate and divide (many clubs in Colombo still bear their racial names, though they abide by them no longer), cricket has in modern times become a showcase of a unified Sri Lanka: Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Christians all turn out for the national side.The man who has led the team most often this decade, for example, is half-Tamil and Catholic – two minority identities heaped one upon the other. And yet Angelo Mathews’ background was barely remarked upon when he was appointed Sri Lanka’s youngest captain in 2013. Why hail this as some progressive milestone after all, when race and religion have virtually been incidental within Sri Lankan cricket for decades?Cricket in the country is by no means without vast and debilitating woes. It is corrupt and cripplingly intertwined with politics. The apex administrative body’s constitution is a source of profound dysfunction. And yet, for all its sins, Sri Lankan cricket is unblemished by flaw. Beyond runs scored, wickets taken, and catches held, there are few considerations. Where you went to school? Well, perhaps that still has cachet. Who you pray to? What language you speak? The nation’s best ever, Muttiah Muralitharan, is a Hindu from the Hill Country Tamil community, who, having been brutalised by the British and disenfranchised for decades after independence, might fairly lay claim to being the island’s most besieged.Whatever Sri Lanka’s fortunes may be in this World Cup, the country’s fans will bear them collectively•IDI/Getty ImagesIt is unsurprising that when ethnic tensions spill over, and hateful forces mobilise, Sri Lanka’s cricketers are among the first and most forceful voices to campaign for unity. Kumar Sangakkara frequently takes to his social-media pages to deliver conciliatory sermons, his Sinhala as elegant as his English. Mahela Jayawardene and Sanath Jayasuriya are just as quick to use their platforms to push for calm. The current crop of players do not stand idly by either – Mathews, Kusal Mendis, Upul Tharanga and Jeffrey Vandersay all have spoken out on various occasions.And theirs are not merely parroted platitudes. When new captain Dimuth Karunaratne – one of the most vocal on Twitter in the past few weeks – stands against racism, he understands, like so many captains before him, the strength in Sri Lanka’s diversity. Himself a Sinhala Buddhist who made his name opening the batting for a Catholic school, he has in his dressing room players from all over the Sri Lankan spectrum. There is Nuwan Pradeep, the Sinhala fast bowler who speaks Tamil, having grown up in a multilingual fishing neighbourhood in Negombo. There’s Mendis, the rising star in the batting order, and Catholic son of a Moratuwa trishaw driver. There are players with Burgher (Dutch or British) ancestry, and others from the deep south, from villages as Buddhist as they come. Muslims have not had substantial representation in the team in recent years (though Mohamed Shiraz did make the squad for the recent South Africa Tests, even if he didn’t play), but that is not believed to be a result of discrimination. Muslims can be counted among the most respected voices in the cricket media, and they form one of the most raucous groups within Sri Lanka’s fandom – Mohamed Nilam, a superfan, is often seen in his jester’s hat in the stands.ALSO READ: Can Sri Lanka spring another surprise, 23 years on?Cricket has its limitations. World Cup wins will do little to ease the suffering of families devastated by the blasts in Katuwapitiya and Kochchikade, or dull the profound grief of Batticaloa parents whose children were killed just as they were returning to the church building after Sunday school. A great innings will not un-burn Muslim-owned shops. Dipping yorkers will not quell divisive rhetoric, or provide political solutions to long-standing grievances. And perhaps victories will be in short supply in this particular World Cup, given the state of this team’s ODI form. In having won the Tests in South Africa in February, Sri Lanka may already have exhausted their cricket miracle for the year.But there is always the hope there will be some respite. Hope that Sri Lanka raise their game for a World Cup, as they often have done in this century, and that by some magic, a few wins can be strung together. And that even if not, and a nation is disappointed, that it will bear that disappointment as it has often done, together.

Luis Diaz rejected rumours about leaving Anfield this summer amid interest from Al-Nassr and Barcelona.

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• Diaz opened up on exiting Liverpool
• Linked with a move to Al-Nassr and Barcelona
• The striker claimed he is 'happy' at Anfield

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After playing an important role in Liverpool's Premier League-winning campaign in the 2024-25 season, Diaz is now attracting interest from Saudi Pro League giants Al-Nassr. The Riyadh club has started to look for attacking options in case Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the club and have identified the Colombian as a replacement for their veteran star.

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  The Reds forward is also linked with a move to Barcelona, who are looking to sign a new attacker, despite their financial constraints. However, in a recent interview with the Liverpool website, Diaz quashed all exit rumours as he claimed he is happy at the Merseyside club.

• WHAT LUIS DIAZ SAID

  The 28-year-old said: "I feel I’m going through a really good period. I’m really happy to be here, to be part of this great institution, this great club and to have great team-mates around me. From the moment I arrived, I felt great pride. I always tried to work hard for this, and to see that nowadays things are working out for me fills me with pride and I’m really happy because that’s what I work for.

  "[But] we are nobodies without our team-mates. We are a team. The forwards and wingers always try to help with goals and assists, and right now I’ve achieved good numbers to back that up. It’s about playing and then playing well, supporting the team in the way I play and enjoying it, like always."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  The newly crowned English champions have already started working on their squad rebuilding plans. They have signed Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen and are also closing on signing the German club's star midfielder, Florian Wirtz.

Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is currently waiting to find out a player’s feelings about joining the club this summer, following Gunners talks with him in January, and it is even believed he visited the Emirates Stadium that month.

Arsenal urged to sign new midfielder amid Berta arrival

The Italian has a few key tasks on his agenda following his official appointment last weekend.

Arsenal set for talks to sign "underrated" star after Berta decision this week

The Italian is stamping his mark as Edu’s replacement.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 4, 2025

As per GiveMeSport, Berta and the Arsenal recruitment team could splash up to £300 million on seven new arrivals, including a new “second-choice goalkeeper, left-back, defensive midfielder, left-winger and striker”, with the north Londoners also pondering an alternative for Bukayo Saka.

While supporters will be eager to see Berta finally bring the club’s long wait for a prolific striker to an end, the need for a centre-midfielder will be prevalent, as Mikel Arteta is set to be minus two solid options in the middle of the park.

Everton (away)

Today

Brentford (home)

April 12th

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 23rd

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Thomas Partey and Jorginho will leave upon the expiry of their contracts on June 30th as things stand, leading to Arsenal’s talks over a deal for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

The Spain international is apparently “very likely” to join Arsenal and is “almost definitely” happening, according to Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth, with talkSPORT pundit Darren Bent suggesting that it is imperative for Berta to reinforce Arteta’s engine room.

“Another midfielder, a holding midfielder,” said Bent when asked what Arsenal need most this summer.

“I love Thomas Partey, I think this season his form has been brilliant but you have to look long term. There’s talk about Zubimendi, I have reservations. I know he’s a good player.

“I thought he was brilliant in the second half of the Euros final when he came on for Rodri but the Premier League is a different animal. You have to be able to run, be strong, get your foot in. But that’s an area I’d look at as well.”

There are suggestions that Arsenal could move for Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes as well as Zubimendi, with the Brazilian’s contract also including a release clause.

Another midfield technician they’ve been seriously interested in, with talks already held, is Rosenborg sensation Sverre Nypan.

Andrea Berta waiting on Sverre Nypan decision to join Arsenal

As per GiveMeSport and reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, Berta is waiting for Nypan’s final decision on potentially joining Arsenal.

The Norwegian, rumoured to command a price tag of £20 million, visited the Emirates in January and reliable news outlets at the time reported that Arteta’s side held winter talks with Rosenborg over a deal.

The teenager bagged eight goals and 10 assists in all competitions across the 2024 campaign for Rosenborg, even drawing comparisons with Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, but he has many other suitors – including Man City (Fabrizio Romano).

“Sverre Nypan is extremely exciting,” said Norwegian pundit Jesper Mathisen to TV2 last year.

“I get a bit of the same feeling as when I saw Martin Ødegaard break through as a boy.”

The former England batter helped the team win 19 out of 50 internationals in his tenure

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jan-2024

Jonathan Trott gives a pep talk before practice•ICC/Getty Images

Following a successful stint with the Afghanistan men’s cricket team, former England batter Jonathan Trott’s contract as head coach has been extended for a year. His 18-month tenure came to an end with 2023 but the ACB has chosen to keep him for 2024 as well.Afghanistan made excellent gains on the field last year, which culminated in their performance in the ODI World Cup where they beat Pakistan, England, Sri Lanka and Netherlands. They were also within reach of victory over the eventual champions Australia until Glenn Maxwell played one of the greatest innings of all time.Trott spoke to ESPNcricinfo in the aftermath of that campaign where Afghanistan went in with only one win in World Cup cricket and increased that count to five by the end of the tournament. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with them so far,” he said. “It’ll be nice to be able to build on the success we had at this World Cup.”In all, Trott, who was first appointed as head coach of Afghanistan in July 2022, has helped the team to win eight out of 23 ODIs, including a maiden series win over Bangladesh, and 11 out of 26 T20Is, including a maiden series win over Pakistan.Afghanistan are currently playing a three-match T20I series against the UAE, where the scoreline is 1-1. They will then play India in a set of three T20Is in January in preparation for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the USA in June.Trott had a storied time with England, especially in Test cricket where he made 3835 runs in 52 matches, and was one of the pillars of their Ashes triumph in 2010-11. At his peak a player capable of batting long periods and constructing massive innings, Trott’s success also translated well into ODI cricket where he made 2819 runs at an average of 51 with four hundreds and 22 fifties. Towards the end of his career, though, the intensity of his game took a toll on him and he needed a break from cricket in 2013-14. Trott eventually retired from England duty in 2015. The Afghanistan job was his first time as head coach of a senior men’s team in international cricket.

Tottenham Hotspur are now closely monitoring two Premier League players ahead of the summer transfer window, with a “sensational” £60m midfielder on their radar, according to a report.

Spurs struggling amid injury crisis

Tottenham’s season has undoubtedly been hampered by the scale of the injury crisis in N17, and Ange Postecoglou bemoaned the number of players currently sidelined in the wake of his side exiting the EFL Cup at the hands of Liverpool.

“Vicario, Romero, Destiny, Van de Ven, Solanke, Odobert… I could go on and on. We had 10 senior players missing. If you take seven or eight key players from any team and you’re playing the best team in the league at the best, I don’t think you make judgements in these moments.”

After crashing out of the EFL Cup as a result of the 4-0 drubbing at Anfield, Postecoglou is undoubtedly under increasing pressure, with recent performances not good enough, regardless of the number of players currently on the sidelines.

However, the Australian continues to work on potential signings for the summer, with the injuries this season perhaps indicating the manager needs a bigger squad to work with if he is going to continue to play such an intense style of football.

According to reports from Spain, Tottenham are now closely monitoring two Premier League players for the end of the season, namely Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Southampton’s Tyler Dibling.

The English duo have attracted Spurs’ attention after putting in some impressive performances for their respective clubs, with Dibling enjoying a breakout season at St Mary’s, despite the fact his side are at serious risk of relegation.

The report claims the Lilywhites are looking to sign young players for the future, rather than focusing on big-name signings, and the Premier League duo fit the bill in that regard, with Dibling just 18, while Wharton – valued at £60m in the summer – is 21.

Tottenham dealt Mathys Tel summer transfer blow after Man United claim

The Frenchman was one of Ange Postecoglou’s silver lining players on his debut against Liverpool.

By
Emilio Galantini

Feb 8, 2025

Dibling and Wharton impressing in the Premier League

It is no wonder Tottenham are looking to sign the talented English youngsters given that they have been in good form this season, with Dibling solidifying his place in the Southampton first team, picking up four goals and two assists in all competitions.

Crystal Palace star Wharton has been impressing for quite some time now, receiving a call-up to the England squad for Euro 2024, and he has been the subject of high praise from members of the media.

Dibling and Wharton are showing signs of great promise, so it is exciting news Tottenham are in the running for their signatures, although it may be difficult to lure them to north London if they fail to qualify for Europe next season, which is looking increasingly likely.

Allrounder Bas de Leede says the team has set themselves a high target at their first ODI World Cup since 2011

Shashank Kishore05-Oct-20232:33

Bas de Leede: ‘Us being here is massive for the sport back home’

Netherlands allrounder Bas de Leede is clear about his team’s targets at the World Cup.For starters, they aren’t thinking of themselves as Associates. They want to play as equals with the big boys. For de Leede, there’s no bigger motivation than that.”We want to make the semi-finals,” he announced ahead of their first game against Pakistan in Hyderabad. It may seem a fanciful dream to many, considering Netherlands haven’t played an ODI since the World Cup Qualifiers in June.They arrived in India late September for two warm-up games against Karnataka, and the nature of pitches proved a challenge. In the first game, they slumped to 3 for 8, before making 114 in pursuit of 266. In the second, they made 295 and lost by one wicket.Netherlands had both their World Cup warm-ups against Australia and India washed out; and Mitchell Starc blew away their top order in the little play that was possible. It was a reminder of what they can expect when they face Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf.Related

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Men in orange: how Netherlands grew a big-team mentality

Father and son at World Cups: the different journeys of Tim and Bas de Leede

Pakistan brace for Netherlands challenge amid form, injury and off-field concerns

Several first-choice players had missed Netherlands’ glorious run at the World Cup Qualifiers to honour their English county contracts. De Leede was among those who made it to Zimbabwe thanks to Durham making letting him go play.”We obviously don’t get to play together as a team very often because guys are spread out,” he said. “But I think the learnings we can take from Karnataka was, first of all, it was nice to play together as a team and try and adapt to Indian conditions.”Obviously, it’s one thing training in Indian conditions, but then another thing going out and playing and seeing what it’s like in a game. Then you know lack of game time. It was a shame that the warm-up games got rained off. But I think in the nets, we try and replicate game scenarios and try and be as competitive as we can when bowling to each other, when facing each other.”Does the prospect of playing Full Member teams seem intimidating? Not quite. De Leede spoke of how Netherlands ran Pakistan close over three ODIs in Rotterdam last August.In the first match of that series, Netherlands nearly chased down Pakistan’s 314 but fell 16 short. In the third ODI, having restricted Pakistan to 206, they were 108 for 3 before collapsing to lose by nine runs.Bas de Leede played an important role in Netherlands qualifying for the World Cup•Albert Perez/ICC/Getty Images

“I think the experience of the whole Super League, having played against bigger nations, was fantastic for us,” de Leede said. “And obviously, Pakistan, having played them last year in Rotterdam in three ODIs, it’ll be nice to sort of be familiar with the team and the players and stuff, having played them before.”I think that will help us a little bit. But obviously, you know, they’ve evolved. They’ve gotten better. They’ve got different skills now as well, even with Shaheen [Afridi] coming back, who didn’t play that series.”Twice during the press conference, de Leede was asked to be “realistic” in terms of setting expectations.”We want to make the semi-finals,” he said both times. “If we want to get there, we’ve got to win four or five games. So, we’d have to take down one of the big teams. But that’s (semi-finals) our main target. And if we get there, we play our best cricket. Amazing. But if we play our best cricket and we don’t get there, I reckon we can still be proud of ourselves.”How will they approach their quest to make the final four? Play with a nothing-to-lose approach or set high goals and try to get there?”I think probably a mixture of both,” he said. “I don’t think any of the teams have got anything to lose. They’ve got something to gain, which is winning the World Cup. I think for us, obviously it’s special being back for the first time since 2011, but we’ve set our goal high which is making the semi-final. I don’t think if we don’t make it, we’re a failure or anything like that.”I think if we don’t make it, but we have played our best cricket, we can still be proud of ourselves. But by setting the goal to make the semi-final, I think we can probably do more than what people expect from us.”

Dejan Kulusevski shared his thoughts on Tottenham's transfer activity after the team's latest defeat to Nottingham Forest.

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• Kulusevski not happy with Tottenham transfers
• Says other clubs more 'prepared' when it comes to signings
• Spurs struggling in Premier League

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Spurs slipped to an 18th Premier League defeat of the season on Monday after going down 2-1 to Nottingham Forest at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It's been a difficult campaign for Ange Postecoglou's side who have been plagued by injuries to key players throughout the year and currently sit down in 16th place in the table.

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  Tottenham splashed out on the likes of Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert in the summer transfer window but are on course for one of their worst-ever Premier League finishes. Kulusevski has been quizzed on his team's struggles for consistency and feels the club do not have a squad capable of coping with domestic and European competition.

• WHAT KULUSEVSKI SAID

  He told reporters: "[The top clubs have] been doing it many years. They know exactly what they're doing. They're bringing in a lot of players that are ready to play both competitions. And they are prepared for it. This year we cannot say that we're prepared for it because we had so many injuries and we did a lot of things wrong from the beginning of the season and we're paying for it right now. After big nights like Thursday, you always go down. That's why teams who are in more competitions are paying [a price]. We're not handling it right, we're not handling it well. Because after 16 minutes we'd conceded three goals, with the offside goal. Then it's hard to win football games. It's not good enough. Then we played some good football but if you're not doing everything right, you will not win games."

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  Kulusevski made his first appearance since February against Forest and said he's in great shape ahead of the final few weeks of the season: "I felt great honestly. I'm so angry about the result but I've got to see the bigger picture: I'm back, I'm healthy and we've got important games coming up, so I've got to stay focussed. I took [my time out] so well because I had to accept it and I had more time to be with my daughter and wife, and do other things in life. I still worked extremely hard because I know that when you come back, it can be hard. But I did all the work necessary to feel good right now. I did everything right."

On-field umpires will no longer be required to give a “soft signal” while referring contentious catches to the TV umpire, according to the revised ICC playing conditions that will come into effect from June 1, 2023.The on-field umpires will now simply consult with the TV umpire before a final decision regarding a referred catch is made, without any soft signal having been made. The change was recommended by the ICC’s Men’s Cricket Committee, endorsed by the Women’s Cricket Committee, and ratified by the ICC’s Chief Executives Committee.While the soft signal was scrapped by the IPL in 2021, it continued to be used in international cricket, and the TV umpire had to find conclusive evidence of a catch being clean or not to overturn the soft signal, irrespective of whether the on-field umpires had a clear line of sight to the catch while making the soft signal.”The committee deliberated this at length and concluded that soft signals were unnecessary and at times confusing since referrals of catches may seem inconclusive in replays,” Sourav Ganguly, the head of the Men’s Cricket Committee, said.There was brief confusion about the Free Hit rule with the ICC saying a “minor addition” had been made to it. That tweak deemed that runs scored off a free hit when the batter is bowled would count as runs towards the batter, as opposed to byes. The most high-profile recent incident was in the last over of India’s epic win against Pakistan at the MCG in the T20 World Cup last year. Kohli was bowled by Mohammad Nawaz off the free hit, but as the ball went to deep third, the batters picked up three runs.Soon after the release, however, the governing body clarified that was not the case and that the rule, when a batter is bowled, remains the same: runs scored after a batter is bowled off a free hit will continue to be categorised as extras and will not be credited to the batter.In the revised playing conditions, the ICC also made it mandatory for players in “high-risk” positions to wear helmets. This includes batters facing fast bowlers, wicketkeepers standing up to the stumps, and fielders standing close to batters in front of the wicket.