Category Uncategorized

With a growing centre-back problem, Liverpool are now reportedly preparing a 2026 move to sign a defender worth over £55m, and he’s been compared to star Arsenal colossus Gabriel.

Liverpool's centre-back problem

The Reds entered the current campaign with a plethora of attacking options.

Arne Slot has been spoiled for choice, with Hugo Ekitiké, record signing Alexander Isak, Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz and others all vying for a starting place. But the same can’t be said for his back four.

The Dutchman has already been forced to play Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, in a decision that has unexpectedly proven effective, and may yet have to turn towards an auxiliary centre-back.

Big Salah upgrade: Liverpool prepare £86m bid for "one of the world's best"

Liverpool’s legendary goalscorer is showing signs of a decline this season.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 11, 2025

After Giovanni Leoni’s season-ending injury, Liverpool have just three senior centre-backs to turn to. One of them is Joe Gomez, who Slot just snubbed to play Ryan Gravenberch in the role against Chelsea when Konate was forced off through injury. So, to put it simply, the Reds may be in the midst of another defensive crisis.

Of course, the arrival of Marc Guehi was meant to solve that problem, until Crystal Palace pulled the plug on his Anfield switch in the final hours of the summer transfer window.

Now, with the race wide open for his signature, and Guehi leaning towards Real Madrid, Liverpool may be forced to turn towards other options.

This has already seen a number of names emerge as potential candidates ahead of next summer, when Konate is still scheduled to leave as a free agent with his contract yet to be sorted.

It’s a problem that Richard Hughes must solve and the arrival of one Paris Saint-Germain star would do exactly that in 2026.

Liverpool preparing Pacho move

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now preparing a move to sign Willian Pacho from PSG in 2026, if they fail to sign Guehi, with Hughes and the Merseysiders recruitment team viewing Luis Enrique’s man as an alternative.

The central defender is valued at €65m (£57m) and is one of the most impressive rising stars in his position as a Champions League winner at just 23-years-old.

Whether he’s the main man in PSG’s backline is another question, however. The Ecuador international has started just three of his side’s seven Ligue 1 games so far this season, but both of their Champions League clashes against Atalanta and Barcelona in a mixed start to the campaign.

When compared to Konate last season, Pacho’s work out of possession stands out the most. Although he must work on progressing play in possession, the South American’s ball recovery rate would hand Liverpool another imperious figure next to Virgil van Dijk next year.

Also dubbed the “baby Gabriel” by analyst Ben Mattinson, PSG’s utility man is certainly someone with a lot of fans in European football.

Whether Liverpool can lure him away from the European champions remains to be seen, however.

Manchester United’s poor form under Ruben Amorim has continued, with the Red Devils currently on a run of just one win in their last five matches.

However, Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed the higher-ups at Old Trafford will continue backing the Portuguese manager and are not considering a change.

That could mean Amorim is once again backed in the January transfer window, as INEOS look to find players who are better suited to his infamous 3-4-2-1 system.

Indeed, they spent over £200m in the summer to sign a new-look attack and Senne Lammens as their new goalkeeper.

If recent reports are to be believed, United will be dipping back into the market in January.

United’s latest transfer target

There have already been several reports linking United to a new midfielder, a clear focus for them over the next two windows.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

Two of those are English duo Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton, although there could be a sizeable price tag for each Three Lions international.

Instead, the Red Devils have been linked with a more budget-friendly option. According to a report from Football Insider, Olympiacos midfielder Christos Mouzakitis is ‘definitely on the radar’ of the 13-time Premier League champions.

However, this is not going to be a straightforward deal for United to do. Mouzakitis is said to be wanted by ‘probably every big club in Europe right now,’ so it’ll be tough competition for Amorim’s side.

Real Madrid, for example, are one of the sides vying for his signature, although United are ready to ‘push’ the LaLiga outfit for his signature.

At a fee of just £30m, it represents great value, especially in January.

Why Mouzakitis would be a good signing

There is no doubt that 18-year-old Mouzakitis, who turns 19 on Christmas Day, is one of the most talented young midfielders in Europe.

That was recognised earlier this week when he won the 2025 Golden Boy fans’ choice award.

Indeed, it is clear to see why the Greek international, who already has seven caps for his country, is so highly rated. Despite being so young, he’s already played 52 times for Olympiacos, bagging two goals and assisting six in that time.

One of the real positives to Mouzakitis’ game is the fact that he is a versatile player. Whilst he has played most of his career as a number eight, the teenager has also operated in a deeper role for Olympiacos.

Como scout Ben Mattinson is someone who has been full of praise for the Athens-born midfielder. He even said Mouzakitis’ profile is “similar to Granit Xhaka,” suggesting he is a true controller in the middle of the park, just like the Swiss veteran.

Indeed, his underlying numbers perfectly highlight just how good he is in possession. For example, the 18-year-old 1.73 passes into the penalty area per 90 minutes.

That number ranks him in the top 6% of midfielders in Europe over the last 365 days.

Mouzakitis’ key stats in last 365 days

Stat (per 90)

Number

Percentile

Key passes

1.42

80th

Passes into penalty box

1.73

94th

Progressive passes

5.99

76th

Shot-creating actions

3.78

90th

Ball recoveries

5.83

86th

Stats from FBref

Of course, going into the next couple of windows, United would love to bring a player like Wharton to Old Trafford.

Described as “very calm, composed, and a joy to play with” by Eberechi Eze, he is one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe.

However, his price tag could be a sticking point for United. The Eagles are said to want £100m for their prized midfield asset.

That would be a club-record deal for the Red Devils if they were to pay that fee.

Signing Mouzakitis, though, could be the dream alternative. Mattinson has previously said he would “compare him” to Wharton.

Like the Blackburn-born midfielder, he is a true controller in the middle of the park.

Not only are their profiles similar, but he’d also save United £70m, according to their reported price tags. That is a huge saving which could weigh into INEOS’ thinking, in a window where they need to spread their money out to sign a few players.

Signing Mouzakitis represents a deal for the present and future, saves them a fortune and helps them sign a needed profile in midfield. It certainly seems like a great option for United.

Related Cunha 2.0: INEOS to fast-track Man Utd bid for 'best winger in England'

Manchester United look set to make a huge move for one player in the upcoming January window.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Dec 5, 2025

The MLB season marches on and we have a loaded slate of games to watch and bet on this Saturday.

We have action on throughout the day, starting in the afternoon and wrapping up at night. I have three games I'm targeting for my best bets, so let's dive into them.

Top MLB Picks Today

Braves -115 vs. PadresDodgers +105 vs. MetsPhillies vs. Athletics OVER 9.5 (+100)Padres vs. Braves Prediction

If you're going to bet on the Braves, the time to do it is when they're facing a right-handed pitcher to avoid their struggles against lefties this season. Thankfully, they're taking on a righty today in Michael King. The Braves' Ops improves from .653 against lefties to .723 against righties, and they've also recorded a .742 OPS over the past 14 days, which ranks in the top half of the Majors.

The Padres are trending in the opposite direction, ranking 20th in OPS over the past two weeks at .689. I think this is a great opportunity to buy low on a Braves team on a losing streak whose underlying numbers are better than you might think.

Dodgers vs. Mets Prediction

The Mets have had an up-and-down season from a metrics perspective and no matter their record of late, their bats have gone ice cold. Over the past two weeks, they rank 28th in OPS at .636 while the Dodgers are fourth in OPS in that time frame at .819. Despite that, the Dodgers are listed as underdogs in today's matchup.

The Dodgers have an issue with their rotation and pitching depth but Tony Gonsolin is the starter you want to pick on. The Mets may have a slight advantage in that category with David Peterson on the mound, but it's not near significant enough to overcome the offensive advantage Los Angeles has.

Phillies vs. Athletics Prediction

Both the Phillies and Athletics have been two of the best teams in the Majors in attacking left-handed pitching. Ahead of today's games, they rank fifth and sixth in OPS against lefties at .788 and .766 respectively. That's going to play a big role as both teams are also rolling with a lefty starting pitcher.

Cristopher Sanchez (3.10 ERA) of the Phillies will take on Jeffrey Springs (3.91 ERA) of the Athletics and both pitchers are in for a tough matchup against the opposing lineup.

Even if the starters survive the early part of the game, this OVER will never be out of the mix as both teams' bullpens rank in the bottom 10 of the Majors, including the Athletics who have a bullpen ERA of 6.06, the third highest amongst all teams.

كشف الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”، اليوم الإثينن بشكل رسمي، عن تطبيق عقوبة جديدة بإيقاف القيد للمرة الخامسة لنادي الزمالك.

وكان فيفا قد قرر إيقاف قيد نادي الزمالك خلال شهر نوفمبر الجاري، 4 مرات من قبل، بسبب مستحقات متأخرة للاعبين ومدربين سابقين.

وجاء إيقاف القيد للمرة الخامسة ضد نادي الزمالك، هذه المرة لمدة 3 فترات قيد قادمة، وذلك لحين تسوية تلك المستحقات المتأخرة.

طالع | للمرة الخامسة في شهر واحد.. فيفا يعلن إيقاف قيد جديد لنادي الزمالك

وأفاد مصدر داخل نادي الزمالك لـ بطولات: “العقوبة الخاصة بإيقاف القيد الأخيرة تخص مستحقات المدرب السويسري كريستيان جروس مدرب الفريق السابق”.

وأشار المصدر إلى أن مجلس إدارة الزمالك والإدارة القانونية بالنادي تتحرك لإنهاء الملف في أسرع وقت، بالتواصل مع جروس في ظل وجود خمس قضايا مختلفة تسببت في منع القيد.

ومن جانب آخر، كان نادي الزمالك فاز على زيسكو الزامبي، بهدف دون رد، مساء أمس الأحد، في أولى مواجهات دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية.

ويستعد حاليًا، فريق الزمالك لمواجهة كايزر تشيفز الجنوب إفريقي، في الجولة الثانية من منافسات بطولة الكونفدرالية، وذلك يوم السبت المقبل الموافق 30 نوفمبر.

Manchester United are four games unbeaten in the Premier League. Since Ruben Amorim last tasted defeat, Anfield has been conquered, and it was goals galore during that thrilling win over Brighton at Old Trafford.

Here have been the first baby steps in a long and arduous journey toward the future, and with that exciting thought dancing at the back of the fans’ minds, we are inevitably turned back to the past.

Because it’s been a long, long time since the Red Devils enjoyed consistency at the top of the table, battling year on year for the biggest titles. Sir Alex Ferguson has not celebrated a Premier League or Champions League title from the stands.

If Amorim hopes to lead United back to such elusive glory, he will need more than just a string of favourable results to his name. He will need to rethread the Fergie feeling into the club’s DNA.

Curiously, there are signs this is taking place, with a number of United stars showing elements of that bygone era in recent weeks.

The Fergie-esque Man Utd stars

Topically, Amad Diallo would fancy himself worthy of a place in one of Ferguson’s one-time squads. The Ivory Coast international has developed something of a penchant for late goals, after all.

In fact, all ten of Amad’s Premier League goals have come in the second half.

However, he’s not alone in that regard. The frontline has been a place of contention for the Theatre of Dreams in recent years, and especially so since Amorim arrived and ousted the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho.

Matheus Cunha looks a cut above, and even though the Brazilian has not yet found his Midas touch in front of goal, his quality is undeniable, with writer Wayne Burton claiming he has the “potential to be an all-timer”, so talented that he might be “the best player we’ve had since Fergie retired”.

Lofty praise, but undoubtedly wearing a ring of truth. This is all to say that there are promising signs at Old Trafford. Bryan Mbeumo looks a star, and given that he has singled out Cristiano Ronaldo as one of his biggest influences, you can see him succeeding in the long run. The Cameroonian plays with the same kind of robust potency as CR7 once did when cutting his teeth under Fergie’s wing.

United still need to make more improvements though, and the current struggles of wing-back Diogo Dalot emphasise the need for new blood on the flanks to help Amorim realise his lofty ambitions.

Once, Gary Neville dominated for the elite outfit; so underrated nowadays, the retired Three Lions star is one of the finest full-backs of his generation.

Dalot, 26, doesn’t look like he’s going to make that grade after once arriving from Porto as a teenager with such promise.

He’s not the only one, though. This is a recurring problem, and one which recalls a time when Sir Alex felt he had landed the next version of Neville, only for this player to fail to kick on.

The Fergie flop who was billed as the next Neville

The Fergie era at Manchester United was defined by meteoric highs. On the transfer front, the Red Devils had the ascendancy within the English game, but a few potential stars fell by the wayside.

One of which would be Rafael Da Silva, who did spend seven seasons at Old Trafford after graduating from the Carrington ranks, but perhaps failed to ever reach the potential his manager saw in him.

Time was when Rafael was viewed as having the potential to become a superstar. He and his twin brother Fabio had been brought over from Brazilian club Fluminense in February 2007, and he would make 170 appearances across all competitions, scoring five goals and supplying 14 assists.

Rafael’s time at the club could hardly be defined as a failure, but he probably served as more of a bit-part player than an instrumental cog in the machine.

14/15

10

590′

13/14

19

1,418′

12/13

28

2,317′

11/12

12

914′

10/11

16

1,201′

09/10

8

682′

08/09

16

1,055′

A three-time Premier League champion he may be, but Ferguson believed he was destined for greatness. The retired manager said in 2012, “I think Rafael will eventually be compared to Gary Neville.”

This didn’t end up being the case. Rafael ended up leaving when under louis van Gaal’s management, at odds with the Dutch manager, and several contentious career events beforehand, coupled with injuries, left his former manager’s prediction untrue.

There’s no question that he is fondly remembered, even considered by some supporters to be something of a cult hero, but Rafael was abundantly talented, and there really was a chance that he could have filled the void that was left when Neville wound down.

A fearless and tenacious attitude, coupled with a burning desire to make things happen and excite the crowd, won the Manchester crowds over instantly, and maybe why we look back now with an air of ruefulness about Rafael’s fizzled-out finish at the club, leaving for French side Lyon in 2015 for a small £2.5m fee.

In any case, it’s funny that you might say his robust and dynamic profile would be well-suited to the current Amorim-led system, but this only emphasises the need for a Neville-esque figure to ensure this new chapter at the club keeps moving forward after such interminable turmoil.

Because sadly, it feels like Dalot has fallen down a similar route, with content creator Liam Canning saying recently that the Portugual international is “becoming a worry long term”, given that he “doesn’t look like he suits the wing back role”.

Neville might be modest about his ability as a Premier League footballer, but it would take to knock him off that all-timer pedestal.

Carrington's "best talent" is a big Sesko upgrade in the making at Man Utd

Manchester United could yet improve further in attack under Amorim’s wing.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 3, 2025

Netherlands joined Italy in securing qualification but Scotland were knocked out

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jul-2025

Italy have secured qualification for the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, despite losing to Netherlands at The Hague. Next year’s tournament will mark Italy’s first appearance at a cricket World Cup. Netherlands also qualified for the event after comfortably chasing 135.Scotland, who have featured in the last four editions of the T20 World Cup, were knocked out after suffering a last-ball defeat against Jersey earlier in the day. Despite pulling off a one-wicket heist, Jersey were also knocked out after Netherlands beat Italy. Both Italy and Jersey were level with five points, but Italy ended up progressing to the 2026 T20 World Cup, by virtue of a superior net run-rate.Italy only needed to avoid a heavy defeat, which they did by stretching Netherlands’ chase to 16.2 overs. They confirmed their place in next year’s T20 World Cup in the 15th over before Netherlands completed their job and joined Italy in the event.After having opted to bat, Italy lost both their openers, Justin Mosca and Emilio Gay, within three overs and when their captain Joe Burns (22) fell in the seventh over, they were 41 for 3. Wicketkeeper-batter Marcus Campopiano also fell cheaply, leaving Italy at 46 for 4 in the ninth over. Ben Manenti then rallied along with the lower order to help Italy post a relatively competitive 134 for 7. Left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe was the pick of the bowlers for Netherlands, returning 3 for 15 in four overs, including the key wicket of Burns.Manenti found support from No. 7 Grant Stewart (25 off 16) and No. 8 Anthony Mosca (13* off 14). Italy took 33 off the last three overs, including 15 off the penultimate over bowled by allrounder Bas de Leede.Netherlands celebrate their tournament win•International Cricket Council

Netherlands then dashed out of the blocks, hitting 66 for no loss in the powerplay in their chase. Max O’Dowd and Michael Levitt extended their opening stand to 71 before Crishan Kalugamage struck in the eighth over to dismiss Levitt for 34 off 25 balls, an innings which included five fours and a six. O’Dowd and captain Scott Edwards then put on an unbroken 64-run partnership for the second wicket to see Netherlands home.Kalugamage finished with figures of 1 for 25 in his four overs and though Harry Manenti didn’t strike on the day, he ended the Europe regional final as its top wicket-taker. He took eight wickets at an average of 9.62 and economy rate of 7.70 in three matches.As for Jersey, they sealed their first-ever win against Scotland, but their joy was short-lived with the result of the Italy-Netherlands fixture not going in their favour. In pursuit of 134, Jersey were cruising at 81 for 1 in the 12th over, but the wicket of Nick Greenwood triggered a collapse. Jersey lost 8 for 48 and were left needing five off four balls. Captain Charles Perchard and No. 11 Jake Dunford picked off 2,1,1,1 to keep Jersey in the race before Netherlands and Italy qualified at their expense.Fifteen teams have qualified for the men’s T20 World Cup 2026 so far. The East-Asia Pacific qualifier will see three more sides qualify from the competition while two further teams will make it through from the Africa qualifier.

With their sights set on further upgrades, Manchester United have now reportedly leapfrogged Liverpool in the race to sign a Premier League rival who’s worth £70m.

Man Utd's 2026 transfer plans

Victory over Sunderland at least bought Ruben Amorim more time, but there’s no denying that the pressure is still on. Such results should be a formality at a club of Man United’s stature and, simply put, they have been anything but since the former Sporting Club boss arrived. That said, INEOS’ transfer plans suggest that they’re still ready to back their manager.

The impact of their spending has already been on show this season, too. Senne Lammens made his full debut against Sunderland and instantly silenced the noise that has been surrounding United’s No.1 role for a number of years. Meanwhile, Benjamin Sesko has now discovered his golden touch – scoring twice in his last two games.

Those at Old Trafford will be the first to admit that there’s still plenty of work to be done, especially when 2026 arrives. The investment into Amorim’s squad must continue and may yet even feature another shot-stopper.

Aiming to overhaul the position completely with Lammens and one other star, the Red Devils have reportedly shown interest in signing Marc-Andre ter Stegen from Barcelona when he returns from his current spell on the sidelines.

The experienced goalkeeper would come with hefty wages, which should act as a warning sign after previous mistakes, but may add invaluable experience to Amorim’s dressing room.

He’s not the only option in that department, though. United have also been linked with Emiliano Martinez again. The Aston Villa goalkeeper came close to joining the club in the summer, before they chose Lammens instead. Now, after competition for the summer arrival, United could reportedly go back in for the World Cup winner.

Signing proven Premier League players seems like a route that INEOS could look to go down after Cunha and Mbeumo, with Martinez already linked and an attacking star now also on Man United’s radar.

Man Utd jump ahead of Liverpool in Semenyo race

As reported by Caught Offside, Man United now hold stronger interest in Antoine Semenyo than Liverpool and INEOS have identified the Bournemouth winger as a player who is “well worth” paying for.

Related The new Yorke & Cole: Man Utd's "superb double-act" could save Amorim's job

Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke famously scored 53 goals as Manchester United won the treble in 1998/99, but has Rúben Amorim found a new “electric” duo?

Posts ByBen Gray Oct 7, 2025

The impressive forward has enjoyed an excellent start to the campaign – scoring six goals and assisting another three in seven Premier League games. It’s the type of form that so often leads to a big move, but Bournemouth are unlikely to sell for a bargain price. Reports have even gone as far as to suggest that the Cherries value their star man at £70m.

Naturally, Semenyo’s current form has also earned him some fairly high praise from those around the Premier League. And that includes from Sky Sports pundit and former Liverpool ace Jamie Redknapp.

The pundit said after the Bournemouth winger scored in a recent comeback win over Fulham: “It was a hard night to play football but it didn’t matter to Semenyo. He just glides across that surface. An incredible, unique talent. So fantastic to see.”

Juventus have confirmed the appointment of Luciano Spalletti following Igor Tudor's dismissal earlier this week. Tudor succeeded Thiago Motta in Turin in March and was handed a three-year contract after guiding Juventus to the Champions League. Juventus currently sit seventh in Serie A following their midweek 3-1 win over Udinese, though they are just three points behind rivals Inter in third.

AFPTudor out and Spalletti in at Juventus

Tudor oversaw a disappointing eight-game winless run in all competitions in the final weeks of his time in charge of Juventus. In addition, the Old Lady were mired on a four-goal goalless streak as the Serie A powerhouse struggled in the opening weeks of the season.

Massimo Brambilla was placed in interim charge following Tudor's exit and the reserve team boss coached Juventus to a 3-1 win over Udinese in midweek as goals from Dusan Vlahovic, Federico Gatti and Kenan Yildiz saw the Italian giants end their winless spell in style.

Juventus will look to make it back-to-back wins when they make the trip to Cremonese at the weekend, and will do so with Spalletti in charge after the Italian return to management. The 66-year-old had been out of work since leaving his role as Italy head coach in June.

Advertisement'Welcome to Juventus and good luck, coach'

"Luciano Spalletti is the new head coach of Juventus, signing an agreement with the Club until June 30, 2026," a statement read on the club's official website.

"We are delighted to welcome a coach with such expertise and experience to the Bianconeri family: welcome to Juventus and good luck, coach!"

The role is Spalletti's first in club football since he left Napoli in 2023 having replaced Gennaro Gattuso in 2021. Spalletti guided the Naples powerhouse to a first Scudetto since 1990 in his second, and final, season at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona helm.

In addition, the experienced Italian has also coach Inter, Roma – twice – Udinese, and in Russia, where he was head coach of Zenit St Petersburg between 2009 and 2014.

Getty Images SportMajor clause in Spalletti contract – revealed

While Spalletti has put pen to paper on a deal with the Old Lady until the end of the season, there is reportedly a major clause in his contract. Said clause stipulates that his contract will be automatically renewed should Juventus qualify for the Champions League.

Juventus are currently three points off third-placed Inter and six behind league leaders and former side Napoli, who are currently managed by Antonio Conte. Spalletti's first game in charge will come at the Giovanni Zini, where Juventus take on Cremonese.

Davide Nicola's side claimed just their third league win of the season in midweek as a Federico Bonazzoli brace saw ease to a 2-0 win at Genoa. The result leaves Cremonese just one point and one place behind Saturday's opponents Juventus.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Spalletti has tough start to life in Turin

Spalletti makes his home bow against Sporting in the Champions League next week and faces a real baptism of fire as Juventus welcome rivals Torino to the Juventus Stadium for the Turin Derby in the final round of games before the international break. Juventus then travel to rivals Fiorentina after the domestic hiatus as Spalletti looks to rescue the Old Lady's stuttering season.

Spalletti returns to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in early December as the former Italy boss gears up to take on former employers Napoli, while his first Derby d'Italia in the Juventus dugout takes place in mid-February.

It remains to be seen whether Spalletti will continue with the three-man backline that Juventus have favoured this season. It was his go-to setup for the Azzurri during his brief stint as Italy boss and one that the Turin giants have used in all but one of nine league matches.

Juventus have also used the setup in all three Champions League matches this season. Spalletti's side have made a sub-par start to the competition having fought back valiantly to rescue a point in an entertaining 4-4 draw with Borussia Dortmund last month. However, Juventus followed that up with another stalemate as they conceded a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Villarreal and then lost 1-0 to Real Madrid.

They have a fairly navigable run of European games between now and January as they face Sporting, Bodoe/Glimt, Pafos, Benfica and Monaco in the coming months.

استغل نجم فريق ريال مدريد، فينيسيوس جونيور، فرصة مباراة الكلاسيكو في بطولة الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم، مساء يوم الأحد، من أجل السخرية من لاعب برشلونة لامين يامال.

وحل برشلونة ضيفًا على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” في الجولة العاشرة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني، موسم 2025/26، حيث فاز ريال مدريد بهدفين لهدف.

وتوترت الأجواء في المباراة أكثر من مرة، خاصة مع تدخل تقنية الفيديو أكثر من مرة، حيث تم إلغاء ضربة جزاء لـ ريال مدريد وهدف كيليان مبابي، قبل احتساب ركلة والتي أهدرها الفرنسي.

ولكن ما حدث في الثواني الأخيرة من عمر المباراة كان مختلفًا تمامًا، حيث طُرد لاعب برشلونة، بيدري، بعدما تحصل على البطاقة الصفراء الثانية، ليشتعل الموقف فجأة بين لاعبي الفريقين على خط التماس.

وانتقلت المشادة بين برشلونة وريال مدريد على أرض الملعب، بمجرد إطلاق صافرة النهاية، وكان السواد الأعظم من تلك المشاجرة متجهة ناحية لامين يامال بسبب تصريحاته الهجومية على الملكي، حيث قال عنهم قبل يومين (يسرقون ويشتكون).

البداية كانت عند داني كارفاخال الذي وبخ لامين يامال بقسوة على ما تفوه به في حق ريال مدريد (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا)، ولكن فينيسيوس جونيور أراد أن ينخرط في الأمر كذلك.

وحسبما ذكرت صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية، فإن فينيسيوس جونيور كرر ما فعله كارفاخال تجاه لامين يامال بعد نهاية المباراة، حيث قال له: “أنت تتحدث كثيرًا، تتحدث كثيرًا”.

وأوضحت أن الأمر بينهما لم يقتصر على ذلك، بل شوهد فينيسيوس وهو يستفز لامين بعد دقائق من بداية الشوط الثاني، حيث قال له: “تتحدث دائمًا في الخارج”، وكررها مرتين، قبل أن يضيف: “تحدث هنا تحدث هنا”.

وواصل فينيسيوس استفزازه للاعب برشلونة، حيث قال له ساخرًا: “اليوم تمرر الكرة للخلف فقط”.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has left his £116 million summer signing Florian Wirtz on the bench for Saturday's crunch Premier League clash with Chelsea. The new arrival has made a slow start to life at Anfield following his move from Bayer Leverkusen, which has brought plenty of criticism, and he has now been taken out of the starting XI by his manager.

Liverpool team named for Chelsea match

Slot has named his team to face the Blues and there's no place for Wirtz. The Reds boss has instead named Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominic Szoboszlai in his team, along with attackers Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Alexander Isak for the game at Stamford Bridge.

AdvertisementIMAGO / XinhuaWirtz benched after criticism for a slow start at Liverpool

Big things were expected of Wirtz after Liverpool invested heavily to bring him to Anfield, but he is yet to produce a single goal or assist in nine appearances in all competitions for his new employers. His lack of end-product has brought plenty of scrutiny and criticism on the new arrival. Former Liverpool star Jamie Carragher feels the Reds have lost intensity since Wirtz arrived.

"It sounds odd to say it, but Wirtz was signed to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold – a No 10 to provide the passing range and creativity of a unique full-back. He is yet to add what Liverpool are missing without Alexander-Arnold, while at the same time the team has lost the intensity which made them so difficult to play against. It means Slot has a dilemma as he tries to defend the title going through a transitional phase that might take longer than many thought. He must decide whether to regroup and temporarily revert to the strategy of last season, accommodating Wirtz in a different role or leaving him out entirely until he is up to speed with English football," he told .

"Or he might persist with his vision believing more short-term pain might be necessary until it clicks. The latter would be dangerous because even with all the credit in the bank from his title win, there is immense pressure to keep winning, especially when you have spent a combined £230m on two players who are supposed to be ready-made to take a championship-winning side to the next level. Slot excelled by moulding Klopp’s signings into a better team. Now he has to repeat the trick with his own recruits."

Slot says Liverpool needed Wirtz

Slot has defended his new signing and told reporters Liverpool needed a player with his profile. He said: "We were very happy winning the league. But we didn’t shut our eyes for the second part of the season to how many times we needed a set piece [to win]. That is not something bad because Arsenal and Chelsea are needing a set piece almost every single game at the moment. We’ve brought in a very different midfielder than we had last season [Florian Wirtz], which we think we needed because there was a big, big difference between the amount of goals we found from open play in the first part of last season and the second part of last season.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Chelsea team to face Liverpool

Enzo Maresca has also raised a few eyebrows with his selection. Teenager Josh Acheampong is named in the starting XI, while academy defender Landon Emenalo is on the bench.