Lamine Yamal has risked the wrath of Real Madrid supporters once again after the Barcelona forward sent out a defiant message ahead of the first Clasico of the season. Having already received scorn from the Blaugrana’s bitter rivals, the 18-year-old decided to prod them for a second time before Sunday’s mouth-watering fixture at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Getty Images SportIn-form Barcelona and Real lead the way at the top of La Liga

All eyes will be on Madrid this weekend when Barcelona and Real renew hostilities in La Liga. The Spanish giants have set the pace in 2025-26, occupying the top two spots in the table. Xabi Alonso’s Real sit at the summit after winning eight and losing one of their nine league games this term, while Hansi Flick’s Barcelona are second and just two points behind, having won seven from the same number of fixtures. The Catalan side drew 1-1 with Rayo Vallecano on 31 August, before losing 4-1 to Sevilla earlier this month.

AdvertisementYamal stokes fire with tongue-in-cheek remark about Real

While the fixture does not need any extra hype, extra spice has been added following pre-match comments from Yamal. Igniting controversy before a ball has been kicked, the wonderkid – speaking during a broadcast on Kings League – made tongue-in-cheek remarks about Real, which have not gone down well at the Bernabeu.

In comments which went viral on social media, when asked by Ibai Llanos – owner of Kings League side Porcinos FC – whether his team reminded him of Real, Yamal said: “Yes, of course, they steal, they complain…”

Prompting laughter from those on the stream, Llanos, a well-known Real supporter, immediately pushed back by asking: “Real Madrid steals?”

Laughing nervously, Yamal then said: “Well, let’s see, let’s see.”

AFPSpain star goes one step further with new social media post

Not content with his cheeky remarks, Yamal has lit the touch paper once again by taking to social media to send a bold message before El Clasico. In a post on his Instagram stories, the Spain international uploaded a picture which sees him blurred out and a sea of angry Real supporters brought into focus. Yamal was victorious in all four Clasico fixtures last season as Barcelona defeated Real twice in La Liga, while they also got the better of their old foes in the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.

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Wonderkid on song as Barcelona downed Olympiacos in midweek

Yamal and Barcelona head into Sunday’s Clasico in great spirits following their comprehensive 6-1 win over Greek side Olympiacos in the Champions League on Tuesday. The winger recorded one goal and one assist as Flick’s side got back on track in Europe’s elite club competition, having suffered a late 2-1 defeat against defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in their second fixture. Barcelona opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Newcastle on 18 September, with in-form forward Marcus Rashford scoring twice.

Tottenham have made contact with a “complete” young player over a move to the club, with plenty of other clubs providing stiff competition including Scottish giants Rangers.

Tottenham given £100m cash injection

It has been a positive start to life in north London for Thomas Frank, with Spurs performing well overall in the Premier League and sitting third in the table.

Tottenham have now been given a fresh boost, with their owners, Enic, who are run by the Lewis Family Trust, injecting £100m into the club to “further strengthen the club’s financial position and equip the club’s leadership team with additional resources to continue the focus on driving long-term sporting success”.

A source close to Spurs also added: “This is initial additional funding. As the club’s management decides what’s needed to deliver success, more money will be available. The Lewis family is committed to backing the club to be successful.”

This will be music to the ears of the fanbase, who will feel that life after Daniel Levy is going well, and it’s now a case of using the money wisely, potentially on new signings moving forward. One player has now been mentioned as a potential option for the north Londoners.

Tottenham make contact with "complete" winger

Writing on X, journalist Rudy Galetti claimed that Tottenham have made contact with AS Trencin winger Sani Suleiman, looking to beat the likes of Rangers and Bayer Leverkusen to his signature.

Not a lot is known about Suleiman, given his age and where he is currently playing, but he could be an exciting long-term acquisition for Spurs, being capable of shining on both wings. The report does say that he has impressed with his speed, creativity, and ability to impact games.

At just 19, he has already scored 15 goals at senior level, as well as winning three caps for Nigeria’s Under-20s, and Galetti himself has described him as “complete” recently.

It is always important for Spurs to plan for the future, rather than simply focusing on the present, and signing players of Suleiman’s calibre and potential is vital.

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Granted, it is hard to predict the trajectory of a young player, with so many hurdles to clear in their career, from injuries to consistency, but if Frank and the recruitment team at the club see him as a good option, they need to be trusted.

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.

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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.”

Jack Grealish peeled away in celebration. The joy on his face was palpable. Infectious. This was the moment, sending the roof off at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Everton sealing a last-minute winner against Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

19 games unbeaten. No more. The Eagles had been grounded and Everton had taken off. That’s 11 points on the board for the Toffees, and only seven matches played. Last year, 12 fixtures were needed to reach the same points total.

David Moyes’ squad are coming together, even with the centre-forwards still toiling. Beto is beginning to look rather stale, while £27m summer signing Thierno Barry hasn’t yet provided the quality or fluency to suggest he can lead the line.

It’s a familiar problem on the blue half of Merseyside.

Everton's striker issues

After Moyes’ appointment last winter, Beto came alive. He had previously laboured under Sean Dyche’s management, but scored five from four Premier League games to rebind the rigging and turn the ship away from relegation danger.

With one top-flight goal this season, things need to change if Beto is to retain his star spot as the frontman. Everton have been here before, with struggles at centre-forward a common theme since Farhad Moshiri first purchased a stake in 2016.

While Dominic Calvert-Lewin had some high points across his long stay in Liverpool, the tall and commanding star lacked control of his fitness levels and toiled over the final years of his Everton career.

Few and far between are the strikers who have left Everton with their heads held high, and Beto knows he needs an upswing in form if he wishes to edge away from an unwanted reputation when he does play his football elsewhere.

Beto

80

17

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

273

71

Neal Maupay

32

1

Moise Kean

39

4

Richarlison

152

53

Cenk Tosun

61

11

Salomon Rondon

31

3

Here is a list of differing fortunes, but there are more than a few strikers who will look back at their time at Goodison Park with regret.

Moise Kean, for example, arrived from Juventus as a teenage prodigy with a weight of expectation. But it didn’t work out in England.

Everton's new Moise Kean

Everton haven’t always hit the jackpot in the transfer market over the past several years, but recent additions certainly speak of greater accuracy and synergy when planning for the future.

Kean, who completed a £25m move to England in August 2019, was billed as a real coup for a first-class prospect, but he never managed to make it work on Merseyside and returned to his homeland, having scored only four times and completed a series of loan spells.

Now, Kean is a superstar in Italy with Fiorentina, prolific and powerful, and Everton might want to bear that one in mind when considering Tyler Dibling, who arrived from Southampton this summer for £42m but has endured a difficult start, used sparingly by Moyes and yet to show off the skills that caused such a furore regarding his services.

Sunday’s tie was considered a huge opportunity for the 19-year-old. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was suspended, after all. But he failed to take the opportunity, with the Liverpool Echo slapping him with a 4/10 match rating and saying he was ‘anonymous at times’.

Dibling is young and talented and has demonstrated his potential already in the Premier League, but he’s a work in progress. He was hounded out of any promising positions at the weekend, and it’s unlikely he has gained Moyes’ trust at this stage.

This “world-class talent”, as he has been described by Southampton youth coach Andy Goldie, may well reach the end of the campaign with little individual triumphs to boast about. Perhaps there will be scrutiny, and knots of adversity and frustration from which he must disentangle himself and keep his head down and work hard.

Minutes played

45′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Shots (on target)

0 (0)

Accurate passes

6/7 (86%)

Chances created

0

Dribbles

0/3

Tackles

1

Duels won

3/10

Dibling impressed with Southampton last year, a bright spark during a difficult year. Saints were doomed, and that was a fact long before the season curtailed. But Dibling shone, notching seven goal involvements across the term and impressing with his strength and pace and gusto.

The lesson here is that Everton have paid for a youngster who is anything but the finished product. Maybe it will take time, and maybe he will need a loan spell away to find his feet.

Perhaps he won’t. But Everton must keep the faith in a top prospect and watch him bloom into a star down the line, because Everton and Moyes know what they have paid for, and there is a lofty, grand-scale future for this one.

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أعلن تشابي ألونسو، المدير الفني لنادي ريال مدريد، عن قائمة فريقه لمباراة ليفربول يوم غدًا الثلاثاء، وذلك لحساب منافسات الجولة الرابعة من مرحلة الدوري في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويسعى ريال مدريد إلى الفوز على ليفربول، وذلك من أجل الاستمرار في تحقيق الميرنجي لنتائجه الرائعة خلال الفترة الأخيرة، حيث يمر الفريق الملكي بفترة زاهية مع المدرب تشابي ألونسو.

وأحدث ألونسو ثورة نوعية في تشكيلة ريال مدريد، والذي يتصدر ترتيب الدوري الإسباني بعد مرور 11 جولة على بداية المسابقة وبفارق خمس نقاط عن أقرب الملاحقين برشلونة.

وشهدت تشكيلة ريال مدريد استبعاد فرانكو ماستانتونو، والذي تعرض للإصابة في وقت سابق من اليوم الإثنين، حيث يعاني اللاعب من مشكلة في العانة وسيغيب عن الملاعب خلال الفترة المقبلة.

طالع .. ريال مدريد يعلن إصابة لاعبه قبل مواجهة ليفربول

ولم تشهد قائمة ريال مدريد مفاجآت أخرى، حيث استمر كيليان مبابي في التواجد، إلى جانب فينيسيوس جونيور وكذلك جود بيلينجهام.

ويرغب ريال مدريد في استغلال حالة ليفربول السيئة خلال هذا الموسم، حيث يعيش الريدز ضغطًا كبيرًا تحت قيادة المدير الفني آرني سلوت. قائمة ريال مدريد لمباراة ليفربول في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

حراسة المرمى: تيبو كورتوا، أندري لونين، فران جونزاليز.

خط الدفاع: دين هويسن، راؤول أسينسيو، إيدير ميليتاو، ألفارو كاريراس، فيرلاند ميندي، فران جارسيا، ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد.

خط الوسط: فيديريكو فالفيردي، جود بيلينجهام، داني سيبايوس، إدواردو كامافينجا، أوريلين تشواميني، أردا جولر.

خط الهجوم: كيليان مبابي، فينيسيوس جونيور، رودريجو جوس، إبراهيم دياز، إندريك، جونزالو جارسيا.

They say all that matters is the win, but last night’s performance was hardly convincing from Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side had what should have been an easy draw against League One outfit Lincoln City in the League Cup, but made a meal of things.

The World Champions ended the first half a goal down and failing to register a single shot on target, only for Tyrique George and Facundo Buonanotte to save them with early goals in the second half.

It was truly a night to forget for Chelsea, and several players need to be dropped for the next match, including one who performed worse than Alejandro Garnacho and Filip Jørgensen.

Chelsea's underperformers vs Lincoln

Unfortunately, there were more than a few starters who only harmed their reputations last night, like Jørgensen.

The Danish goalkeeper was between the sticks in place of the suspended Robert Sanchez, and, if we are being honest, looked more like a League One-level keeper than his opposite number.

The former Villarreal ace was poor in distribution, completing just five of ten long balls, and utterly hopeless when balls were lifted into the area.

On another night, and against better opposition, the Blues could have been down two or three more goals due to his shakiness.

A less stressful but just as disappointing display came from summer signing Garnacho.

It was the former Manchester United ace’s first start for the club, and while he’ll have plenty of opportunities, he didn’t convince any of those who doubted his move to West London.

In his 59 minutes on the pitch, the 21-year-old took just 26 touches, made 16 passes, failed in 100% of his crosses, registered a single shot on target, didn’t even attempt a dribble, lost 100% of his aerial duels and was offside once.

In short, it was an underwhelming showing, and unfortunately for Chelsea, one of their other attackers was just as bad.

The Chelsea ace Maresca has to drop

The bad news for Chelsea is that we really could name several other players who should probably be nowhere near the starting lineup on the weekend, from Enzo Fernandes to Trevoh Chalobah.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, in this instance, the starter in question is another summer signing: Jamie Gittens.

It would be fair to say that the former Borussia Dortmund gem has not had the best start to his career with the Blues, as last night’s game was his fifth appearance of the season, and he has yet to score a goal or provide an assist.

However, it wasn’t just his lack of output that was a problem last night – although that early miss was poor – it was his lack of any real impact on the match.

The formerly “explosive” Reading-born winger, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, was practically anonymous for most of the time he was on the pitch, which is a real concern given the level of opposition.

It might sound overly harsh, but this opinion is one shared by Amos Murphy of the Express, who gave the Englishman a 5/10 match rating at full-time, writing that he ‘lacked quality with almost everything he did’ – talk about scathing.

Unsurprisingly, the 21-year-old’s statistics back up such appraisals, as in 70 minutes he took just 36 touches – 21 fewer than Jørgensen – completed just 25 passes, failed to play a key pass, misplaced 100% of his long balls, failed to have a shot on target, missed a big chance, lost the ball four times and only attempted one cross.

Minutes

70′

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

36

Passes Completed

25

Key Passes

0

Crosses

1

Long Balls (Accurate)

1 (0)

Shots on Target

0

Big Chances Missed

1

Lost Possession

4

Ultimately, Chelsea won the game, and that is what matters most, but Maresca will be concerned about the performances of his team, and if he wants a better one against Brighton, Gittens should be on the bench.

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German football legend Lothar Matthaus believes 17-year-old Lennart Karl could be the next Jamal Musiala, a fearless and technically gifted prodigy destined for Bayern Munich stardom under Vincent Kompany. After scoring on his Champions League debut and in the Bundesliga against Borussia Monchengladbach in the same week, Karl has captured Germany’s attention, with Matthaus seeing in him the same blend of boldness and intelligence that made Musiala a modern Bayern jewel.

• The rise of Bayern's new teen sensation

  When Karl marked his Champions League debut with a curling strike against Club Brugge, the Allianz Arena erupted. At 17, he became Bayern’s youngest-ever scorer in the competition, breaking a record once set by Musiala. But beyond the goal, it was his composure, creativity, and quiet confidence that truly turned heads.

  Bayern’s 4-0 win over Brugge was emphatic, but Karl’s performance was the story. From his first touch to his explosive runs, he looked every inch a Bayern player – technical, decisive, and unafraid. His journey, however, has been anything but instant. Karl began in Germany’s fifth tier with Viktoria Aschaffenburg, before stints at Eintracht Frankfurt’s youth system and a return to Viktoria in 2022. Bayern signed him later that year, drawn to his intelligence and discipline. From scoring 17 goals in nine matches for Bayern’s U17 side to dazzling in Europe, his rise is a story of persistence and purpose, not hype.

  It’s no surprise that his performances have impressed former German captain Matthaus. The World Cup-winning legend has spoken glowingly about the young winger, setting the stage for wider recognition of Karl’s rapid rise in the Bundesliga.

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• Getty Images
  

  Matthaus claims “Karl will be deployed regularly”

  Among those watching Karl’s evolution closely is German football legend Matthaus, who has hailed the teenager as one of the Bundesliga’s most exciting young prospects. In his column, Matthaus drew parallels between Karl and his teammate Musiala, praising both for their confidence and technical flair.

  "Can Karl follow the path Jamal Musiala took before him? The possibilities are always there; it's up to the player himself, and he needs a coach who trusts him. I think Kompany trusts him based on his recent performances and isn't worried about benching or substituting a seasoned player for him. And I believe Karl will get regular playing time because he's delivered when he's been on the pitch," Matthaus said.

  The former Bayern player further added: "Karl will be deployed regularly. Vincent Kompany has slowly introduced Karl to the team, with brief appearances in the Bundesliga, the DFB Cup, and last week, his first full 90 minutes in the Champions League. Karl caused a sensation with his goals against Bruges and Gladbach, but he still needs to show up in training every day. He's ambitious and wants to develop – those are the basic requirements."

  For Matthaus, the 17-year-old's rise reflects deeper philosophy, as he explains: "This presents a great opportunity for FC Bayern to integrate another player from the campus into the first team, after Pavlovic and Stanisic, as Uli Hoeneß has always wanted. I believe Karl can become an important player for Kompany, who just extended his contract until 2029."

• Jonas Urbig also finding his stride at Munich

  While the headlines belong to Karl, another young name is staking a claim, Jonas Urbig. Signed by Bayern in January 2025 on a long-term deal, Urbig’s trajectory has been quietly impressive. A product of Koln’s youth system, he gained senior experience on loans at Jahn Regensburg and Greuther Furth, compiling 33 appearances and 11 clean sheets across those spells, including a run of over 600 minutes without conceding in 2023.

  Urbig’s Bayern breakthrough came under pressure when Manuel Neuer’s absence handed the youngster sudden responsibility. Urbig replaced Neuer in a Champions League tie against Bayer Leverkusen and kept a clean sheet in a 3-0 win. Over the 2024-25 season he made eight Bundesliga appearances and four in Europe, showing command in the box, calm distribution and an ability to deal with heavy workloads.

  Speaking about Urbig, Matthaus said: "Urbig has done well at Bayern so far, apart from one mistake in Berlin, and was there when it mattered most. He can learn from Manuel Neuer every day in training . If he develops accordingly, he may eventually become Neuer's successor."

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• AFP
  

  Kompany’s calm amid the noise

  “This isn't normal. I'm not a fan of the hype he'll get now” Kompany said after Karl's debut in Champions League. "I'm a fan of training and calm. We'll see what he shows and just move on." 

  The coach's words remind the young star that it is okay to celebrate the moment, but one should know when to return to fundamentals. It’s the same approach that has allowed Urbig to grow: steady exposure, ownership of errors, and daily work.

  With Kompany recently signed until 2029, Bayern have signalled they want continuity. Karl and Urbig are beneficiaries of that stability. Karl will continue to receive minutes in cup ties, rotational league appearances and carefully selected European outings; Urbig will keep accumulating high-pressure experience until a permanent succession plan is clear.

MatériaMais Notícias

Londrina e Sampaio Corrêa se enfrentam nesta quinta-feira, às 21h30, no Estádio do Café, pela 30ª rodada do Brasileiro Série B. O time paranaense segue em penúltimo, com 21 pontos, enquanto a Bolívia Querida, com 34, é 13º, abrindo seis de vantagem para o Z-4.

+Assista aos jogos do seu clube do coração com aquela gelada! Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00

O Londrina vê sua situação ficar ainda mais complicada após dura derrota de 4 a 0 para o Sport. O Tubarão está a nove pontos do Avaí, primeiro fora do Z-4, com nove rodadas por disputar. Contra o Sampaio Corrêa, Ezequiel, que cumpriu suspensão, volta a ficar disponível e a esperança de gols, curiosamente, é o volante João Paulo, autor de sete no torneio.

Já o Sampaio Corrêa chega embalado após duas vitórias consecutivas – contra Chapecoense e Vila Nova – resultados que aumentam as chances da equipe maranhense permanecer na Série B em 2024. Sem qualquer desfalque, Fernando Marchiori deve repetir a formação que superou os goianos, com destaque para Ytalo, ainda na briga pela artilharia.

ONDE ASSISTIR/TRANSMISSÃO: SporTV e Premiere

+Confira a tabela e simule os resultados do Brasileirão Série B

LONDRINA X SAMPAIO CORRÊA
30ª RODADA DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO SÉRIE B 2023

Data: 28 de setembro de 2023
Horário: 19h30
Local: Estádio do Café, Londrina (PR)
Árbitro: Rafael Rodrigo Klein (RS)
Assistentes: Jorge Eduardo Bernardi (RS) e Thayse Marques Fonseca (RJ)
VAR: Diego Pombo Lopez (BA)
Onde assistir: SporTV e Premiere

Possível escalação do Londrina: Neneca; Lucas Mendes (Ezequiel); Gabriel, Rafael Vaz e Marcos Pedro; João Paulo, Rodrigo Alves e Ariel; Paulinho Moccelin, William Barbio e Iago Dias. Técnico: Edson Vieira.

Possível escalação do Sampaio Corrêa: Luiz Daniel; Matheus Pivô, Ícaro, Rafael Jansen e Pará; Mikael, Neto Paraíba, Robinho, Vitinho e Pimentinha; Ytalo. Técnico: Carlos Azevedo.

He was also due for a brief stint in MLC in the gap between the WTC final and the opening Test in the Caribbean

Andrew McGlashan14-Jun-2025

Steven Smith has avoided surgery on the compound dislocation he suffered on the third day against South Africa at Lord’s but still faces a race against time to be fit for Australia’s upcoming Test series in West Indies.Smith went straight to hospital after leaving the field when he sustained the injury to his right little finger, spilling a sharp chance offered by Temba Bavuma.The wound was cleaned, stitched and the finger placed in a splint and it’s understood he will be able to bat if he can tolerate doing so with the splint, which he will need to wear for up to eight weeks although the wound itself is expected to heal in around a fortnight. The impact on him in the field would also need to be assessed and it could hinder his ability to field in the slips.Related

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Introspection beckons as Australia leave Lord's less clear of a path forward

Australia’s first Test in West Indies starts on June 25 in Barbados, which would appear an unlikely timeframe, followed by matches in Grenada and Jamaica in July. Smith had also been due for a brief stint for Washington Freedom at Major League Cricket (MLC) between the end of the WTC final and the first Test.”He’s positive,” Pat Cummins said. “I think it’s somewhere around the 10 days to two weeks. Then maybe you try and bat with a splint and see how that looks.I think it’s a bit of a wait and see. I’d say first Test, maybe unlikely, and then kind of go from there. It’s a bit early just to tell.”It would be a significant boost for Australia if Smith was able to play a part in the series given there is uncertainty over the top order after the struggles of Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green in the World Test Championship final.Khawaja’s lean outing continued his difficulties against pace bowler over the last 12 months while Green faced just five balls in the Test, falling twice to Kagiso Rabada, in his first time batting at No. 3. Labuschagne made two starts of 17 and 22 having been moved to open but did not make a convincing case to be retained in the role.Sam Konstas is waiting in the wings for a potential recall while Josh Inglis is the other spare batter in the current squad.

Nicholas Pooran, the former West Indies white-ball captain, has retired from international cricket at the age of 29. He finishes with 1983 runs in 61 ODIs and 2275 runs in 106 T20Is.Pooran had recently opted out of selection for West Indies’ T20I series against England and hadn’t featured in ODIs since West Indies’ exit from the 2023 ODI World Cup qualifiers. However, his retirement came as a shock since it was only in November last year – on the occasion of his 100th T20I cap – that Pooran had said he could play 100 more T20Is.In a statement on his social-media handle on Monday, Pooran wrote: “After much thought and reflection, I’ve decided to announce my retirement from international cricket. This game we love has given and will continue to give so much – joy, purpose, unforgettable memories, and a chance to represent the people of the West Indies. Wearing that maroon, standing for the anthem, and giving everything I had each time I stepped on the field… it’s hard to put into words what that truly means to me. To have led the team as captain is a privilege I will always hold close to my heart.”To the fans – thank you for your unwavering love. You lifted me in the tough moments and celebrated the good ones with unmatched passion. To my family, friends and teammates – thank you for walking the journey with me. Your belief and support carried me through it all. Though this international chapter of my career closes, my love for West Indies Cricket will never fade. I wish the team and the region nothing but success and strength for the road ahead.”