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Lamine Yamal maintains that he is not looking to be another Lionel Messi, with the Barcelona wonderkid tiring of constant comparisons to the Argentine GOAT. That discussion was inevitable, given that both stepped out of the fabled La Masia academy system, but a teenage superstar of the present remains determined to “follow his own path” and create a new legacy.

Just like Messi: Yamal treading similar career path

Yamal burst onto the senior stage at 15 years of age, with it becoming impossible for Barcelona to hold his mercurial talent back. The record books have been rewritten from there, with the 18-year-old Spain international a La Liga and European Championship title winner.

He has also landed Kopa Trophy and Golden Boy awards, while finishing second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or vote. The expectation is that he will soon have a Golden Ball of his own, which will allow him to start chasing down Messi’s historic haul of eight.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALYamal took inspiration from Messi when changing his game

Yamal is, however, adamant that he will not be looking to follow in the footsteps of a Barca great. He has told : “I think that Lionel Messi is the best footballer of all time, but he also knows that I’m a good player. There will be mutual respect if we play against each other. He knows that I’m not trying to be him, to play like him, or wear the 10 like him. I want to follow my own path.”

While Yamal is not looking to emulate Messi, he admits to taking inspiration from Barcelona’s all-time leading goal-scorer and the most decorated player to ever lace up a pair of boots. He added: “As a kid, I used to study Messi’s passes. Other players made good passes, but Messi’s passes were pretty much goals. I always thought passing was more interesting than dribbling. They’re somewhat more clever. It’s weird, because as a kid I was never really a dribbler. I was more of a goal-scorer and I ran a lot.”

Future plans: What Yamal is aiming to achieve

Yamal now boasts the ability to glide beyond defences with ease, much like Messi. The future appears to be bright, but the talented youngster insists that he will not get caught up in his own hype.

He went on to say of his future plans: “I don’t have any expectations. I just think about playing, not setting expectations. I think expectations are ultimately bad; when you meet them, you might feel like there are no goals left, and when you don’t meet them, you might feel frustrated. Playing football is the only thing that makes me forget everything else. I might have the biggest problem, but if I have a match, that’s the only thing I think about.”

Time is still well on Yamal’s side when it comes to breaking many more records, but he is giving little thought to individual accolades. The teen sensation added: “My goal isn’t to break all records, to score a million goals, to play a million matches. I’m an athlete who wants to enjoy himself. I hope kids want to be like me. In the end, the goal is for people to enjoy and deliver a bit of a show in football.”

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GettyElite mindset: How Yamal approaches the game

Yamal continues to get audiences on their feet, with it clear that he is cut from similar cloth to Messi. Both like to run at opponents, with there no fear in their respective games when it comes to making things happen.

Yamal said of his mindset when stepping onto the field: “If I see three players in front of me, I take them on. I have a great sense of self-confidence, and that’s my playing style. Even though they take the ball off of me, it happens. I would be a very different player if I stopped every time I saw two or three players.”

Yamal has registered seven goals and as many assists for Barcelona through 14 games this season. He has helped them to top La Liga, one point clear of Clasico rivals Real Madrid, and is counting down the days to a bid for World Cup glory with Spain in 2026.

No thrilling finish but draw with Gloucestershire is enough for Foxes combined with stalemate at Lord’s

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay11-Sep-2025There was no thrilling finale on the field but Leicestershire could celebrate nonetheless after securing the draw with Gloucestershire that, in the event, ensured their promotion to Division One of the Rothesay County Championship.With two fixtures still to play, the result at the Uptonsteel County Ground combined with the draw between Middlesex and Derbyshire at Lord’s guarantees that Leicestershire will finish in the top two in Division Two and end a 22-year-exile from the top division.Set 316 to win from a minimum 74 overs when Gloucestershire, who felt their outside chance of a promotion required them to win here, declared four overs before lunch on 175 for 3 in their second innings, Leicestershire were 93 for 1 from 30.3 when the afternoon’s third interruption for rain proved heavy enough for the final day’s play to be abandoned at around 4.10pm.It is a first promotion for Leicestershire since the County Championship adopted its current two-division format in 2000. Led for most of the season by Australian international Peter Handscomb – now back home preparing for his domestic season – Leicestershire have been the dominant side in Division Two all season after winning five of their first seven matches and suffering only one defeat.They last played in Division One in 2003 and have since become almost perpetual stragglers, finishing bottom of DivisionTwo on eight occasions. In four of those, the last as recently as 2022, they failed to register a single victory, famously going 37 matches over 933 days without a Championship win between September 2012 and June 2015.Leicestershire, whose next target is to secure the points they need to guarantee they are crowned Division Two champions, went into the final day in the comfortable knowledge that while a victory would seal the deal in terms of confirming promotion, a draw might do it anyway depending on the result at Lord’s, or at worst leave them needing minimal gains from their final two fixtures.Gloucestershire’s need for a win, therefore, put the onus on them to set up a finish, to which end they added 165 in 21 overs before declaring just before lunch, setting the home side 316 to win in a minimum 74 overs.Against a Leicestershire attack that was a man down because of Ben Mike’s ongoing hamstring problems, 21-year-old opener Joe Phillips further enhanced his growing reputation with an unbeaten 69 from 73 balls.Ben Charlesworth cleared the midwicket boundary off Logan van Beek and landed back-to-back sixes off Chris Wright in his 56-ball 61 before a miscue to deep third man ended his charge. Ian Holland limited Ollie Price to just 8 but Miles Hammond plundered another 28 from 26 before top-edging into the off side, Holland veering away in his follow-through to be under the ball when it came down.Gloucestershire asked Leicestershire to face four overs before lunch possibly more in hope than expectation. The wicket of Sol Budinger perhaps came as a bonus, the opener making no attempt to rein in his natural attacking instincts but perishing after just 13 deliveries, tempted by a widish ball from Ajeet Singh Dale despite having collected three boundaries already and picking out the fielder at wide third.The visitors’ cause was not helped by showers after lunch, which eventually washed out 43.3 overs of the scheduled 74.Yet there never seemed enough jeopardy in the fourth-day surface to make 10 wickets a realistic possibility. Rishi Patel finished unbeaten on 42 with acting captain Holland on 27. Gloucestershire’s frustration was cushioned a little by taking 15 points for the draw, but the gap between themselves and second-placed Glamorgan remains at more than 30 points.

Jordan Montgomery is running it back with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2025.

MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported Thursday that Montgomery has exercised his $22.5 million player option for next season. He now is set to be an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 campaign.

It shouldn't come as too much of a surprise that Montgomery opted in and took the guaranteed money, as he struggled through the '24 season and registered an 8–7 record, 6.23 ERA and 11.5 hits per nine innings in 25 appearances (21 starts).

It is a bit surprising, however, given Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick's comments earlier this month in which he openly admitted that he regrets giving Montgomery a contract.

"Looking back, in hindsight, a horrible decision to invest that money in a guy who performed as poorly as he did," Kendrick said on Arizona Sports radio's show. "It's our biggest mistake this season from a talent standpoint, and I'm the perpetrator of that."

Montgomery had an interesting offseason last winter. Fresh off a career-best season in '23 when he logged a 3.20 ERA and helped the Texas Rangers win the World Series, the left-hander entered free agency as one of the most intriguing arms available.

But Montgomery never landed the deal that he and agent Scott Boras desired, and he ended up signing a one-year contract with a player option for '25 with Arizona in late March, just two days before the season opener.

Montgomery missed the entirety of spring training and struggled to find a rhythm in 2024. He fired Boras in August and will head into free agency after the '25 season with new representation.

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O atacante Breno Lopes encontrou-se com os principais líderes da Mancha Alviverde nesta segunda-feira (18) para pedir desculpas pessoalmente por conta dos insultos direcionados para a maior torcida organizada do Palmeiras, na última sexta-feira, no Allianz Parque.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

O camisa 19 e autor de um dos gols mais importantes da história do Verdão mostrou-se arrependido após ter xingado a torcida alviverde depois do gol que garantiu a vitória sobre o Goiás.

Após o encontro, o atacante gravou um vídeo a todos os palmeirenses ao lado de quatro líderes da torcida.

– Vim aqui na quadra da Mancha me desculpar com todos vocês que se sentiram ofendidos pelo meu gesto no último jogo contra o Goiás. (…) Quero pedir meu sincero perdão para vocês. Foi uma semanas muito turbulenta para mim depois do clássico contra o Corinthians. Eu estava emocionalmente muito abalado e acabei tomando uma decisão muito equivocada. Estou totalmente arrependido. Por isso venho aqui pedir um voto de confiança de vocês. Isso jamais vai voltar a acontecer e vou lutar sempre pelos interesses do Palmeiras – disse Breno Lopes no vídeo.

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De acordo com o jornalista Flávio Latif, do UOL, pessoas próximas ao atacante telefonaram para o presidente da Mancha Alviverde, Jorge Luís, na manhã desta segunda-feira (18), pedindo para que a torcida pudesse se encontrar com o jogador de 27 anos.

A diretoria do Palmeiras decidiu não multar Breno Lopes pelos gestos ofensivos à torcida. O jogador possui 143 jogos, 21 gols e sete títulos com a camisa do Palmeiras.

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+ Palmeiras anuncia informações sobre venda de ingressos para duelo contra o Boca Juniors!

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Breno LopesPalmeiras

Track the squads ahead of the new seasons as clubs build their lists

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jun-2025 • Updated on 25-Aug-2025

Adelaide StrikersMen: Hasan Ali (Pak), Cameron Boyce, Jordan Buckingham, Alex Carey, Mackenzie Harvey, Thomas Kelly, Chris Lynn, Harry Nielsen, Jamie Overton (Eng), Lloyd Pope, Alex Ross, Jason Sangha, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Henry Thornton, Luke Wood (Eng)
In Jason Sangha (Thunder), Mackenzie Harvey (Renegades)
Out Brendan Doggett (Renegades), Jake Weatherald (Hurricanes)Women: Jemma Barsby, Tammy Beaumont (Eng), Darcie Brown, Sophie Ecclestone (Eng), Anesu Mushangwe, Tahlia McGrath, Bridget Patterson, Madeline Penna, Megan Schutt, Amanda-Jade Wellington, Laura Wolvaardt (SA)
In
Out Katie Mack (Scorchers)Related

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Brisbane HeatMen: Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pak), Tom Alsop (Eng), Xavier Bartlett, Max Bryant, Lachlan Hearne, Spencer Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, Colin Munro (NZ), Michael Neser, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Callum Vidler, Hugh Weibgen, Jack Wildermuth
In Lachlan Hearne, Hugh Weibgen (Thunder)
Out Mitchell Swepson (Stars)Women: Lily Bassingthwaighte, Bonnie Berry, Lucy Bourke, Nadine de Klerk (SA), Sianna Ginger, Lucy Hamilton, Nicola Hancock, Grace Harris, Chinelle Henry (WI), Jess Jonassen, Charli Knott, Grace Parsons, Georgia Redmayne, Jemimah Rodrigues (Ind)
In TBC
Out Laura Harris (Thunder)Hobart HurricanesMen: Rehan Ahmed (Eng), Iain Carlisle, Nikhil Chaudhary, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Rishad Hossain (Ban), Chris Jordan (Eng), Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Mitch Owen, Billy Stanlake, Matthew Wade, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster, Mac Wright
In Jake Weatherald (Strikers), Beau Webster (Stars)
Out Caleb Jewell (Renegades)Women: Nicola Carey, Heather Graham, Ruth Johnston, Lizelle Lee, Nat Sciver-Brunt (Eng), Hayley Silver-Holmes, Amy Smith, Lauren Smith, Linsey Smith (Eng), Molly Strano, Elyse Villani, Danni Wyatt-Hodge
In TBC
Out TBCCaleb Jewell has moved from Hurricanes to Renegades•Getty Images

Melbourne RenegadesMen: Jason Behrendorff, Josh Brown, Harry Dixon, Brendan Doggett, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Caleb Jewell, Hassan Khan (Pak), Nathan Lyon, Fergus O’Neill, Ollie Peake, Mohammad Rizwan (Pak), Tom Rogers, Tim Seifert (NZ), Will Sutherland, Adam Zampa
In Jason Behrendorff (Scorchers), Brendan Doggett (Strikers), Caleb Jewell (Hurricanes)
Out Mackenzie Harvey (Strikers)Women: Alice Capsey (Eng), Emma de Broughe, Deandra Dottin (WI), Tess Flintoff, Milly Illingworth, Sophie Molineux, Naomi Stalenberg, Georgia Wareham
In Tess Flintoff (Stars)
Out Ella Hayward (Stars), Georgia Prestwidge (Stars)Melbourne StarsMen: Austin Anlezark, Scott Boland, Hilton Cartwright, Joe Clarke (Eng), Tom Curran (Eng), Sam Harper, Liam Hatcher, Campbell Kellaway, Glenn Maxwell, Hamish McKenzie, Haris Rauf (Pak), Tom Rogers, Peter Siddle, Mark Steketee, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson
In Liam Hatcher (Thunder), Mitch Swepson (Heat)
Out Beau Webster (Hurricanes), Joel Paris (Scorchers)Women: Sophie Day, Kim Garth, Dani Gibson (Eng), Ella Hayward, Amy Jones (Eng), Marizanne Kapp (RSA), Meg Lanning, Rhys McKenna, Ines McKeon, Georgia Prestwidge, Sophie Reid, Annabel Sutherland
In Ella Hayward (Renegades), Georgia Prestwidge (Renegades)
Out Tess Flintoff (Renegades), Hasrat Gill (Thunder)Perth ScorchersMen: Ashton Agar, Finn Allen (NZ), Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly, Laurie Evans (Eng), Sam Fanning, Aaron Hardie, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, Bryce Jackson, Matt Kelly, Mitchell Marsh, Lance Morris, Joel Paris, David Payne (Eng), Jhye Richardson, Ashton Turner
In Joel Paris (Stars), Bryce Jackson
Out Jason Behrendorff (Renegades)Katie Mack has signed with Scorchers•Getty Images

Women: Chloe Ainsworth, Maddy Darke, Sophie Devine (NZ), Amy Edgar, Mikayla Hinkley, Ebony Hoskin, Alana King, Katie Mack, Lilly Mills, Beth Mooney, Paige Scholfield (Eng), Chloe Tryon (SA)
In Katie Mack (Strikers)
Out TBCSydney SixersMen: Sean Abbott, Babar Azam (Pak), Jafer Chohan (Eng), Sam Curran (Eng), Joel Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Moises Henriques, Hayden Kerr, Todd Murphy, Mitch Perry, Josh Philippe, Kane Richardson, Lachlan Shaw, Jordan Silk, Steven Smith
In Kane Richardson
OutWomen: Caoimhe Bray, Maitlan Brown, Lauren Cheatle, Sophia Dunkley (Eng), Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Elsa Hunter, Amelia Kerr (NZ), Ellyse Perry, Courtney Sippel, Mady Villiers
In Elsa Hunter
Out TBCSydney ThunderMen: R Ashwin (Ind), Tom Andrews, Wes Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings (Eng), Ollie Davies, Lockie Ferguson (NZ), Matthew Gilkes, Chris Green, Ryan Hadley, Shadab Khan (Pak), Sam Konstas, Nathan McAndrew, Blake Nikitaras, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, David Warner
In
Out Liam Hatcher (Stars), Jason Sangha (Strikers), Hugh Weibgen (Heat)Women: Chamari Athapaththu (SL), Samantha Bates, Ella Briscoe, Hannah Darlington, Sienna Eve, Hasrat Gill, Laura Harris, Shabnim Ismail (SA), Anika Learoyd, Phoebe Litchfield, Taneale Peschel, Georgia Voll, Tahlia Wilson
In Laura Harris (Heat), Hasrat Gill (Stars)
Out Sammy Jo-Johnson (retired)

After a stop-start opening to the season, Newcastle United finally appear to be finding rhythm.

Going into their recent home fixture, Eddie Howe’s side had one of the lowest expected goals tallies in the Premier League – a concerning figure for a team competing in the Champions League and aiming for another top-four push.

But after back-to-back victories, 4-0 against Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise and 2-0 at home to Nottingham Forest, the Magpies look revitalised.

The improvement has been clear. Six goals in two games without conceding is a sign that Newcastle are balancing both ends of the pitch.

The performances weren’t so emphatic as to raise expectations sky-high, but they were precisely the kind of controlled, confident displays Howe would have wanted.

And perhaps most impressively, they’ve come despite a growing injury list.

Both starting full-backs, Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall, face extended spells on the sidelines.

Fabian Schär, meanwhile, has only just returned from concussion, but his place in the starting XI is suddenly far from guaranteed.

That’s because his replacement, a £30m summer signing from AC Milan, has made a seamless transition into the side.

While the spotlight currently belongs to the man spearheading Newcastle’s attack, it may be their new defender who turns out to be “one of the signings of the summer.”

Why Woltemade is the man of the moment

Nick Woltemade’s arrival at St James’ Park was met with curiosity.

The 23-year-old German forward joined from Werder Bremen after scoring 12 goals in 28 Bundesliga appearances.

He caught the eye of Bayern Munich, who saw three bids rejected.

Instead, it was Howe who convinced the towering 1.98m striker that Newcastle was the right place to continue his development.

Since then, the attacker has been nothing short of transformative.

He opened his account on his home debut against Wolves, before adding further goals against Arsenal, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Nottingham Forest – where he rifled a superb penalty into the top corner to round off the win.

His blend of physical presence, link-up play, and calm finishing has quickly made him a fan favourite on Tyneside.

In Sunday’s match against Forest, he was unlucky not to score more than once, denied by the post and an inspired Matz Sels performance.

When he left the field, the Gallowgate End rose to its feet, chanting his name in unison.

Unfortunately, illness has ruled him out of the current international break – though Howe will secretly be pleased to keep his new talisman fresh and close to home.

With Yoane Wissa yet to feature for Newcastle, Woltemade’s form and fitness are paramount.

His early-season output has quelled doubts about Newcastle’s attacking fluency and offered a glimpse into Howe’s evolving system – one that relies less on chaos and more on control.

Yet while the German striker’s goals are making headlines, another of the club’s summer signings is quietly redefining their defensive stability.

Newcastle's real signing of the summer

Woltemade’s impact on this Newcastle side has been eye-catching. On the contrary, Malick Thiaw’s introduction to English football has been understated but immaculate.

The 24-year-old centre-back arrived from AC Milan for £30m after two standout seasons in Serie A, where he made 85 appearances.

His profile – composed, progressive, and powerful – fits seamlessly into Howe’s tactical blueprint.

Statistically, Thiaw’s impact has been immense. Compared to positional peers in the Premier League, he ranks in the 95th percentile among his positional peers for pass completion (93.2%) and in the 85th percentile for progressive passes per 90 (4.86).

That ability to initiate play from deep has added an extra layer of composure to Newcastle’s build-up.

Ground Duels Won

1

Aerial Duels Won

4

Clearances

8

Interceptions

1

Dribbled Past

0

What stands out most is his calmness under pressure – his close control, his knack for turning out of tight spaces, and his confidence stepping into midfield to progress the ball.

For a defender still adjusting to the physicality of the Premier League, his transition has been remarkably smooth.

Thiaw’s partnership with Sven Botman has all the makings of a long-term defensive axis for Newcastle.

Both are young, technically gifted, and dominant in the air. Together, they could form one of the most balanced and forward-thinking centre-back pairings in the division.

For Howe, who knows the importance of rotation with European fixtures piling up, Thiaw’s arrival is more than just depth.

The German brings a level of assurance that allows Newcastle to play higher, press smarter, and retain control in matches that once felt frantic.

While Woltemade’s early-season exploits deserve every bit of praise they’ve received, the real signing of the summer might just be standing behind him.

90-touch Newcastle ace is now as undroppable as Bruno Guimaraes & Woltemade

Newcastle United secured a vital 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest this afternoon.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 5, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

Cotia tem se provado cada vez mais como uma ‘fábrica de zagueiros’ e Matheus Belém se mostrou ser exemplo disso. Contra o Red Bull Bragantino, o defensor estreou entre os titulares do São Paulo pela primeira vez e foi eleito o craque da partida.

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Revelado em Cotia, Belém tem 20 anos e iniciou o processo de transição para o profissional no começo desta temporada, graças a Rogério Ceni. Já havia estreado contra o Santos, pelo Paulista deste ano, na vitória por 3 a 1. Entretanto, naquele jogo começou no banco de reservas.

Mas a última semana foi de fortes reviravoltas para o jovem defensor. Sem ganhar mais espaço no profissional, chegou a ser comunicado que voltaria para Cotia – algo comum no Tricolor para que os atletas mais jovens não percam o ritmo e sigam se preparando ainda mais, como aconteceu com Caio Matheus. Porém, com a lesão de Alan Franco contra o Palmeiras, Dorival Júnior fez uma escolha: utilizaria o garoto pela primeira vez entre os titulares.

+ Veja tabela e simule as próximas rodadas do Brasileirão

ATUAÇÕES: Zagueiro da base se destaca em empate do São Paulo no Brasileirão

– Muito feliz, o que eu sempre quis. Três dias atrás eu recebi a notícia que ia voltar para o sub-20. Como o Alan (Franco) machucou contra o Palmeiras, aí eu fui chamado e pude ajudar a equipe hoje – explicou Belém após o jogo contra o Bragantino.

No empate por 0 a 0, foi um dos grandes destaques – principalmente quando evitou um gol do Bragantino após tirar a bola em cima da linha.

Para os tricolores paulistas apaixonados: produtos a partir de R$39,90 na FutFanatics!

Neste ano, Matheus Belém atuou em sete jogos – sendo dois pelo profissional e o restante nas categorias de base. Mas seus grandes momentos aconteceram na Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior, quando marcou dois gols – contra o Porto Velho e o América-MG.

Quanto as características, o jovem zagueiro é conhecido pelas saídas de bola e bolas longas. Além disso, também chama atenção pelo porte físico. É um zagueiro alto, com cerca de 1,86 metros de altura. Também se caracteriza pela capacidade de desarmes e bom posicionamento.

Mas futuro preocupa…

Nos últimos anos, Cotia tem se destacado pela boa safra de zagueiros. Na equipe profissional atual, Diego Costa e Beraldo são dois exemplos. Mas existe uma preocupação quanto ao futuro de Matheus Belém.

No começo do ano, a urgência do São Paulo para repor zagueiros no elenco, muito por conta do número de lesões que acometeu o setor, fez com que diretoria quebrasse uma regra que antes estava certa. No caso, promover jogadores da base que não tenham contrato com períodos consideráveis ‘seguros’ pelo clube.

A regra se tornou necessária, na visão da diretoria, após o Tricolor ter que negociar correndo ou buscar acordos com promessas de Cotia, como o ponta Marquinhos e o zagueiro Luizão no último ano.

No entanto, o São Paulo tem um ‘problema’ para resolver envolvendo Belém. O zagueiro tem contrato somente até o dia 24 de janeiro de 2024, ou seja, pouco mais de seis meses até o fim do acordo. Sendo assim, a partir de 24 deste mês, ele pode assinar um pré-contrato com qualquer equipe.

Como coach Cesc Fabregas confirmed the Serie A club have taken an initiative to donate their proceeds from their upcoming Coppa Italia game to the local community after northern Italy was hit with torrential rain. The devastating floods have affected homes and businesses around Como and the club's head coach shared an emotional message of support for the locals.

Como stand by their people

Como manager Fabregas has shared his solidarity with the locals and announced on social media that the club will help the community in such a time of need. He wrote on Instagram: "My thoughts are with everyone in Como today. Seeing our beautiful lake flood and the damage it has brought is heartbreaking. Como is more than just a city to me, it is home, it is family, it is community. To all the people, families, and businesses affected, please know you are not alone. We are with you, and I believe in the strength and unity of this city. Together, we will get through this and see Como shine again. The club will donate all the proceeds from the Italian Cup match against Sassuolo, scheduled for Wednesday, September 24, to support the local community during this difficult time."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMorata sends a message on social media

The storms and severe rain also cut off some lakeside villages from the main transport route. New signing and Spanish international Alvaro Morata also voiced his opinion sadness, writing: "Last night, severe storms struck the province of Como, impacting the entire area and even cutting off some lakeside villages from main transport routes. Another wave of bad weather is expected in the coming hours, while efforts continue to protect the communities already most affected. Together with the club's management, we have chosen to contribute by donating all of the proceeds from Wednesday's match."

When is Como's Coppa Italia game?

The Serie A high-flyers will face Sassuolo in the Coppa Italia second round match on September 24, at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia. 

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Getty Images SportComo's form this season

The Biancoblu are enjoying a decent tenure under manager Fabregas. Last season, after achieving promotion to the Serie A after 21 years, they recorded a 10-place finish in the top-flight. This season, they kick-started the campaign with a 3-1 win over Sudtirol in the Coppa Italia, and currently sit eighth in the league table with seven points after four games. 

Chelsea fans are "absolutely fuming" and have accused the Blues of exploitation ahead of Jose Mourinho's much anticipated return to Stamford Bridge in the Champions League. The clash has been slapped with a Category AA label, the most expensive tier in the club’s pricing structure, meaning adult general sale seats stretch up to a staggering £83.

• Opportunistic Chelsea raise ticket prices

  To add insult to injury, the number of junior and senior concession tickets has been cut, leaving families and long-standing season-ticket holders fuming. Many fans say the announcement, made just a week before kick-off, feels like a brazen cash grab timed perfectly for Mourinho’s much-hyped return.

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• AFP
  

  'They’re killing football’ – fans vent anger

  The outrage isn’t just about Chelsea, say supporters, it’s about the wider direction of the sport. In an interview with David Johnstone, of the CFCUK fanzine, didn’t mince his words: "I am absolutely fuming. And I’m not just fuming because it’s a Chelsea thing. It’s a football thing. These people running football now are absolutely killing it. I haven’t got a problem if people want to pay £10,000 to sit in that Dugout Club. If they want champagne and bells and whistles, good luck to them. 

  "But don’t forget the majority of people who are struggling to pay their electricity, gas bills, pay their mortgages, put food on the table, for whom football is the one release at the end of the day, at the end of the week. I’ve got a 12-year-old kid, he’s 12 on Saturday, and I’m having to pay £50 for a ticket for him, because I can’t get a kids’ one. In 10 years’ time, he isn’t going to be able to afford to go to a game. It’s shocking.”

• Short notice and scrapped concessions spark backlash

  Tim Rolls, ex-chair of the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust (CST), echoed the fury.

  “There’s a number of issues around the short notice, the increase in pricing, the removal of concession pricing," he said. “By removing the concession pricing without any advance notice, they’ve just increased prices for youngsters, for over-66s. They probably are happy to alienate groups of season-ticket holders, especially the older ones, because they think that they can sell tickets – especially for this type of game – to one-offs. People who are happy to pay more because of the Mourinho effect. And it will inevitably have an effect.”

  Many suspect the categorisation was no coincidence, though Johnstone disagrees.

  “They’d have done it anyway," he claimed. “They don’t want oiks like me who struggle to get £800 for a season ticket. We’re no good to them. Why’s the atmosphere so rubbish? Because they’re filling it up with tourists. If people want to come and see Chelsea, I welcome them from anywhere in the world. It must be great. They’d rather have those people paying £70, £80, £90 for an ordinary ticket and going and spending £300 in the megastore and coming once in their life. People like me, at the bottom of the food chain, we’re not going to have anything left.”

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• Trust calls out ‘exploitation’

  This row follows hot on the heels of another storm three weeks ago, when Chelsea flogged bundle tickets for all four group games, against Benfica, Ajax, Barcelona, and Pafos, at a discounted rate. Season-ticket holders feared losing their usual seats unless they stumped up more cash.

  A CST spokesperson said: “The Chelsea Supporters Trust is deeply concerned with the club’s handling of ticket sales for upcoming Uefa Champions League fixtures. Recent decisions have been marked by poor communication, unjustifiable price increases and a disregard for supporters. The message is clear – stop exploiting our loyalty.”

His left knee has minor swelling due to increased joint loading from his bowling workload

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Dec-2024Mohammed Shami will not be considered for the fourth and fifth Tests of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to swelling on his left knee.The BCCI press release on Shami’s fitness came days after India captain Rohit Sharma called on the National Cricket Academy to provide an update on the fast bowler’s progress upon being asked once again about it at the end of the Brisbane Test.”Shami bowled 43 overs in the Ranji Trophy match for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh in November,” the BCCI said in a statement. “Following this, he played in all nine games of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he also engaged in additional bowling sessions on the sidelines to build his bowling volume in order to get ready for the Test matches.Related

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“However, his left knee has exhibited minor swelling due to increased joint loading from his bowling workload. The swelling is on the expected lines, owing to the increased bowling after a prolonged period.”Based on the current medical assessment, the BCCI medical team has determined that his knee requires more time for controlled exposure to bowling loads. Consequently, he has not been deemed fit for consideration for the remaining two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.”Shami has not played for India since the ODI World Cup final in November last year, after which he underwent surgery for a heel injury in February. The BCCI said he had “completely recovered” from the heel injury and would “continue to undergo targeted strength and conditioning work under the guidance of the medical staff at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence and build his bowling loads needed to meet the demands of the longest format of the game”.Shami was not included in Bengal’s squad for their first game of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy on December 21 and the BCCI said his participation in the tournament would depend on the state of his knee.