Two games, both at home, no goals. Yes, not the ideal week for those of a Celtic persuasion, nor for manager Brendan Rodgers.

Of course, Thursday’s disappointing meeting with Braga in the Europa League did see the bizarre and frankly head-scratching decision to disallow Kelechi Iheanacho’s second-half strike, although that moment aside, the Hoops were tame and tepid again in front of goal.

Having come up short just days earlier against Hibernian, the Scottish champions are currently finding it hard to catch fire in the final third, even amid the promising introduction of a certain Sebastian Tounekti.

The Tunisian international, a goalscorer against Partick Thistle, has looked direct and lively in his early outings in green and white. A Celtic player in every sense.

Unfortunately, far too many others around him aren’t doing the same, with recent recruitment again needing to be called into question.

In the case of one new man, in particular, he could be heading into Arne Engels territory already…

Ranking Celtic’s summer signings so far

It is still early days, yet Tounekti must surely sit at the summit when analysing Celtic’s summer business, having looked so impressive in recent weeks.

While he has just one goal and no assists to show for it, the 23-year-old has been a constant threat down the left flank, as he was again in midweek, looking to beat his man at every available opportunity.

Across his two European outings, he is already averaging four successful dribbles per game, as per Sofascore – no time for adaptation needed.

Elsewhere, considering what looked to be an act of desperation at the time, the aforementioned Iheanacho has begun to silence a few doubters of late, netting twice already while seeing that third so harshly chalked off.

As was evident on Thursday, his lack of blistering pace is an issue when leading the line, but it is hard to question his touch and silk in possession.

The same is also true of another man who struggled last time out, in the form of Benjamin Nygren, with the 23-year-old boasting three goals and four assists already, while having particularly caught the eye against Red Star last week.

Kieran Tierney, meanwhile, is still yet to get up to speed, while it feels too early to judge the loan duo of Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Marcelo Saracchi, albeit with the latter providing the assist for Daizen Maeda’s header away at Killie.

With the Japanese duo of Shin Yamada and Hayato Inamura, alongside Ross Doohan and Callum Osmand, not truly in the first-team equation, perhaps the biggest disappointment to date lies in the form of £5m man, Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

Why Celtic may have another Engels on the cards

A high-profile Belgian addition, signed for a sizeable fee, yet struggling to make an impact – ring any bells?

Like the list of names mentioned above, it may appear too soon to be writing off anyone, let alone a figure like Balikwisha amid his limited involvement, although already questions are being asked over his summer arrival.

As was the case for Engels last term – who Rodgers said was “nowhere near the finished article” – it is hard to see a clear route into the side for Balikwisha, not least amid Tounekti’s early breakthrough.

With Tounekti, alongside Maeda and the sidelined Jota, all favouring a role on that left flank, the right-footed Belgian is already facing a fight for game time, amid the prospect of having to be relocated onto the opposite flank, or in a central role.

A player who previously dazzled in the Belgian Pro League with 47 goals and assists in 145 games for Royal Antwerp, as per Transfermarkt, Balikwisha has so far chalked up one assist from five games in Glasgow, having not even made it off the bench against Braga.

Games (starts)

3 (2)

Goals

0

Assists

0

Big chances missed

0

Big chances created

0

Key passes*

0.3

Pass accuracy*

87%

Successful dribbles*

0

Possession lost*

5.3

Engels, once of Club Brugge, did end last term with 23 goals and assists in all competitions for the Hoops, but the debate over his £11m addition raged on, with the 22-year-old perhaps burdened both by his price tag and the need to fill Matt O’Riley’s shoes in the centre of the park.

Balikwisha also has a similar issue, as he looks to help fill the void left by the likes of Nicolas Kuhn, Adam Idah and Kyogo Furuhashi, with the early signs not exactly promising.

Indeed, he came under fire from pundit Andy Halliday for his ‘passive’ performances to date, with the ex-Rangers man stating:

As the case of the aforementioned Kuhn showcased, a slow start doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a reason for alarm bells, but at present, Balikwisha looks in danger of heading the same way of Engels, as an expensive Belgian signing whose acquisition is still being debated.

Celtic are brewing next McGeady in "danger man" who "unsettles defences"

Celtic are brewing their next version of electric winger Aiden McGeady with this star.

ByDan Emery Oct 4, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo entra em campo neste domingo (8), às 16h, no Maracanã, tentando apresentar ânimo revigorado no clássico diante do Fluminense. Em seu primeiro ato como treinador interino, Lúcio Flávio se prepara para lidar com uma série de desafios.

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Durante a semana, o diretor André Mazzuco reforçou sua confiança no ex-jogador e alertou que “são 13 finais”. A poucas horas de estar à beira do campo, saiba alguns pontos nos quais a nova comissão técnica tende a tentar ajustar o Alvinegro para garanti-lo na rota do título.

+ Veja a tabela do Brasileirão

Di Plácido deve receber um voto de confiança do novo comandante. O lateral vinha em uma boa sequência com a camisa alvinegra, dando apoio ao ataque mas, após uma oscilação, foi preterido no decorrer da passagem de Bruno Lage.

O português chegou a dar espaço a improvisos, como JP Galvão e Tchê Tchê, lançando o argentino apenas no decorrer das partidas. Com vivência, Di Plácido tem chance de dar a volta por cima e se firmar.

CONFIANÇA NA DEFESA

Nos 16 jogos com Bruno Lage, o Alvinegro passou a sofrer mais gols. Cabe a Lúcio Flávio tentar ajeitar novamente a defesa, apostando na força de Adryelson e Cuesta e também no restante da proteção à zaga.

Para isso, o treinador interino conta com o suporte de Joel Carli, alçado a auxiliar do Glorioso nesta reta final.

ENCAIXE NO MEIO DE CAMPO

O principal desafio de Lúcio Flávio é voltar a fazer com que a criação de jogadas aconteça de maneira natural. A tendência é que Marlon Freitas, Tchê Tchê e Eduardo sigam como titulares, mas cabe ao novo técnico promover variações para furar o bloqueio do adversário.

O camisa 6 deve atuar em sua posição de origem, virando a página de sua polivalência. O “sheik”, por sua vez, ficou muito sobrecarregado na criação de jogadas e faltou ousadia ao Glorioso especialmente nas partidas como visitante.

QUEM JOGA PELA DIREITA?

O enigma continua a ser a atuação pela ponta. Júnior Santos, Luís Henrique e Matías Segovia travam disputa. Luís Henrique, porém, pode atuar no lugar de Victor Sá.

Porém, falta ao Glorioso encontrar um desafogo para surpreender pelo lado direito. A equipe busca seu equilíbrio ofensivo para levar a melhor no clássico.

EXPECTATIVA EM TORNO DE TIQUINHO SOARES

Passada a polêmica em torno do jogo com o Goiás que culminou na demissão de Bruno Lage, Tiquinho Soares voltará a ser titular no clássico. O camisa 9 encerrou sua seca de gols na segunda-feira (2) e está motivado.

A esperança de que o artilheiro do Brasileiro, com 14 gols, esteja em condições de surpreender o setor defensivo tricolor move os botafoguenses para o duelo. A equipe não terá Diego Costa, que cumpre suspensão.

O Botafogo tem 52 pontos e lidera a competição com sete pontos a mais que o RB Bragantino,

There’s however forecast for some showers on Sunday in Dallas

Deivarayan Muthu12-Jul-2025Big picture: A clash of contrastsThe reactions of captain Nicholas Pooran and Kieron Pollard summed up MI New York’s path to the MLC 2025 final after they had been teetering on the brink, having lost six of their first seven games. Then they suddenly made the playoffs and peaked there, emulating their parent franchise Mumbai Indians in the IPL, knocking out San Francisco Unicorns and Texas Super Kings to set up a final clash with Washington Freedom, who have been the form team throughout the tournament, with eight wins in ten league games.It’s a clash of contrasts in more ways than one. While MINY have relied on T20 superstars like Pooran, Pollard, Trent Boult and Quinton de Kock, Freedom have found success with less experienced names after their own big players – Steven Smith, Travis Head and Marco Jansen – were unavailable for their title defence.Freedom also lost New Zealand quick Ben Sears to injury and his replacement Matthew Forde to the Global Super League (GSL) in Guyana along the way, but they found new heroes in allrounders Mitch Owen and Jack Edwards. Left-arm seamer Saurabh Netravalkar has had another productive out-of-office stint.Lockie Ferguson has had his load managed upon his return from injury, but Ian Holland has stepped up with vital breakthroughs. After a crushing defeat to Unicorns – their margin of 123 runs in the biggest in the MLC – in their season-opener, Freedom have bounced back spectacularly under the leadership of Ricky Ponting and Glenn Maxwell.While Pooran and Pollard have made the headlines for MINY’s late dash, the team has also had contributions from the youngsters. Tristan Luus, who turned 20 last month, knocked Owen over with a 140kph dart on his MLC debut and went onto take out Faf du Plessis in Qualifier 2. Twenty-two-year-old Rushil Ugarkar, who was with MI at the IPL as a support player, has also thrived in MINY’s attack in this MLC.MINY’s attack was severely depleted by the absence of Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai and Naveen-ul-Haq, but they have dug deep for a tilt at another title.So, who will win their second MLC title on Sunday: MINY or Freedom?Form guideWashington Freedom:WWLWW
MINY: WWLWWRelated

Freedom in final after Qualifier 1 abandoned due to heavy rain

Pollard and Pooran knock Texas Super Kings out to put MI New York in MLC 2025 final

In the spotlight: Mitch Owen and Monank PatelMitch Owen has been among the most sought-after T20 players around the world after his 39-ball century in the BBL final earlier this year in January. He has since made forays into the PSL, IPL and more recently at the MLC, where he has been utterly dominant with both bat and ball. Apart from hitting 313 runs in ten innings at a strike rate over 195, he has bagged 14 wickets at an economy of 8.96. Beware of Mitch, MINY.Monank Patel hasn’t been as destructive as Owen at the top, but his stable presence hasn’t gone unnoticed. Patel currently has 450 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 143.31 and is 19 runs away from surpassing du Plessis as the top run-getter this season. There can’t be a better advertisement for the MLC than an USA batter topping the run charts.Mitchell Owen has starred with both ball and bat for Washington Freedom•Sportzpics for MLCTeam news: Ferguson set to playFerguson is being managed carefully by Freedom and New Zealand Cricket – he has also been rested for the upcoming T20I tri-series in Zimbabwe – but is likely to play the MLC final on Sunday.Washington Freedom (probable): 1 Mitch Owen, 2 Rachin Ravindra, 3 Andries Gous (wk), 4 Glenn Maxwell (capt), 5 Glenn Phillips, 6 Mukhtar Ahmed, 7 Obus Pienaar, 8 Jack Edwards, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Ian Holland, Saurabh NetravalkarThere’s no reason for MINY to make any changes unless there are any injury concerns.MI New York (probable): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Monank Patel, 3 Michael Bracewell, 4 Nicholas Pooran (capt), 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Kunwarjeet Singh, 7 Tarjinder Singh, 8 Tristan Luus, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Nosthush Kenjige, 11 Rushil UgarkarPitch and conditions: Rain threat hangs over finalThere’s forecast for some showers on Sunday in Dallas, with a 60% chance of rain in the night. With rain in the air, expect the team winning the toss to chase. When the two teams faced each other in the league phase, Dallas had rolled out a batting-friendly surface, where Freedom chased 189 with four balls to spare.Stats and trivia: Sixy Pooran Pooran has clattered a chart-topping 73 sixes in 36 innings in T20 cricket in 2025. Owen is joint third on this list with 65 sixes in 29 innings.Pollard is currently the second-highest scorer in the history of T20 cricket with 13854 runs. Only Chris Gayle is ahead of him with 14562 runs.Besides being the top scorer among USA players in this season, Patel is also the top scorer among USA players overall in the league, with 646 runs in 25 innings at a strike rate of just under 130.Freedom have been the fastest-scoring team in the powerplay in this MLC, going at 10.44 during this phase. MINY are fourth at 8.02.Quotes”We went to Miami, and we forgot about cricket. That was the best thing for us and then we turned up and [did] what was in front of us. Miami was refreshing for us; guys went to shop and retail therapy.”
“We’ve been able to have even, consistent contributions throughout our squad and that’s probably been the most pleasing thing for me this year. We haven’t been relying on one or two people; it’s been the whole team that has stepped up.”

Super-agent Jorge Mendes has dismissed the "noise" surrounding the young Spanish talent Lamine Yamal, urging for support for the 18-year-old Barcelona star. His comments come as Yamal himself refutes "lies" about his pubalgia injury after a stunning display in the Champions League, though Hansi Flick confirms the issue is still being actively managed.

• Mendes defends Yamal

  Mendes has publicly addressed the intense speculation and "noise" surrounding Yamal, following weeks of discussion about the 18-year-old's fitness and conduct. Mendes, who represents five players at Barcelona including Yamal, Alejandro Balde and Ansu Fati, broke his silence to defend the teenager from the mounting pressure. The agent's comments arrive in the wake of Yamal's scintillating performance in the Champions League, but also amid a backdrop of ongoing concerns over a persistent pubalgia injury.

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  Mendes addresses 'noise' and ongoing pubalgia concerns

  Speaking directly on the recent debate surrounding Yamal, Mendes sought to normalise the situation and called for the player to be supported, not scrutinised.

  “I don't understand all the noise surrounding Lamine Yamal. We've all been 18 and young," Mendes told . "As president [Joan] Laporta said, what we have to do is support him and help him as much as possible because he's a great asset to the club."

  The Portuguese agent, whose Gestifute agency manages Yamal, acknowledged the unique burden on the young forward, who now wears the number 10 shirt for Barcelona once worn by the likes of Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona.

  "Lamine is the player everyone is talking about worldwide; there's a consensus that he's a great player for both the present and the future," Mendes continued. "Having everyone watching you is also a great responsibility and a lot of pressure. He's handling it very well, and we have to continue helping him, and one way to do that is to focus exclusively on his work.”

  Mendes also confirmed the reports of a physical issue but insisted it is being handled correctly by the player and the club.

  “Lamine knows perfectly well what he has to do both on and off the field, and that's what he's doing: concentrating on working quietly and not talking much," he added. "He has some physical issues that he's addressing with the club to resolve them in the best way possible while he plays, and that's the most important thing, that he recovers well and can contribute as much as possible to the team."

• Yamal hits back at 'lies' after Brugge heroics

  Mendes's comments about letting the football do the talking were emphatically underlined by Yamal's performance in midweek. The agent noted: "The best thing Lamine does is let his play on the field do the talking; he does it like no one else, as we saw in the Brugge match."

  In that chaotic 3-3 Champions League draw against Club Brugge on Wednesday, Yamal was Barcelona's standout performer. He dragged his side back into the game three times, scoring a sensational solo goal and creating the third, which resulted in a Christos Tzolis own goal.

  After the match, Yamal himself confronted the recent rumours about his fitness. The forward missed seven games for club and country earlier this season with the pubalgia problem.

  "I am good," Yamal told reporters. "I try not to read things. A lot has been said about my injury and that I was sad. It was all lies. I wanted to work hard to get back to this level, which is when I feel the best and have the most fun."

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• Flick confirms injury is still being 'managed'

  Despite Yamal's declaration and his agent's supportive words, Flick provided a more cautious assessment. The German coach confirmed that the pubalgia, a notoriously difficult groin-related injury, remains a daily concern.

  "I am happy that Lamine is back on this level, but how I said also, we don't know what is tomorrow; we don't know what is next Sunday," Flick said in his post-game press conference in Belgium.

  "The important thing is that he manages this situation he has now because it's not easy. He has to be focused on what he has to do, how he has to train and also the treatment. If he manages that the right way, hopefully it goes away, but it's not easy to say when with the situation."

Jason Roy’s return to form for Surrey has earned him a replacement gig in the Hundred, replacing Faf du Plessis at Southern Brave. ESPNcricinfo has learned that du Plessis has pulled out of his £78,500 contract as he is due to undergo an operation on his groin, which he injured during the IPL, and that Roy has signed a deal to replace him.Roy, who turns 35 this month, was a Hundred winner with Oval Invincibles in 2023 but has struggled for runs in the tournament, averaging 19.55 and striking at 132.09 across three seasons. He was handed a lifeline by Andrew Flintoff’s Northern Superchargers last year after initially going unpicked in the draft, but did not play a game due to a shoulder injury.He again went undrafted earlier this year, having registered with a reserve of £63,000, but he has rediscovered his form in the T20 Blast for Surrey. In a new role at No. 3, Roy started the season with three half-centuries in five innings and while he has not passed 30 since, his 301 runs at a strike rate of 141.98 have proved enough to earn a replacement deal in the Hundred.Related

• James Anderson, Rocky Flintoff earn Hundred wildcard deals

• Finn Allen out of MLC playoffs and Zimbabwe tri-series with foot injury

• James Anderson: I've missed out on T20 over the past ten years

• Hundred teams lean on new IPL partners in recruitment for 2025 season

• Jason Roy joins Northern Superchargers as Hundred replacement

Roy will replace du Plessis, 40, who was a direct signing ahead of March’s draft and plays for Delhi Capitals, the IPL franchise co-owned by Southern Brave’s incoming owners GMR Group. Du Plessis has been playing for Texas Super Kings in Major League Cricket this month, but has identified the Hundred window as an opportunity to undergo groin surgery.Roy’s deal has been locked in ahead of Tuesday’s ‘wildcard’ draft, which will see each Hundred team select four players – two men’s, two women’s – based in part on their Blast form. James Anderson, who has never played in the Hundred, is in contention for a deal after 13 wickets in six appearances for Lancashire, making his return to T20 cricket after an 11-year absence.Southern Brave are also sweating on the fitness of Finn Allen, who sustained a foot injury at MLC and has been ruled out of New Zealand’s upcoming T20I tri-series in Zimbabwe as a result. Allen scored 240 runs in nine innings for the Brave in 2023, and was retained on a £52,000 deal earlier this year despite missing last season with a toe injury.Brave were losing finalists last season and have retained the core of their side, with James Vince set to continue as captain. They have a new men’s coach in Adi Birrell, who has taken over from Stephen Fleming for the 2025 season.In the women’s Hundred, left-arm wristspinner Millie Taylor has signed for Birmingham Phoenix as an injury replacement for Charis Paveley, who has withdrawn from the competition due to a foot injury. Taylor, whose twin sister Mary plays for Hampshire and Southern Brave, has taken 15 T20 Blast wickets this year and will be playing in the Hundred for the first time.

India were 0 for 2 after England piled on 669, but KL Rahul and Shubman Gill batted out two sessions to give India hope of survival

Alagappan Muthu26-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes made 141 to take England to 669•PA Images via Getty Images

Stumps Music echoed around Old Trafford this morning. The trumpeter had chosen well. The things Ben Stokes was doing out there was beyond the realms of normal men. So they picked up their instrument, put it against their lips, and belted out the Superman theme. Paaaa-pa-pa-pa-paaaaaa…England ended day four with 137 runs and two Indian wickets in the bank and it’s largely because of their captain’s exertions. A century and a five-for in the same Test match. Leading his team to their fifth-highest total in the format ever. Gatecrashing a club of only two. The big two. The ultimate two. Before Saturday, only Garry Sobers and Jacques Kallis could puff their chests out and say they had 7000 runs and 200 wickets in Tests. Now they have to scooch over. Cricket’s rosy old past and its complicated present have clashed a lot over the past 48 hours thanks to Joe Root and his successor.Related

Batting time, battling time – Gill and Rahul duel with the clock

Root revels in 'pinch-yourself moment' after moving to No. 2

A rare double for Stokes as England break Old Trafford record

A lead of 311 looked match-winning-well-ahead-of-time, particularly with Chris Woakes daring to be on a hat-trick in the very first over he bowled. India had spent 943 deliveries on the field. The fatigue that sets in as a result undid two of their top order in five. Shubman Gill and KL Rahul came together with the score 0 for 2 and strung up back-to-back wicketless sessions (which suggests the pitch has flattened out) to make sure their team could push the fight to the final day, when there’s rain expected in the morning. The forecast says it will clear up by the afternoon.So England remain in command, although there might be worry about how Stokes did not bring himself on to bowl any of the 63 overs in the day. He’d done a fair bit of leg work earlier, meeting even the slightest sign of the balance shifting with extreme prejudice. Mohammed Siraj thought India had run Stokes out in the first over of the day. Stokes punished his optimism by charging at him the next over. The four runs were incidental. The disdain was the point. Stokes spent a few nervy moments in the 90s, but as soon as he got one on his hips, he was able to deflect it off to the boundary behind him – which was the cue for the trumpeter in the crowd to make their mark on this game – and celebrate it with a look up to the heavens and a sign of tribute to his father, Ged.England’s ninth-wicket stand racked up 95 runs in 97 balls with Brydon Carse almost scoring back-to-back fifties. Their highest total at Old Trafford fell. Then highest total at Old Trafford fell. Eventually England finished with 669, their fifth-highest in Tests and their best since, oh, scoring 823 against Pakistan in October 2024. Stokes made the last 41 of his 141 runs in 34 balls including all three of his sixes. He hit one of them so hard – the deterrent at long-off be damned – his follow through had him spinning around and almost facing the wrong way on the pitch. He seemed emotional getting to his first hundred in 35 innings, and vengeful after it.Chris Woakes struck twice in the first over of the third innings•AFP via Getty Images

India had 15 minutes to see off before lunch. England clearly wanted to make the most of them. Woakes went around the wicket straight away and that decision yielded great results. Yashasvi Jaiswal couldn’t leave the ball alone. Not with the angle coming into him. He played for it, closing the face, and a peach of a delivery, nipping away off the seam, took the edge through to Root at first slip. He fumbled the first time but not the second. In walked B Sai Sudharsan to become an advert for what happens to a team when they spend 157.1 overs in the middle. He was undecided against a short and wide delivery and in the end got caught trying to leave it.Gill looked troubled at the start. His front pad was a big target. Thirty-seven per cent of his dismissals in Test cricket are lbw and bowled and England went after one more. Jofra Archer produced an inswinging yorker that nearly took Gill out only for DRS to reveal that the ball hit both the inside edge of his bat and the outside of his front pad almost at the same time. In the middle of this examination, Gill played a shot away from his body and immediately looked like he hated himself. Eventually, he looked up and realised it had raced away towards the cover boundary. And from there, he just decided to trust his game and play his shots. Not in the same way as throwing the bat around and hitting himself out of trouble, just backing himself to play to his strengths.Out came the drives, and when Gill went down the ground, he evoked the history of the bat he was holding. A couple of guys with MRF-sponsored equipment were good with that particular stroke. He cut the ball well, gaining a little payback over Archer, who had hit his hand, which had been bandaged up. There were also several drop-and-runs to rotate strike and share the pressure with his partner, Rahul. It was a good innings, which could easily have been cut short at 46 when Carse had him playing away from his body again only for Liam Dawson to drop a tough catch at gully.Shubman Gill and KL Rahul revived India from 0 for 2•AFP/Getty Images

Gill made the most of that generosity to continue his run-spree. He went past Virat Kohli’s 655 runs against England in 2016 and is chasing down Sunil Gavaskar’s record of most runs as an India captain in a Test series (732). Crucially, he became confident of his defence, too. From being 46 off 52 with eight fours, he went to stumps scoring a further 32 off 111 with two fours.Rahul was old-school, too, right from the start. He backed his technique even when the new ball drew plenty of life out of the pitch. This was a thrill for him. He shared smiles with Archer when an absolute seed snaked past his outside edge.Rahul’s judgment on what to play and what to leave was all the more impressive considering the time India were stuck in the field and how they were trailing the game. He was 20 off 71. Perfectly content, then bit by bit he accepted the rewards of his patience, scoring 67 off the next 139 balls and going past 500 runs in a series for the first time in his career. Rahul, too, had a little luck break his way when on 36, as an inside edge off Dawson skirted just wide of his leg stump.A day five with immense possibility awaits.

Anthony Volpe provided the New York Yankees with the offensive spark they'd been desperately seeking in Game 4 of the World Series.

After trailing 2–0 early, the Yankees scored a run in the bottom of the second before loading the bases for their shortstop in the third. On the first pitch he saw, Volpe laced a shot to left-center field and watched as it sailed over the wall to give New York a 5–2 lead with one thunderous swing of the bat.

No one was more elated than center fielder Aaron Judge, who awaited Volpe at home plate alongside his teammates with an absolutely massive grin on his face. Once Volpe crossed the plate, he and Judge leapt into the air and celebrated excitedly.

Judge's struggles have dominated headlines throughout the postseason, and although he wasn't the deliverer of the big moment on Tuesday night, he was overjoyed for his younger teammate who had just had stepped up in the biggest at-bat of his career.

The grand slam marked the first postseason home run of Volpe's career, and with the Yankees trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers 3–0 in the series, it couldn't have come at a better time.

Lionel Messi has suggested that he finds life in the United States with Inter Miami a little more palatable because the pressure is different and less intense to what he used to face in Europe with Barcelona, and then Paris Saint-Germain. It was previously the case that the 'day to day grind' would leave him in a bad mood, unable to enjoy life with his family quite so much as he does now.

• Messi: Miami similar to 'home' in Barcelona

  Messi left PSG after just two seasons, opting to skip the option in his contract for a third season. Many assumed that he struggled to settle in Paris, having lived 20 years in Barcelona, which he denies is the case and insists it was solely football-related. In Miami, however, he says that life is very similar to what the family previously knew in Castelldefels, the town 12 miles outside of Barcelona he called home.

  "It also seems like Paris was a nightmare, but it wasn't. When I say I didn't have a good time, it's because I wasn't happy with what I was doing and what I love to do – playing football, the day-to-day routine, training, matches – because I just wasn't feeling good," he told . "But then, honestly, we had a really great experience as a family. The city is spectacular, we enjoyed it. It was the first time we'd left Barcelona, and everything was new to us, which made it very difficult, because it wasn't an injury; it just happened that way. But the truth is, I wasn't happy with what I love to do on a daily basis.

  "And here [in Miami], yes, we're doing well, we're enjoying the city, our daily life. As I was saying, it's a very similar life to what I had in Castelldefels, with the club nearby, the kids' school very close too, everything within easy reach, convenient. We live away from the city, which is beautiful, but the traffic is terrible."

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  Life with Inter Miami more relaxed

  The intensity and scrutiny Messi experiences now is different, out of the harsh European spotlight.

  "And that's it, we enjoy each day, and in a different way, because it's more relaxed, without so much pressure, without the obligation – although I always wanted to – to win and achieve all our goals," he explained. "Obviously, we still want to, but the pressure is different, and that makes life more relaxed, and we enjoy our family more, the kids, being able to come to training, being able to go to the games, spending much more time at home, getting home and not thinking so much about football and thinking more about other things. And that, whether you like it or not, makes you live differently because it often happened to me that the results and the day-to-day grind would get to me, and well, sometimes I'd get home in a bad mood, and it was different, so we're happy here."

• European football is draining

  Messi isn't the only player to suggest that the pressure in Europe can sometimes get out of hand. It's been particularly evident in coaches, with Xavi calling it a "cruel, unpleasant job" to be Barcelona boss in 2024, while Pep Guardiola had a full year off when he left Camp Nou in the summer of 2012. Jurgen Klopp walked away from Liverpool in 2024 and is yet to return to a club management role.

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  MLS Cup glory awaits

  Miami are searching for a first MLS Cup title since entering the league in 2020 and hope Messi will take them there. The club collected the Supporters' Shield in 2024 for winning the regular season, only to then exit the playoffs frustratingly early.

  Despite dropping back to third in the Eastern Conference in 2025, Miami have already eclipsed last year by reaching the Conference semi-finals and will take on FC Cincinnati on November 23. If they are successful, one of New York City FC or Philadelphia Union awaits at the end of this month, before the MLS Cup is scheduled for December 6. The longer Miami stay alive, the longer it also keeps alive the illustrious careers of Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who will retire at the end of the season.

West Ham have reportedly held discussions over signing a Brazil international duo who’ve both impressed in front of goal this year, with Nuno Espírito Santo badly in need of a new focal point up front.

The club’s January transfer window plans are becoming increasingly focused on three key priorities — a defender, midfielder and forward (Sky Sports).

The urgency for a striker stems largely from the ongoing issues surrounding Niclas Fullkrug’s persistent injury problems, which have severely limited his availability and impact for the Hammers since his move last year.

Fullkrug was brought in with high hopes as a reliable goal-scoring option to lead the line, but his torrid injury record has prevented him from consistently delivering those expected contributions.

Time and again, injuries have sidelined Fullkrug, and this inconsistency has left West Ham very short of choices upfront.

Callum Marshall, while tipped for a promising career, is too inexperienced to lead the Irons’ forward line, while it is believed that Nuno privately doesn’t rate summer signing Callum Wilson.

This has resulted in Nuno experimenting with Lucas Paqueta as West Ham’s false nine in their last two Premier League matches — which both ended in defeat.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

The lack of a dependable number nine is a major concern for Nuno as he looks to avoid a dreaded drop back down to the Championship, which is now a serious possibility.

In the last fortnight alone, David Sullivan, Karren Brady and the Hammers board have been linked with a host of intriguing options.

Real Madrid sensation Endrick is apparently a top target for West Ham, but they’ll have to move quickly as Ligue 1 giants Lyon have already made a formal approach with the player himself keen.

Journalist Alan Nixon has said that West Ham have already worked on a loan deal for Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney as well, with the Irons also holding discussions over Gonzalo Garcia (Graeme Bailey).

West Ham "offered" Brazil duo Pedro and Kaio Jorge

Now, according to Hammers News and journalist Graeme Bailey, you can add Brazilian strikers Pedro and Kaio Jorge to West Ham’s list of potential targets this winter.

Pedro, who’s scored 15 goals for Flamengo during this 2025 season, once plied his trade for Fiorentina in Europe but has spent the majority of his career in South America — where he’s earned six caps for the national team.

Jorge’s scored a seismic 20 goals for Cruzeiro this year, and the 23-year-old ex-Juventus sensation is still yet to reach his prime.

Jorge only has one senior appearance for Brazil so far, but considering his stellar 2025 campaign, Carlo Ancelotti will certainly be keeping a keen eye on the striker ahead of next year’s World Cup.

Bailey reports that West Ham have held discussions with agents about signing Pedro and Jorge, with Nuno’s side “offered” the duo by representatives.

That is as far as it’s gone, but there is reason to believe shopping in the Brazilian Serie A market could prove fruitful.

Jorge carries a market value of just £15 million according to Transfermarkt, while Pedro’s value comes in at around £17.5 million — making them pretty affordable options.

They’re also both represented by Bertolucci Sports, an agency that’s helped Brazilian talents like Gabriel Magalhaes, Bruno Guimaraes and Matheus Cunha seal moves to the Premier League in recent years.

Manchester City are closely monitoring Ezri Konsa, with it being revealed Aston Villa may now be forced to cash-in on the defender.

Despite the 1-0 loss against Villa last time out, Bernardo Silva was impressed by City’s performance in possession of the ball, but the attacking midfielder made it clear he thought they struggled at the opposite end of the pitch.

Silve said: “I would say we played quite well with the ball. Our offensive concepts were quite good. Even if we didn’t score, we had chances. We made them defend deep, and they struggled in some moments. On the other side of the game, we were really bad defensively.”

That performance may have been a one-off, considering the Blues have conceded just two goals in their last five matches in all competitions, while also keeping a total of seven clean sheets already this season, which suggests they are relatively strong at the back.

However, John Stones is well-known to be injury-prone and Abdukodir Khusanov struggled against Swansea City in the EFL Cup on Wednesday night, making one error leading to a shot and receiving a 6.1 SofaScore match rating, the lowest of any Man City player.

Man City now closely monitoring Ezri Konsa

Consequently, it could make sense to bring in a new centre-back, and City are now closely monitoring Konsa, according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Aston Villa may be forced to cash-in on the centre-back due to financial issues.

Villa are reluctant to sanction the departure of one of their key players, but PSR regulations may force them into a sale, at which point they would be looking to receive a fee of around £40m – £45m.

A whole host of Premier League clubs are in the race for the England international, however, including Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, so there may be fierce competition for his signature.

The centre-back recently put himself in the shop window with a solid performance against City, keeping a clean sheet and bringing Erling Haaland’s remarkable 12-game scoring streak to an end in his side’s 1-0 win at Villa Park.

The 28-year-old made 12 defensive contributions, the joint-highest number of any player, which kept Haaland at bay, while also recording a pass-completion rate of 95%, indicating he could be an ideal fit in a Pep Guardiola system.

Konsa vs City

Number completed

Clearances

6

Blocked shots

2

Interceptions

3

Tackles won

1

The Villa star, who is also capable of playing at right-back, received high praise from Jamie Redknapp last year too, with the Sky Sports pundit saying: “I think he’s shown he’s a versatile player. He’s got a great appetite for the game. He’s also got a lot of desire, tremendous work ethic.”

Konsa, who is represented by the same agent as Omar Marmoush, could be a solid addition to Man City’s backline, but there are doubts over whether he would be a necessary signing, given that Guardiola already has the likes of Stones, Khusanov, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol to choose from.

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Posts ByDominic Lund Oct 28, 2025