Barcelona president Joan Laporta considers Lamine Yamal to be a “genius” and has addressed the teenage wonderkid’s comparisons with Lionel Messi.
Teen sensation signed new contractHas also inherited iconic No.10 jerseyLikened to Golden Ball-winning GOATFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Yamal has been likened to Messi since stepping out of the same La Masia academy system as the Argentine GOAT. They are both left-footed playmakers that glide past opponents and get supporters on their feet.
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The record books have been rewritten by Yamal since making his senior bow at the age of 15, with his 18th birthday allowing a lucrative contract in Catalunya to be signed while also inheriting Messi’s iconic No.10 shirt.
DID YOU KNOW?
Those in Barcelona are reluctant to discuss the similarities between fan favourites of past and present, with it important not to lump too much pressure onto Yamal’s shoulders, and Laporta admits that nobody gets close to Messi for now.
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Getty/GOALWHAT LAPORTA SAID
He told during Barca’s pre-season tour of Asia: “Lamine is Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi was Lionel Messi. Messi has been the best player in the world, and Lamine, I think that in today’s situation, he is the best in the world. I think we’ll see, we’ll see.
“Lamine has a lot of personality, like Messi, in his time he also had a lot of personality. Of course, Messi won everything. Messi did everything. For me, he is probably the best player in history.”
While talking up Messi’s claims to being an all-time great, Laporta said of Yamal potentially heading down a similar path: “He is the type of player of which there are very few like him because he is a genius and he is at the highest level.”
Sudharsan, Rahul hit fifties each but South Africa pace unit expose India’s lack of depth on seam-friendly Gqeberha
Sidharth Monga19-Dec-2023South Africa levelled the ODI series by bowling India out for 211 in the surprisingly seam-friendly conditions of the usually slow and low St George’s Park. It came as no surprise to South Africa, though, who added two frontline quicks to their XI and decided to bowl first on a fresh pitch with the bowling wind blowing.Left-arm quick Nandre Burger, who seems to have it all in height, pace and movement, led the attack with three wickets either side of a nosebleed-forced absence from the field. The conditions didn’t quite ease out, but South Africa had the advantage of knowing they didn’t need to be urgent with their scoring and also enjoyed a significant amount of luck in the early goings, which might seem to be at odds with Tony de Zorzi and Reeza Hendricks putting on the biggest opening stand in Gqeberha to set up the comfortable win. De Zorzi went on to convert his maiden half-century into a century.The win, though, was set up by the fast bowlers, two of whom didn’t even play the last match. One of them – Beuran Hendricks – flew in from Cape Town earlier in the morning after Ottniel Baartman and Andile Phehlukwayo were ruled out with injury. Aiden Markram also left out Tabraiz Shami’s left-arm spin for Lizaad Williams. The three specialist quicks bowled 28.2 overs between them for six wickets and 113 runs.After half-centuries from Sai Sudharsan – his second in his first two ODIs – and captain KL Rahul, the lack of depth in India’s batting was exposed when they looked to score quick runs and lost wickets to leave Axar Patel with four tailenders over the last 13.2 overs. The last four wickets could add only 42.Burger and Williams made good use of the Easterly and the pitch with seam movement and also inconsistent bounce. In comparison with Johannesburg, the ball swung much less – 0.6 degrees on an average in the first 10 to 1.3 degrees at Wanderers – but there was appreciable seam movement available, which made batting difficult. If anything, the slightly older ball seemed to be moving more off the deck as it did in Beuran’ spell as the first-change bowler.Burger corrected his length beautifully after being driven for four first ball, trapping Ruturaj Gaikwad lbw immediately. Tilak Varma’s stay at No. 3 was a troubled one, but was part of a 42-run second-wicket stand. Burger had to go off the field because of a nosebleed after three overs, but Beuran and Williams remained just as challenging. When Burger came back, his extra pace proved to be decisive as he got Varma on the hook for 10 off 30 balls.Sudharsan, who had been playing the ball late and not been missing out on any half-volleys, began to be troubled now as B Hendricks found a good length and the ball seamed either way. India were 54 for 2 in 15 overs when South Africa went to the second string of bowlers. Sudharsan slog-swept Keshav Maharaj for a six, Rahul pulled Wiaan Mulder for successive fours, and 37 came off seven overs before Markram went back to Williams.Sai Sudharsan and KL Rahul score fifties each but it wasn’t enough for a win•AFP/Getty ImagesIn the third over of his second spell, Williams produced an unplayable delivery that kicked off just short of a length and took Sudharsan’s glove to dismiss him for 62 off 83. At 113 for 3 in the 27th over, India still needed one more partnership before they could think of accelerating but Sanju Samson played Beuran on after looking good once again.Despite having lost four wickets, Rahul and debutant Rinku Singh looked to attack before the 40th over, which got them 31 runs in 22 balls, but ended in Rahul cutting Burger straight to backward point for 56 off 64. This is when Maharaj came into his own, slowing the ball down and using the drift from the wind to have Rinku stumped and Kuldeep Yadav caught on the sweep. This was a crucial helping hand just before the death overs.A couple of connected slogs from Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan took India past 200 but they batted only 46.2 overs despite going into the last 20 overs with seven wickets in hand.Arshdeep was much more impressive with the ball, getting consistent swing and seam, often proving to be too good to take the edge. Reeza, who had spent the first overs of the last two international unable to lay bat on ball, took first strike again and found things slightly easier. Only slightly. He edged Mukesh to second slip in the fifth over, but Gaikwad dropped a second catch there in two matches.Reeza was in control of just 22 of the first 35 balls he faced, de Zorzi 15 of the first 31 he played. However, de Zorzi was quick to punish any error in length, keeping the run-rate around four. This absorbed the entirety of the highly testing spell of 5-0-14-0 from Arshdeep and Mukesh’s 4-0-12-0. At this point, spin came on at one end, and at the other, Avesh began to bowl a touch too short.Like expert batters do, the South Africa openers now filled their boots, first by slowly working around singles and then targeting Kuldeep and Avesh. De Zorzi swept Kuldeep for four sixes, three of them slogs and only one of them off a wrong’un, which suggests little help for the spinners, which makes Maharaj’s contribution earlier in the day significant.When Mukesh and Arshdeep came back for their second spells, they still moved the ball around, they still troubled the batters, but by then, South Africa had gone past 100. The floodlights had barely come on by then.Reeza reaped the rewards for hanging in there, getting to a fifty, before he hooked Arshdeep straight to long leg, having added 130 for the first wicket. India had no option but to over-attack now, and both de Zorzi and Rassie van der Dussen cashed in. De Zorzi was there at the end to hit the winning six with 45 balls remaining and eight wickets in hand.
O campeão Cruzeiro é o único com acesso matematicamente garantido na Série B. O vice-líder Grêmio, com 56 pontos, está com a situação bastante encaminhada, mas ainda não sacramentou o retorno para a Série A. Portanto, restam três vagas e oito times estão na briga: Grêmio, Bahia, Vasco, Sport, Sampaio Corrêa, Ituano, Londrina e Criciúma.
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O que torna a disputa ainda mais acirrada é a quantidade de confrontos diretos nesta reta final da Série B. Faltando cinco rodadas para o fim da competição, teremos pela frente 11 decisões envolvendo as equipes. Dos adversários do Vasco, apenas o Novorizontino, rival do próximo sábado, em São Januário, não possui chance de acesso. Já os outros, Sport, Criciúma, Sampaio Corrêa e Ituano, brigam na parte de cima da tabela.
+ Confira a classificação da Série B
Na terceira posição com 53 pontos, o Bahia terá apenas um confronto direto, que será com o Grêmio, fora de casa. A distância do Tricolor gaúcho para o Criciúma, que é o nono colocado, é de 10 pontos e 15 estão em disputa até o final da Série B. O LANCE! destrincha as cinco rodadas de todos os candidatos ao acesso e destaca o momento de cada um dos times nos últimos cinco jogos.
2º: Grêmio – 56 pontos – 15 vitórias / 18 gols de saldo Londrina (F), Bahia (C), Náutico (F), Tombense (F) e Brusque (C)
Dos últimos cinco jogos, o Grêmio venceu os três que fez em casa, mas perdeu os dois longe de Porto Alegre.
3º: Bahia – 53 pontos – 15 vitórias / 12 gols de saldo Brusque (C), Grêmio (F), Vila Nova (C), Guarani (C) e CRB (F)
O Bahia vive o seu pior momento na Série B, não venceu nos últimos cinco jogos e somou apenas dois pontos.
4º: Vasco – 52 pontos – 14 vitórias / 8 gols de saldo Novorizontino (C), Sport (F), Criciúma (C), Sampaio Corrêa (C) e Ituano (F)
O Vasco oscilou bastante nas últimas cinco rodadas, mas na medida do possível somou pontos, conquistando duas vitórias e um empate.
5º: Sport – 49 pontos – 13 vitórias – 1 gol de saldo Cruzeiro (C), Vasco (C), Londrina (F), Operário (C) e Vila Nova (F)
O Sport venceu mais do que perdeu nas últimas cinco rodadas, somando nove pontos em 15 disputados.
6º: Sampaio Corrêa – 48 pontos – 13 vitórias – 4 gols de saldo CSA (F), Chapecoense (C), Ituano (F), Vasco (F) e Londrina (C)
É o concorrente ao acesso com mais pontos nas últimas cinco rodadas, somando quatro vitórias e um empate.
Allrounder feared his ship had sailed in Test cricket, now he looks locked in for the Ashes finale
Vithushan Ehantharajah11-Jul-2023It has been three years since Chris Woakes first took England over the line with the bat in a Test match. A score of 84 not out, the bulk of which came in a stand of 139 with Jos Buttler, helped chase down 277 in the fourth innings to win the first of a three-match series against Pakistan.It would be underselling the occasion to say last Sunday’s events at Headingley were a world away, as Woakes’ unbeaten 32 helped England to a target of 251 to keep the Ashes alive. The world itself was a very different place.Back in 2020, life had come to a sudden, jarring halt due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With the threat of losses for English cricket in the region of £380 million, the ECB created bio-secure bubbles at Emirates Old Trafford and the Ageas Bowl to honour their broadcast deals, subsequently limiting that figure to just over £100 million. All international and domestic fixtures in the 2020 summer were played behind closed doors, meaning the stands were empty for Woakes’ first bout of fourth-innings heroics.It felt like a microcosm of the Warwickshire allrounder’s career. As reliable a performer as he has been for England across all formats, he rarely gets the spotlight, particularly when operating in a team alongside Ben Stokes. In Leeds, however, with Stokes watching on from the home balcony having been dismissed for 13, Woakes produced a measured innings to seal victory by three wickets in the third Test against Australia, cheered on by a raucous packed house and a peak audience of 2.05 million on Sky Sports.”It literally doesn’t get any better than that, I don’t think,” Woakes said. “The feeling of that roar, the Western Terrace going mad.”Personally, in my biased opinion, it would have been better if I was doing it in front of the Hollies [at Edgbaston]. It’s pretty special. It’s pretty cool. Amazing feeling. I think you don’t hear the crowd as much out there as you do when you’re on the sides. But, it’s just special. If you could bottle that up forever and come back to it, you would.”Arriving at the crease with England’s chase on the rocks on 171 for six, Woakes initially played second fiddle to Harry Brook, who was eventually dismissed on 75. The 34-year-old then assumed the leading role with Mark Wood, as the pair finished the job with a stand of 24 from 14 balls, with Woakes striking Mitchell Starc through cover point for the winning boundary.Woakes claimed six key wickets in the course of a memorable allround performance•Getty Images
After England had closed the previous evening on 27 for 0 – needing another 224 for victory as the fourth day dawned – Woakes had figured any role he would play in the final act would be more akin to Jack Leach’s famous 1 not out inHeadingley’s 2019 Ashes Test, than the epic 135 not out at the other end that Stokes had scripted on that famous day. Given he played a more substantial part in proceedings, how did it feel to mimic the man himself?”I don’t know about that, I don’t know about that!” Woakes protested at the assertion his knock was akin to Stokes’ heroics. “I felt a tiny bit about how he felt at Headingley last time round.”But it’s just amazing to get over the line and beat (Australia). You are always coming into these days believing you’re going to get over the line, but they’re always going to be tight, aren’t they, regardless? You always feel like there’s going to be a twist. I felt like me and Brooky were cruising and he made an unbelievable knock to get 75 and play the way he did. But there was always a twist and I’m just delighted to get over the line.”Woakes’ first appearance in this series was also his first cap since March 2022, which he had also feared might be his last as England’s 1-0 loss away to the West Indies that followed a 4-0 Ashes defeat. Five wickets at 48.80 in the Caribbean after just six at 55.30 in Australia certainly felt like the end of the road. And though he is rated highly by Stokes who became Test captain at the start of the 2022 summer, a right knee injury which eventually required surgery that ruled him out of the entire home season looked to have set him exclusively on the white-ball path.But over the course of the winter, he would add a T20 World Cup winner’s medal to his 50-over one from 2019, along with nine more limited-overs caps in bilateral series. But his ambitions to play more Test cricket still burned bright.Related
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Woakes duly ruled himself out for the IPL to tune up with Warwickshire in the County Championship, and looked to be in line for a recall against Ireland until the England management opted to blood Worcestershire’s Josh Tongue instead. He was fully fit for the first two Ashes Tests too, but he bided his time and made a profound impression in his first outing. Along with his runs were figures of three for 73 and three for 68 in the first and second innings respectively, and not a tailender among them, as he claimed the crucial wickets of Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh (twice), Usman Khawaja and Alex Carey.While he always hoped he would add to his 45 caps coming into this summer, Woakes admitted to wondering if his time was up.”It’s quite emotional actually,” he said. “You sometimes think the ship has sailed, of course you do. Especially when the team is going so well last summer and I wasn’t involved, obviously I had injuries and stuff. You do wonder whether that ship has sailed. But I made a big decision at the start of summer not to go to India and, you know, it’s days like this make that sort of decision pay off, comfortably.”Given the balance Woakes gives the side, taking some of the bowling strain off Stokes who continues to manage a chronically injured left knee, while lengthening the batting, his place in the XI for the remainder of the series seems like a no-brainer. He proved his durability, too, with 35 overs in the match at a consistent pace, and stepped up when Ollie Robinson was unable to bowl in the second innings.The fourth Test begins on July 19 and will be Woakes’ first time back to Manchester since that 2020 performance. Though he is not looking too far ahead with regards to keeping his place, he expects England to arrive believing they can continue on what would be a remarkable comeback to win the Ashes. Especially with the pressure on Australia to not let things slip having come into the third Test 2-0 up.”It’s always been there, in that dressing-room the belief is we can win 3-2,” Woakes said.”You don’t want to look too far ahead, you have to play what’s in front of you, each ball, each day, each session, each Test match as it comes. I’d imagine when you’re so close to getting something, the harder it gets, and I’m sure the Aussies will be feeling that now. Once you get so close to something, it’s actually hard to get that over the line, isn’t it?”We’ve got turn up in Manchester and put in another performance. They’re a bloody good side, they’re an extremely good side. We’re going to have to be at our best to beat them again.”
Manchester United are expected to be very busy this summer, not only with arrivals but departures as well, and now another £120,000-a-week star looks to be on the Old Trafford chopping block, according to a recent report.
Man Utd eyeing new midfield signing
One player who looks set to leave United at the end of the season is Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen. The Dane is out of contract in the summer, and he recently revealed that he hasn’t heard anything from the club over a new deal.
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“I haven’t heard anything from the club, and therefore I assume that the collaboration will stop – that’s how I interpret it. I am prepared to find something new. I am fine with that. Where it will be, I haven’t decided yet.”
His departure from Old Trafford means United will likely enter the transfer market for a replacement, and that replacement could be Felix Nmecha. According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, the Red Devils are keeping a close eye on the Germany international, who is expected to cost around £42 million.
Germany midfielder Felix Nmecha.
The Premier League side have yet to hold any form of talks with the player or Borussia Dortmund, but that doesn’t mean a move won’t materialise in the coming weeks and months.
Man Utd set to replace £120k-p/w star as INEOS regret signing
Eriksen is not the only player who could leave United, as according to The Sun, Man United’s Andre Onana looks set to leave the club at the end of the season.
Andre Onana
The report states that the Cameroon international is set for a move to Saudi Arabia after he recently changed agents. His potential move at the end of the season now means Amorim and United are looking for replacements and have their eyes on Royal Antwerp’s highly-rated stopper Senne Lammens and Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier.
Onana, who earns £120,000 a week at Old Trafford, has had a really up-and-down campaign at United this season, producing some excellent moments to help out Amorim’s side, but he has also been his own downfall, making costly mistakes throughout the campaign. So much so that reports from Spain have stated that United “regret” signing Onana and have described his time at the club as a ‘nightmare’.
Apps
29
Goals conceded
40
Goals conceded per game
1.4
Saves made
80
Saves per game
2.8 (67%)
xG prevented
1.03
Penalties saved
1/4
Clean sheets
8
Errors leading to goal
3
Former Man Utd defender Paul Parker recently labelled Onana as “useless” and doesn’t understand why United let David de Gea leave.
“The problem is probably that the goalkeeper position won’t be a priority for a new signing, as there are so many other issues in other positions that need strengthening.
“I can’t help but think about why the club let David De Gea go. It was a really disgraceful way they parted with him after he was named Player of the Year three times in a row, and right now, it looks even more ridiculous because his replacement is so useless.”
Nottingham Forest claimed a vital win over Manchester City at the City Ground yesterday, massively boosting their chances of finishing in the Premier League’s top four.
Nuno Espírito Santo’s side claimed their 15th league win of the season, moving them four points clear of Pep Guardiola’s men in their unlikely pursuit of a Champions League place.
Morgan Gibbs-White registered yet another assist in what has been a superb campaign for the Englishman, taking his tally to 11 combined goals and assists in the top flight throughout 2024/25.
Such form has forced himself into the plans of England boss Thomas Tuchel, giving the German a huge chance of including him in the first squad ahead of the upcoming international break.
One other first-team member has also demonstrated his quality at the City Ground, potentially linking up with Gibbs-White in the national setup in the next few weeks.
Callum Hudson-Odoi’s stats for Forest in 2024/25
Winger Callum Hudson-Odoi has been one of the biggest bargains in recent times, joining Forest for just £3m back in the summer of 2023, reigniting his promising career in the East Midlands.
The 24-year-old registered eight goals and two assists in his debut campaign at the club, already hitting five goals this season, with his latest effort coming in the win over the defending champions.
His effort in the closing stages claimed all three points, notching his third goal in his last five league outings – playing a pivotal role in their top-four pursuit.
Hudson-Odoi was unlucky not to register another goal, with City ‘keeper Ederson making a superb save to deny the former Chelsea man from opening the scoring earlier on in the encounter.
Despite his impressive goalscoring run in recent weeks, the attacker has been outscored by a player who’s thrived since his move away from the club a couple of years ago.
The former Forest star who has outscored Hudson-Odoi in 2024/25
After promotion to the Premier League ahead of the 2022/23 season, Forest caught the eye with their additions, which saw 22 new signings arrive on the banks of the River Trent.
It’s safe to say additions were needed after promotion, with the majority of the stars during the 2021/22 season on loan at the Reds and subsequently departed.
Other first-team members departed, including Joe Lolley, who was allowed to leave on a free transfer to join Australian outfit Sydney FC – ending his four-and-a-half-year stint in the East Midlands.
The winger captured the hearts of the fanbase during his time at the City Ground, catching the eye with his ability to cut inside and fire home with his left foot off the right-hand side.
The 32-year-old scored 26 times in 171 appearances, thriving beyond all imagination after his £500k move from Huddersfield Town in January 2018.
Joe Lolley’s stats for Nottingham Forest (2018-2022)
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2017/18
16
3
3
2018/19
51
12
11
2019/20
44
10
8
2020/21
30
1
3
2021/22
30
0
1
Total:
171
26
26
Stats via FotMob
His move down under has allowed the Englishman to recapture his goalscoring form, scoring 11 times and notching six assists in his 24 outings – subsequently outscoring Hudson-Odoi and helping his side push for a qualification spot in the A-League.
After his successful stint in the East Midlands, it’s great to see Lolley thriving once again, producing the quality that the supporters know he’s capable of on a consistent basis.
He was ultimately a victim of the club’s rapid success under Steve Cooper, but given the quality of the likes of Hudson-Odoi currently at the City Ground, it was the right call to allow him to leave to showcase his talents elsewhere.
Nottingham Forest plotting offer to sign "exciting" star club chiefs love
A new La Liga rule could help cash-strapped Barcelona have the means to offer a lucrative contract to Lamine Yamal.
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New rule could help Barca in Yamal contract quest
Catalans set to make 17-year-old their top earner
Flick and Raphinha have extended their stays
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WHAT HAPPENED?
After winning three domestic titles in the 2024-25 campaign, Barcelona have already started planning for the future. They have already tied down manager Hansi Fick and star winger Raphinha to new deals and are working on Yamal's contract extension. have reported that the Blaugrana will offer a massive five-year deal to their wonderkid that will make him the highest earner in the club.
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There are concerns over Barcelona's financial condition, as they are already over the squad cost limit. , however, reports that a new La Liga rule could allow them to offer a fresh contract to Yamal. A La Liga financial control rule was approved by all clubs last November and it has already come into effect in the current season. The rule allows a club to overpay to renew the deal of a squad member who is aged less than 24 and the club then generate the same amount throughout the year. If the club fails to generate that amount, it will get deducted from their next season's salary cap.
DID YOU KNOW?
Earlier this week, Yamal and his representatives, including Jorge Mendes, were seen leaving the La Bonaigua restaurant in Barcelona, accompanied by legal advisors. Mendes spoke briefly to reporters outside the restaurant, revealing that Yamal is set to stay at Barca.
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WHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?
Hansi Flick's side will play their final game of the season on Sunday as they take on Athletic Club away from home.
Celtic were left frustrated in the 2023/24 campaign after they were knocked out of the Champions League before they won a match in the group stage.
The Hoops won one of their six matches in the group, with that victory coming against Feyenoord in the last game, and were dumped out of the competition before the knockout phase.
This time around, in the new-look format, Celtic have qualified past the league phase and they are now set to face off against Bayern Munich at Parkhead in the first-leg of the play-off round.
The Scottish Premiership leaders, who have already beaten Bundesliga side RB Leipzig 3-1 in Glasgow, will need a big result to take back to Bavaria for the second-leg in Germany next week.
Celtic are no strangers to a big night under the lights in Europe and they will need another one of them this evening when they welcome Vincent Kompany’s side to Parkhead.
One of their most famous wins in the Champions League came against a Lionel Messi-led Barcelona team back in November 2012 during the group stage.
Tony Watt's heroics against Barcelona
The Hoops welcomed the Spanish giants to Glasgow and produced a sensational performance to come away with all three points, as they beat the LaLiga side 2-1 on the night.
Barcelona registered a whopping 24 shots, 14 of which were on target, but they only scored one goal as Fraser Forster put on a mammoth showing between the sticks – one so good that it led to Messi describing him as “not human”.
Lionel Messi
Celtic took the lead through Victor Wanyama in the first half when he met Charlie Mulgrew’s deep corner to head in at the back post to make it 1-0.
The three points were sealed, however, thanks to the heroics of Tony Watt, who scored the second goal of the game to give the Hoops breathing space, which they ended up needing when Lionel Messi pulled one back in stoppage time.
Forster sent a kick long down the middle of the pitch, that was completely missed by Xavi, and sent Watt, who anticipated the mistake, through on goal to rattle a brilliant finish into the far bottom corner.
It ended up being his only Champions League goal for Celtic – what a way to do it – and it is one that supporters may not forget for a very long time.
There is now an opportunity for another player to etch their name into Celtic folklore by being the player to score the winning goal against Bayern Munich under the lights at Parkhead in the Champions League tonight.
Chalkboard
Brendan Rodgers, now, has decisions to make in regards to who is going to line up as part of the front three from the start, after the Hoops beat Raith Rovers 5-0 in the SFA Cup in their last outing.
The Celtic forwards who could miss out against Bayern Munich
South Korean forward Hyun-jun Yang was handed a start against the Championship side on Saturday in the cup and caught the eye with an impressive performance on the left flank.
The 22-year-old ace assisted two of the five goals, teeing up Daizen Maeda and Luke McCowan for goals, and got himself on the scoresheet with a close-range finish.
However, Yang has failed to register a goal or an assist in four outings in the Champions League this season, and has also produced just one goal and zero assists in 14 appearances in the Scottish Premiership for the Hoops.
This does not suggest that Rodgers should be making the call to keep the right-footed whiz in the starting line-up, but there could be a tougher call to make with Jota.
The Portuguese forward returned to the club in January, signing permanently from Rennes, and has contributed with one goal and one assist in three matches so far.
However, Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn have been in terrific form for the Scottish giants on the flanks this season, which could keep Jota out of the XI for this match.
Appearances
7
8
xG
1.84
0.88
Goals
3
2
Big chances created
0
4
Assists
0
1
As you can see in the table above, both wingers have shown that they can make an impact in the final third in the Champions League this term, which is why they should start out wide this evening.
This means that Rodgers should ditch Yang and keep Jota on the bench, moving Maeda back out wide, and that would free up the number nine position for Adam Idah to be unleashed.
Why Adam Idah could be the new Tony Watt
The Celtic boss must unleash the Ireland international from the start against Bayern tonight because he has proven, on several occasions, that he has the ability and the mentality to step up when Celtic need him.
Last season, Idah scored two goals, including a stoppage-time penalty, in a 2-1 win over Hibernian on his full debut for the club. Shortly after that, the Irishman came off the bench at 1-0 down away at Motherwell and scored two goals to turn the game around to put his side in front.
His most memorable moment from his loan spell, though, came when he scored the winning goal against Rangers in the SFA Cup final at Hampden Park.
Idah, who was once hailed as “incredible” by Rodgers, then signed for the Scottish giants on a permanent deal from Norwich City last summer, and the sale of Kyogo Furuhashi to Rennes in January has finally made him the first-choice number nine for the Hoops.
Shortly after the Japanese forward’s departure, the 24-year-old marksman showcased both his quality and his mental fortitude in the 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa.
Celtic may have gone on to lose the game but they still managed to claw themselves back to 2-2 after being 2-0 down after just five minutes away from home in the Champions League, thanks to a quickfire double from the ex-Canaries ace.
Idah has shown, time and again, over the past year or so that he can be a clutch player who scores important goals at important times for Celtic, just as Watt did in that famous win over Barcelona.
Therefore, Rodgers must unleash the 6 foot 3 centre-forward from the start in this game against Bayern tonight, as he could be a difference-maker at Parkhead.
Van Dijk 2.0: Celtic can strike gold with young gem who's dominant & pacey
Brendan Rodgers could unearth his own version of Virgil van Dijk in the young ace.
Manchester United have expressed interest in signing a £75 million “leader” in the summer, according to a recent report.
Man Utd transfer news
It is surely going to be an interesting summer at Old Trafford, as their troubles with finances mean United are not going to be able to enter the market and spend £200/300 million just like that. The Red Devils will be looking to move players on like Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Victor Lindelof, Antony and many more who don’t have a future under Ruben Amorim.
Man Utd preparing £33m bid to sign "gem" who is seen as a Luke Shaw upgrade
Luke Shaw’s future at Old Trafford is under serious doubt, as Ruben Amorim eyes reinforcements.
ByBrett Worthington Feb 12, 2025
Departures will allow the United boss to go into the market and bring in players he thinks not only fit into his system but also bring down the average age of the squad.
It was reported by Football Insider earlier this week that United are frontrunners in the race to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town for example. United, along with Chelsea, have been left impressed by his performances and are keen on securing his signature, especially if the Tractor Boys are relegated to the Championship.
Ipswich Town'sLiamDelapapplauds fans after the match
As well as looking at a new striker, it’s also been claimed that United are readying a £33 million bid to sign Alejandro Balde from FC Barcelona, as he’s seen as an upgrade to Luke Shaw. The Red Devils have just added Patrick Dorgu to their ranks, but Amorim wants more competition, as the futures of Tyrell Malacia and Shaw could be away from Old Trafford.
Man Utd express interest in signing £75m French gem
Balde is not the only defender on United’s radar, as according to BILD relayed by United in Focus, Manchester United are interested in signing Castello Lukeba from RB Leipzig, who has recently earned his first France cap.
It is being reported that United are looking at strengthening their defence in the summer and have expressed an interest in a possible deal for Lukeba, who has been with the Bundesliga giants since August 2023, when he joined from Lyon.
Lukeba’s agents are said to be looking at a big summer transfer, as the player has a £75 million release clause, and Leipzig are likely to demand that it be paid.
It’s been a frustrating campaign for the Frenchman so far, as a hamstring injury that he picked up in December has seen him miss seven Bundesliga games as well as Champions League and DFB-Pokal matches. Lukeba has now returned to the starting XI and helped Leipzig claim a 2-0 win over St. Pauli over the weekend.
Apps
11
Clean sheets
4
Interceptions per game
0.4
Tackles per game
1.7
Key passes per game
0.2
Passes per game (completion)
51.8 (88%)
Lukeba, who has been dubbed a “leader” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, is only 22 years old but has great experience at the top level, meaning he could be the perfect addition for Amorim. United are trying to turn their focus on buying players who are younger and could potentially be sold on for a greater fee, and Lukeba does fit into that category.
However, the concern would be that he costs £75 million, which is a lot of money, especially for United, who may not be able to afford to spend that much on just one player.
Azeem Rafiq says that his reprimand from the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) is “deserved” and that he will “fully accept” the panel’s judgement, after he and four other cricketers were punished for historic and prejudicial social media posts.Rafiq, along with former Yorkshire coach Andrew Gale, Somerset seamer Jack Brooks and prominent women’s players Danni Wyatt and Eve Jones were charged earlier this year for respective breaches of ECB Directive 3.3 which pertains to bringing the game of cricket into disrepute.Brooks, Jones and Wyatt also admitted a breach of ECB Directive 3.4, which requires that all players abide by the ECB Anti-Discrimination Code. However, the CDC Adjudicator, Chris Tickle, decided that a reprimand would suffice in all five cases.Related
Jack Brooks apologises for historical racist tweets, and to Cheteshwar Pujara over 'Steve' nickname
Yorkshire head coach Andrew Gale called former Leeds United executive 'y*d'
Azeem Rafiq 'ashamed' after historic anti-Semitic exchange comes to light
The cases came to light in the midst of the racism scandal that beset English cricket last year, and Rafiq – whose revelations of an institutionally racist culture at Yorkshire ultimately led to him testifying before a parliamentary select committee – reiterated after the CDC’s decision that he was “ashamed and embarrassed” for his own anti-Semitic actions in a social media exchange dating back to 2011.In a Facebook exchange, reproduced in full in the CDC judgement, Rafiq and his former England Under-19 team-mate Ateeq Javid joked about how a third, unnamed, team-mate was a “jew” for failing to pay his share of a bill at a restaurant.The messages were first published in the Times on November 18, 2021, leading to a same-day apology from Rafiq on social media, and confirmation that they had subsequently been deleted from his profile.”This summer, I unequivocally accepted a charge from the ECB regarding my antisemitic social media post from 2011,” Rafiq wrote in the wake of the judgement.”You will hear no complaint from me about the CDC’s decision today. It is deserved and I fully accept this reprimand. I want to repeat my apology to the Jewish community. I remain ashamed and embarrassed.”Rafiq met with Holocaust survivors after the incident, including on this year’s March of the Living at Auschwitz.”I hope I have demonstrated over the past 10-11 months that I am trying to educate myself about the horrors and prejudice the Jewish community has historically – and continues – to face,” he added.”I will keep trying and I thank the Jewish community for the forgiveness and kindness that has been shown to me so far.”Gale, who has said that he is “moving on with his life” and will “not engage” with the ECB’s disciplinary process, after being sacked by Yorkshire at the height of the racism scandal, was found in November 2021 to have used an anti-Semitic slur in a Twitter exchange with Paul Dews, the then-head of media relations at Leeds United.Wyatt and Jones were photographed in “blackface” at a Caribbean-themed party dating back to 2013, while Brooks was found to have used a racially offensive term in two tweets from 2012 during an exchange with the England fast bowler Tymal Mills and Stewart Laudat, who played minor counties cricket for Oxfordshire.Following their disclosure, Brooks confirmed in a statement that he “deeply regretted” using the term and apologised “wholeheartedly”.