Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Sanju Samson has pulled up his bowlers for veering off from the team’s death-overs plans during their 58-run loss to Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad.RR started well with a fiery spell from Jofra Archer, who dismissed Shubman Gill for 2 and made use of the movement and bounce on offer, but the team leaked 72 runs in the final five overs that lifted GT from 145 for 2 to 217 for 6. They also conceded 17 runs in all through wides.”There was definitely some purchase in the wicket, “Samson said in the post-match presentation, “having someone like a Jofra to bowl first, the way he started taking Shubman Gill’s wicket and the way we started in the powerplay, that’s what we planned.Related

• Samson backs himself to lead Royals youngsters to IPL glory

• Team combination continues to be a problem for Royals

• Prasidh, the silent superstar in Titans' mix-and-match attack

• Samson fined INR 24 lakh for RR's second over-rate offence

• Sai Sudharsan and Prasidh lead GT to the top of the IPL table

“We just went off the plan in the death overs. I think, a few plans… we prepared something else, the bowlers executed something else. So we need to look back maybe tomorrow or day after in the meeting and we’ll come back and try to execute the same.”They [GT] also batted really well but I think a couple of sixes or 15 to 20 runs, we gave away in the bowling.”Even though Maheesh Theekshana dismissed M Shahrukh Khan in the 16th over, he also leaked 18 runs off it before Sandeep Sharma sent down the 17th for 13 runs. Archer then returned for an 11-run 18th over – that conceded just one boundary – but then Tushar Deshpande bowled the 19th over for 14 runs and Sandeep’s last went for 16, as Rahul Tewatia went on the charge.RR’s spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule also said in the press conference that “it was a very good track to bat on” but they expected the par score to be around “180 to 200″ and not 217.”Yeah, we could have maybe given about 20 runs less but I think they batted well,” he said. “[B] Sai Sudharsan came out of the powerplay very strongly and they had better partnerships than what we did, and that’s how they got a total, which was big but I personally feel we could have got closer to that only if we had some partnerships going.1:10

Bangar: Royals missed a sixth bowling option

“T20 is a format where sometimes the execution doesn’t go the way you want it to. They [RR’s bowling attack] obviously had plans but unfortunately the execution didn’t happen the way they wanted. We are going to bowl some wides [in T20s], but overall the bowling unit definitely did their best on a track which was full of runs.”RR went into the game on the back of wins against Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), both after batting first. But Samson, who opted to bowl on Wednesday, backed to his decision despite the loss and said RR didn’t want to be a team “that’s only good at defending totals”.”When you lose games, we also feel that ‘should we have chased first’ or ‘should we have done something else?’ But I think the conditions, we were expecting this, and this was a really good wicket to chase on,” he said. “We’d like to stick in and respect the conditions and do what the condition requires. We don’t want to end up being a team that’s only good at defending totals. We also want to win games while chasing, not just while batting first.”

Pochettino's message to this squad was clear – every player must look in the mirror and ask 'What is expected of me?'

A new term was coined towards the end of Mauricio Pochettino's news conference on Thursday – "Pochismo." It was used to express how the U.S. men's national team coach has his own way of making decisions and, for the purposes of meeting with the media, his own way of explaining them. 

"It's a good thing that Pochismo is positive," Pochettino said with a laugh. "It's good that it's used in a positive way."

In the year since taking over as USMNT boss, Pochettino has had his own way of explaining his decisions. There have been times where he's been willing to go in depth. At other times, he's asked for trust. Those decisions, ultimately, rest with Pochettino and his staff, and them alone. Part of Pochismo, then, is understanding that fact and accepting the answer, even if disagreeing.

Pochettino's most recent decisions were announced on Thursday. He had selected a 26-man squad for the upcoming friendlies against Ecuador and Australia. There were a number of talented players named to the squad. There were a few that weren't. Those decisions, Pochettino reminded reporters, were his, and the asked-for explanations, in truth, didn't matter. What matters now is getting the 26-player group together and going from there.

In general, Pochettino's message was clear. He wants every player in the pool to look in the mirror and ask themselves two questions: what is expected of me and what am I going to do to meet those expectations?

"It's difficult to explain, because I think we'd need to spend over an hour doing it," Pochettino said, "but I think in the way that they grow, in the way that I see things, how I feel soccer, for me, it's completely different. I think that is why players need to perform, need to think and need to try to convince us. The players need to think a little bit about what we expect from them. 

"That is a different question: what we expect… If players not in the squad call us and say, 'What do you expect from us coach?' that is a different question. I can speak for over an hour, two hours, and we can have videos and everything. But that's different from 'Why am I not here?' That is a different question."

GOAL looks at key takeaways from Pochettino's roster release.

• Getty Images
  

  Adams' absence explained

  Many of the absences could be explained. Injuries and form, by and large, cover most of it. Not Tyler Adams, though. He's been in great form with Bournemouth, has been vital for the USMNT and might very well be the captain next summer.

  His excusal, though, makes sense.

  "He's expecting his wife to have a baby in the next few days," Pochettino said. "That is why he's not here because of that reason. It's a positive reason! It's a good reason, and we hope it's going well. That's why he's not in this in this camp."

  All good things then and, in truth, the USMNT will be just fine this time without him. If anything, it's a chance for Pochettino to get a look at other deeper-lying midfielders that could serve as Adams' backup or, perhaps, partner. 

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Those not in the squad

  Pochettino was asked to explain several notable omissions. He was happy to discuss Adams. The others? Less so. Those players aren't on the squad for soccer reasons. He knows why they weren't called in and, in his opinion, they do too -and he says that's all that matters.

  "They are called in because they perform," Pochettino said, "but after, they need to come here to perform, to follow the rules, and to behave in the way that we want that they behave, with all the respect, and try to not only win games, to think and to build something important… It's unbelievable to see how the players behave differently when they know that they are going to play versus when they are not going to play.

  "That is the most difficult thing you need to understand: when you maybe want to play, but it's not right. You have to behave in a different way, process that inside yourself and deal with that pain inside. You then need to provide your best and support your teammates, the staff and the national team."

  Pochettino was clear that he wasn't shutting the door on anyone. No one's spot is guaranteed – and none are lost, either. 

  "There aren't too many players in the world [that are guaranteed]," he said. "You can ask me why Messi is not in the roster. This type of player: Maradona, Pele, I don't know, different names. I think we need to respect the players that are here. We never give an explanation [on the omissions] because we respect the players that are here. I talk to the players that are in this roster. But knowing the players that are not with us, what I want to tell you is we are very focused and working so hard to try to build the best roster. 

  "These names, of course, it's an open system that maybe today they are not here, but maybe they are here in the next month. We always try to bring a combination and create a roster with good balance or with players that I think deserve to be here."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Robinson's status

  There were plenty of new "old" faces named to the team. In total, 15 of the 26 players Pochettino called in were not a part of the September camp. Few, though, are as interesting as Robinson, who rejoins the USMNT for the first time in 2025.

  The 2024 U.S. Soccer Player of the Year, Robinson has recently returned for Fulham, playing his first 90-minute game of the season last week against Cambridge. Fulham have, generally, been patient with Robinson, who dealt with injury issued down the stretch last season. Pochettino will be too, even as he turns to him for a vital camp appearance.

  "It's a long time that we haven't seen him for different reasons," Pochettino said. "Today, we know that he's an important player for us and it's a moment to bring him in. Of course, we have been talking with his club. We are going to try to manage him in the best way here, but it's important that he can be with us, with the group, and with his teammates. I think you always have to manage this situation.. We are thinking about that in all aspects."

  Robinson, of course, has backup. Max Arfsten, who has deputized for him for much of the year, is also in camp and could play minutes on that left-hand side. It remains to be seen how much we'll see of Robinson then, but Pochettino is glad to have him back.

  "Antonee is not playing too much, but I think the challenge is to help him to evolve and to start to feel the confidence again and to come back and to play in a regular way with his team," he said. "This is going to be great for us."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty
  

  Pulisic's form

  The world doesn't need Pochettino to say it, but he will anyway. If you weren't aware, Christian Pulisic is in ridiculous form.

  With four goals and two asissts in five Serie A matches to go with two additional goals in the Coppa Italia, Pulisic is Italy's most in-form player. There's an argument to be made that he's performing as well as any player in the world right now. That, of course, brings a smile to Pochettino's face. He has one hell of a weapon as his disposal.

  "Christian is a great player," Pochettino said. "He's a player that has continuity and I think we can say he is the most important player now for the national team that is performing and playing under big pressure. He needs to perform every single week and every single game in a place like Milan and he's doing well.

  "We are so happy when he's scoring goals, giving assists and performing. That is what we want, and now is to help him arrive at the World Cup in the best place."

  Pulisic, having put the Gold Cup controversy to rest, was fantastic against Japan last month, running the show in that game. Now, he'll be expected to do the same in these two matches as he looks to continue to bridge that good form across the Atlantic.

Leeds United are ready to permanently sell a member of Daniel Farke’s first-team squad in the final days of the summer transfer window.

Leeds make James Justin 10th summer signing

The Whites have been busy following their return to the Premier League and have now spent more than £100m on new signings.

The latest player to arrive was versatile full-back James Justin, who signed a four-year deal in Yorkshire after suffering relegation with Leicester City last season.

Despite having less than 12 months left on his deal, Leeds forked out £10m for Justin, who said after signing for the Whites:

“Obviously to join a club of this size and to have the history it has had, and being back in the Premier League was a massive thing for me, so I’m over the moon to have joined.

“It’s been a while since I’ve known of the interest, but obviously I was still a Leicester player, so I had to give my all for Leicester whilst I was there. That’s something obviously that you can expect from me when I put on a Leeds shirt, is to give my all when I’m on the pitch. But for it to finally have happened, it’s taken a weight off my shoulders for sure.

“Everyone that I’ve spoken to about the club and the area has had great things to say about it. So I’m excited to join the lads and get to work.”

Gruev upgrade: Leeds contenders to sign a star who's "similar to Busquets"

Leeds United are reportedly contenders to sign a star who could be an upgrade on Ilia Gruev.

By
Dan Emery

Aug 26, 2025

Further incomings and outgoings are expected at Thorp Arch before the September 1 deadline, with winner Largie Ramazani on course to head to Valencia on a season-long loan.

The 49ers Enterprises are searching for more attacking additions, but after signing Justin, a current Leeds defender could be about to wave goodbye to Elland Road for good.

Leeds ready to sell £3m Isaac Schmidt after signing Justin

According to reliable reporter Mike McGrath of The Telegraph, Leeds are now in talks to sell Isaac Schmidt to German side Werder Bremen on a permanent basis.

Signed for £2.5m from Swiss side FC St Gallen last season, Schmidt could now depart for a profit, with the 49ers in line to receive £3m.

Farke, who used Schmidt in pre-season while Jayden Bogle was out injured, praised the full-back last season, admitting he was “impressed” with the Switzerland international.

“I’m not surprised — he’s played in several different positions. What I like about Isaac is lots of competition, Firpo is playing outstanding, Bogle the same. It’s a joke that Byram who has good points per game doesn’t play. It’s tough for Isaac. He came after not playing in English football. He needed to adapt but longer with us longer he impressed. I like his attitude.”

However, with regular football not on offer for Schmidt in England ahead of the 2026 World Cup, a permanent move away seems to be best for all involved, especially following Justin’s arrival.

Some squad numbers carry more weight than others at football clubs. Celtic are no different, particularly when it comes to the number seven shirt.

Henrik Larsson was, of course, famous for wearing the number seven shirt during his illustrious career in Scotland, scoring 227 goals in 301 matches for the club in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

The club’s current number seven is Jota. He is now in his second spell at Parkhead and has produced 33 goals and 28 assists in 99 appearances for Celtic, per Transfermarkt, which shows that the forward is doing the number justice.

Another squad number that was made iconic by the player who donned it is the number eight jersey, because of what Scott Brown achieved at the club.

Why Scott Brown made number eight iconic

Whilst other players have worn it before, Bobby Lennox, and since, Kyogo Furuhashi, the number eight shirt is an iconic part of modern Celtic history because of what the former Scotland international did on the pitch.

Brown played a staggering 618 times for the Hoops in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, and produced 46 goals and 63 assists from a central midfield position.

The former Celtic captain led his side to ten Scottish Premiership titles, seven League Cup victories, and six SFA Cup trophies in his time in Glasgow, which shows that his spell in the team was an incredibly successful period in the club’s history.

Chalkboard

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

Expand Collapse

He was a brilliant all-round central midfielder, deserving of the number eight shirt, and Brendan Rodgers may have the club’s next iconic number eight in the making, but it is not the player currently occupying it.

The Celtic star who is a number eight in the making

Summer signing Benjamin Nygren currently wears the number eight shirt. However, it is 2024 summer signing Arne Engels who could be Celtic’s long-term number eight.

The Belgium international, who currently wears number 27, joined the Hoops from Augsburg in a club-record £11m deal last year, and has had a difficult start to the current campaign, starting two of the club’s four Premiership games, per Sofascore.

It is easy to forget, though, that Engels is only 21. He is three years younger than Nygren and the same age that Brown was when he signed from Hibernian in 2007.

The 21-year-old maestro has produced ten goals and 14 assists in 59 appearances in all competitions for Celtic to date, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he can carry a threat at the top end of the pitch.

His work out of possession can also be underrated because of his inconsistency and the fact that the Hoops are so dominant in the Premiership that he does not always get to show it off, as he did in the Champions League last term.

24/25 Champions League

Arne Engels per 90

Percentile rank vs midfielders

xAG

0.25

Top 7%

Assists

0.37

Top 6%

Shot-creating actions

3.11

Top 29%

Key passes

2.24

Top 6%

Percentage of dribblers tackled

71.4%

Top 9%

Tackles made

2.49

Top 28%

Passes blocked

1.12

Top 27%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Engels delivered well-rounded performances in the Champions League for the Scottish giants last season, excelling among his positional peers in key metrics on and off the ball.

These statistics show that he does have the potential to be a brilliant all-round central midfielder who can impact games at both ends of the pitch, with tackles, blocks, key passes, goals, and assists.

However, it is down to Engels to develop and show consistency in his performances to prove that he deserves to be the long-term successor to the number eight shirt at Parkhead, over Nygren, who is more attack-minded and three years older.

If the Belgian star can do that, then he can begin to live up to the legacy that Brown left behind with that number.

Related Worth more than Tierney: Ange struck gold for Celtic on "phenomenal" star

Celtic have hit the jackpot on this star who is now worth more than Kieran Tierney.

Posts ByDan Emery Sep 6, 2025

Free-scoring Harry Kane continued his exceptional run, bagging a brace in the Champions League clash with Pafos, and subsequently claimed his Bayern Munich side "made it look easy". Kane has already scored 21 goals for club and country this season, including four in the Champions League, and enjoyed an easy ride during the clash in Cyprus where the German giants dominated throughout.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Bayern run riot in Pafos

  Bayern Munich secured a dominant 5-1 victory over Pafos in their Champions League encounter at the Alphamega Stadium. Kane bagged two goals, while Raphael Guerreiro, Nicolas Jackson, and Michael Olise also found the back of the net. Kane's goals in the 15th and 34th minutes, along with Guerreiro's strike in the 20th and Jackson's in the 31st, gave Bayern a comfortable lead before half-time. Mislav Orsic provided a moment of quality for Pafos, scoring a consolation goal just before the break with an excellent curled effort. However, Olise sealed Bayern's comprehensive win midway through the second-half. The German champions showcased their superior form and attacking prowess, extending their winning streak to nine matches this season across all competitions.

Advertisement

• Kane savours comfortable win

  After the 5-1 thrashing, Kane said: "We made it look easy with the way we played. I wouldn't be surprised if they (Pafos) get a few points, especially at home. Unfortunately for them they came up against us in a really good moment."

• Can all-conquering Bayern tame UCL rivals?

  Bayern have continued to dominate German football, winning the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup and currently sit two points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table. The league season began with a commanding 6-0 victory over RB Leipzig and they have maintained a perfect record, winning all five of their matches – scoring an impressive 22 goals and conceding only three. In the Champions League, Bayern have also started strongly, securing a 3-1 win against Chelsea in their first match, followed by the 5-1 win against Pafos. Kane has been a standout performer, and is now up to 102 goals in just 105 appearances for Bayern since his 2023 move from Tottenham.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kane's record-breaking ambitions

  Kane is Tottenham’s all-time top goalscorer with 267 goals, surpassing Jimmy Greaves, and for England Kane holds the record with 74 goals in 109 appearances, having overtaken Wayne Rooney. In his first Bundesliga season (2023-2024), Kane scored 36 goals, setting a new record for most goals in a debut season, breaking Uwe Seeler's record. One target he will certainly have his eyes on is Robert Lewandowski’s record for the most goals in a Bundesliga season (41) and he will have the chance to add to his tally of ten goals in the current campaign when Bayern face Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.

يستأنف فريق ليفربول مشواره في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، اليوم الأحد، بمواجهة مانشستر يونايتد، بعد انتهاء فترة التوقف الدولي لشهر أكتوبر الجاري.

ويستقبل ليفربول خصمه مانشستر يونايتد على ملعب “آنفيلد” في إطار مباريات الجولة الثامنة للدوري الإنجليزي “البريميرليج” موسم 2025-2026.

وكان ليفربول قد تعرض للهزيمة من تشيلسي بهدفين لهدف في الجولة الماضية بالدوري الإنجليزي، أما مانشستر يونايتد كان قد تغلب على سندرلاند بهدفين دون مقابل.

ويحتل ليفربول المركز الثالث في ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 15 نقطة، ومانشستر يونايتد يملك 10 نقاط في المركز 11.

ويتواجد آرسنال في الصدارة بـ 19 نقطة بعدما تغلب على فولهام بهدف دون مقابل، مساء السبت بالجولة الثامنة، ويأتي مانشستر سيتي في المركز الثاني بـ 16 نقطة حيث تغلب على إيفرتون بهدفين دون مقابل. موعد مباراة ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد اليوم 

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة السادسة والنصف مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد

تذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN sports HD 1. معلق مباراة ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد

يعلق على المباراة، عامر الخوذيري. 

ويمكنكم متابعة مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة على مركز المباريات من هنا.

Fulham have now opened fresh talks to sign a red-hot forward, who is open to a move to Craven Cottage this summer, according to a report.

Cottagers keen on new forward despite promising Muniz update

At one stage, it was looking likely that Rodrigo Muniz was going to move to Atalanta, but the Italian club were unwilling to meet the Cottagers’ demands, and they have since opted to sign Nikola Krstovic from Lecce.

Promisingly, it has since been revealed that Muniz is due to be offered a new deal, with the Brazilian eager to extend his stay at Craven Cottage.

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey said: “I am told that Muniz is one of Fulham’s lowest paid players, he is very much due a new contract, and Marco Silva has made it clear to Fulham’s top brass he wants this sorting out. Muniz wants to stay and pledge his future to Fulham.”

As such, Silva may no longer need to bring in a new starting striker this summer, although an opening bid was recently submitted for up-and-coming Partizan Belgrade centre-forward Dusan Jovanovic.

However, having made no outfield additions to the squad up to this point, despite losing Willian and Reiss Nelson, Silva appears to be keen to bring in a new winger, and talks have now been re-opened over a deal for Shakhtar Donetsk’s Kevin.

That is according to Sky Sports News’ Dharmesh Sheth, who states the fee and structure of the deal are currently being discussed, with Fulham encouraged by the fact the Brazilian is open to a move to Craven Cottage this summer.

Bid made: Fulham leapfrog Aston Villa in race for "fantastic" £860k striker

The Cottagers have overtaken their Premier League rivals in the race for a centre-forward.

ByDominic Lund Aug 20, 2025

However, there is currently a gap in valuation between the Cottagers and the Ukrainian club, with the west Londoners perhaps unwilling to match the huge £43m asking price.

Kevin could be ready for Premier League move

The 22-year-old has made a flying start to the 2025-26 campaign, having already chipped in with six goal contributions in Shakhtar’s opening three Europa League qualifiers, while he has also impressed across the previous two seasons.

Season

League appearances

Goal contributions

2023-24

14

7

2024-25

24

10

The Shakhtar star tested himself in the Champions League last season, scoring two goals in seven outings in Europe’s elite competition, which suggests he could now be ready to cut his teeth in the Premier League.

That said, it would be a gamble for Fulham to shell out what would be a club-record £43m fee for the Sao Paulo-born star, given that he is yet to prove himself in a major domestic league, making just 11 appearances for Palmeiras before moving to Ukraine.

As such, Fulham should continue trying to get a deal done for a lower price, but if Shakhtar continue to play hardball, there are plenty of alternative options on the shortlist, with the likes of Reiss Nelson and Raheem Sterling being named as potential targets.

Essex captain given chance to finish tour as she started it in T20I leg

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Apr-2025Grace Scrivens will be given another chance to enhance her captaincy credentials as she leads England A’s red-ball team in their four-day match against Australia A in Sydney this week, at the conclusion of their multi-format series.Scrivens, 21, was handed the captaincy of the T20I leg of the seven-match tour, and succeeded at the first attempt where her senior counterparts had failed in their Women’s Ashes whitewash earlier this year.England A won that opening match of the series by three wickets at Hurstville Oval in Sydney, with Scrivens herself making 35 from 38 balls, before the remaining two matches were washed out.Hollie Armitage, Durham’s captain, then took over the reins for the three 50-over matches that followed, with England’s thrilling one-wicket win in Monday’s third ODI leaving the teams with two wins each in the four completed games so far.Although there are no official points at stake in the multi-format series, the series finale has an element of winner-takes-all to it, and will take place at Cricket Central from April 12-15.Scrivens, Essex’s captain, has yet to make her full England debut and so is unlikely to be considered as Heather Knight’s replacement, following the latter’s removal from the role after a nine-year tenure.However, Scrivens is widely considered as an England captain in the making, having led the Under-19 team to the T20 World Cup final in South Africa in 2023. Andy Tennant, her director of cricket at Essex, recently described her as “the English Graeme Smith”, in reference to the South Africa captain who led his side for 11 years after taking over at the age of 22 in 2003.With Charlotte Edwards now installed as England’s head coach, a new captain is due to be announced ahead of the team’s first series of the summer, against West Indies in May. Nat Sciver-Brunt, the current vice-captain, is currently on maternity leave following the recent birth of her son, Theodore.

Are Bayern Munich the strongest side in Europe right now? They're certainly not far off it. The Germans maintained their flawless start to the 2025-26 season with a 3-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend. Unsurprisingly, Harry Kane was among the goals again, as the free-scoring striker maintained his record-breaking start to the campaign.

Over in Italy, defending Napoli returned to winning ways after last week's loss at San Siro to reclaim top spot in Serie A from Massimiliano Allegri's resurgent AC Milan, who were held to a 0-0 draw by Juventus – primarily because of a missed penalty from Christian Pulisic.

In France, Roberto De Zerbi's wonderfully exciting Marseille moved to within a point of Paris Saint-Germain, meaning we might actually have something resembling a title race this season, while Real Madrid are back on top of LaLiga thanks to a hard-fought win over Villarreal – and Barcelona's shocking loss at Sevilla.

As for Portugal, the big game of the weekend between Jose Mourinho's Benfica and his former club, Porto, ended in a perhaps unsurprisingly dour 0-0 draw.

Below, GOAL runs through all the big winners and losers of the latest round of action across Europe's top leagues…

Getty Images SportWINNER: Vinicius Junior

Vinicius Junior threw a pathetic hissy-fit after missing out on the 2024 Ballon d'Or and immediately vowed to win this year's award. He didn't get remotely close, of course, the Brazilian finishing 16th after an underwhelming campaign.

However, Vinicius has made a fine start to the new Liga season and his double in Real Madrid's 3-1 win over Villarreal means he now has nine direct goal involvements in eight matches.

"I like it when I see him smiling and enjoying himself," Blancos boss Xabi Alonso told his club's official website. "He came close to scoring a hat-trick and rounding off his game.

"He also had a great game against Levante (on September 23). He's a very important player for the team and the club because of his ability to create mismatches, what he generates and the difficulty he poses for the opposition."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Barcelona

Pedri claimed ahead of last week's Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain that Barcelona were the best team in Europe. It wasn't true then and it's certainly not true now.

The Blaugrana are a wonderfully entertaining team, but primarily because they're almost as vulnerable defensively as they are outstanding offensively. Basically, their games guarantee goals because they have such an open style of play, as the past week has underlined.

After being beaten 2-1 at home by an under-strength PSG on Wednesday night, Barca were hammered 4-1 on Sunday afternoon by Sevilla in La Liga – a defeat that saw the Catalans displaced at the top of the table by hated rivals Real Madrid.

Robert Lewandowski missed a second-half penalty at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan that would have drawn the visitors level but midfielder Pedri admitted, "We shouldn't pin the defeat on that alone. Throughout the match, we weren't good enough."

It was a similar story against PSG, which is why Flick's high-risk tactics are now coming under serious scrutiny in Catalonia for the first time.

Getty ImagesWINNER: Ange-Yoan Bonny

Marcus Thuram has been outstanding for Inter this season, winning man of the match in both of their Champions League matches so far, against Ajax and Slavia Prague.

So, the Frenchman's injury-enforced absence from Sunday's Serie A clash with Cremonese looked like a bit of a problem for Christian Chivu. However, Ange-Yoan Bonny did an absolutely sensational job filling in for Thuram.

As well as scoring his first goal for Inter following his summer switch from Parma, the 21-year-old attacker also racked up a hat-trick of assists, making new coach Chivu look like a bit of genius for bringing Bonny with him from Parma during the summer.

"The 'mister' gives me confidence every day," Bonny told reporters after the Nerazzurri's 4-1 win at San Siro. "I know he'll give me my chances if I deserve them: it's always been like this, even at Parma, and I thank him for that and I just want to continue on this path."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

AFPWINNER: Igor Paixao

It was a little surprising that none of Europe's richest clubs made a move for Igor Paixao during the summer. The Brazilian was the best player in the Netherlands last season, scoring 16 goals and creating a further 10 for Feyenoord.

Credit to Marseille, then, for deciding to pay a club-record €35 million (£30m/$41m) for Paixao, who, after an injury-hindered start to his spell at the Stade Velodrome, struck twice in the 4-0 Champions League rout of Ajax in midweek before opening the scoring – and his Ligue 1 account – in the 3-0 win at Metz on Saturday afternoon.

"Sometimes, with certain players," OM coach Roberto De Zerbi said in his post-match press conference, "you have to invest in their physical and mental condition beforehand.

"I try to play Paixao all the time, and when his performance drops, I replace him, but he is getting back to the level we know he's capable of."

MatériaMais Notícias

Poucas horas depois de desembarcar na capital paulista após retornar de Cuiabá em voo fretado, o elenco do São Paulo já se reapresentou no CT da Barra Funda na manhã deste domingo (23) e deu início à preparação para o primeiro jogo da semifinal da Copa do Brasil contra o rival Corinthians, terça-feira (25), às 21h30 (de Brasília), em Itaquera.

RelacionadasSão PauloPróximos jogos do São Paulo: onde assistir, datas, horários e calendárioSão Paulo10/10/2023São Paulo!Visita boa! São Paulo ainda não venceu um jogo sequer no Brasileirão longe do MorumbiSão Paulo23/07/2023São PauloLuciano tranquiliza torcida do São Paulo para clássico com o Corinthians após derrota em Cuiabá: ‘Aqui só tem jogador maduro’São Paulo22/07/2023

Na atividade, os atletas que atuaram por mais tempo contra o Cuiabá fizeram um trabalho regenerativo na parte interna. O restante do grupo foi ao gramado, onde começou os trabalhos com um aquecimento com bola.

+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Tricolor com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

Em seguida, houve dois trabalhos técnicos: um exercício de posse de bola sob pressão e um coletivo de 11 contra 11 em campo reduzido. Ao final da atividade os defensores permaneceram no gramado para um complemento de bolas aéreas.

A principal novidade do dia foi a presença do zagueiro Alan Franco. Recuperado de dores na perna direita, treinou normalmente com o restante do elenco.

+ Clique aqui e veja como apostar no Brasileirão

+ Confira os jogos e classificação resultados da Copa do Brasil-23 na tabela do LANCE!