All posts by h716a5.icu

Peter Crouch reacts to Erling Haaland's hilarious interpretation of the Liverpool & England cult hero's 'robot' celebration after another Man City goal

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Former Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch reacted to Erling Haaland's hilarious impression of his famous 'robot celebration' after scoring against Bournemouth on Sunday. The Norwegian goal machine scored a brace in City's dominant 3-1 win over Bournemouth as Pep Guardiola's side moved up to second in the Premier League table.

Haaland imitates Crouch

After a disappointing loss to Aston Villa away from home, City bounced back in style to humble a high-flying Bournemouth side as they thrashed the Cherries 3-1. Haaland opened the scoring in the 17th minute before doubling the team's lead just past the half-hour mark. Nico O'Reilly then sealed the fate of the game with a third goal in the 60th minute. Tyler Adams had found one for his team in the 25th minute but it was Guardiola's men in the end, who walked off the pitch with all three points and reduced their gap with league leaders Arsenal to six points.

Following his 17th-minute opener, which Haaland scored with a brilliant solo run, the goal machine ran towards the right edge of the penalty box before pulling off the 'robot' celebration. 

AdvertisementGetty ImagesCrouch reacts to Haaland's celebration

Crouch pulled off the 'robot' celebration for the first time almost two decades ago after he scored for England in a friendly against Hungary. He later repeated the celebration during a victory over Jamaica and then again after scoring his 100th Premier League goal, while playing for Stoke City. 

The ex-Reds forward later shared a video on social media with two laughing emojis. He had earlier written, reacting to Haaland's celebration: "I walked so they could run."

How Haaland reacted to his goals?

Speaking to after the game, Haaland said: "Important win. It is good to bounce back after losing a bad away game. It was nice. I tried to contribute for the team by doing my job. It is good to win. Now two more important games to come, so keep focusing. I didn't score last game. I try to help the team to win. That is my goal and even by scoring or helping in winning duels it doesn't matter. I want to help the team become better, that is my job."

Bournemouth captain David Brooks was in awe of the City star as he told : "We look to press but Manchester City are extremely comfortable on the ball. In the first half we created a lot of opportunities for ourselves through the press. But the big man up top for them – Haaland – is always going to be a threat. It's almost impossible [to prepare to face Haaland]. He's 6ft 5in, strong, a massive threat when the ball is falling to him. He took his chances well. "It was always going to be a tough game against Manchester City. It's probably the hardest week to prepare for. We knew we had to come here and be the best version of ourselves. A few minor details cost us today."

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Haaland has reached Messi and Ronaldo's level, says Pep

Reacting to yet another stellar performance from Haaland, City boss Guardiola said: "Have you seen the numbers of that guy? Of course, he has [reached their level]. The numbers from Cristiano and Messi have been for 15 years, Messi is still scoring two, three goals every game and Cristiano in Saudi Arabia, the same. This is that level. The first goal, the way he shoots the ball, going down on the grass saying ‘I am going to score this’. I have said many times, he is incredibly coachable and I am tough with him sometimes. I always try to be open-minded with him and there are players who say ‘what are you talking about?’ He is completely down to earth; he wants to do it and he lives for the goals. Without him it would be tough to be honest."

Another Chiesa: Slot's treatment of Liverpool star is a "sackable offence"

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Arne Slot’s contentious selection decision for Liverpool’s latest in a long litany of defeats was a gamble, alright, but whether it has paid off is anybody’s guess at this stage.

Crystal Palace secured a 3-0 win at Anfield against a second-string home side, and Liverpool are now out of the Carabao Cup. But the tactical fault lines run far deeper, and the Reds know that their upcoming run of games will prove decisive in exactly how the club emerge from this dismal run of form.

Aston Villa travel to Merseyside at the weekend, and then next week’s double header of Real Madrid and Manchester City will perhaps show exactly how Slot will fare over the coming months.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Liverpool have one of the most talented and expensive squads in the world, after all, and have seen a few stars go from strength to strength over the past several months.

Chief among them is the tireless Dominik Szoboszlai, but, despite his smaller role, Federico Chiesa has been just as impressive.

How Chiesa is rebuilding his Liverpool career

Liverpool only signed one player during the 2024 summer transfer window: Chiesa. What a contrast to the window just passed. The Italian arrived for a cut-price £12.5m fee, but injuries and Slot’s wariness kept him on the fringes.

The 28-year-old has enjoyed quite the revival this season, among the most prolific players in Slot’s squad. Despite starting only two matches in all competitions (both of the Reds’ domestic cup fixtures), he has notched two goals and three assists.

And still he waits for his first Premier League start of the season. Chiesa is earning starts on tournamental fronts but will perhaps feel somewhat aggrieved by sitting in the centre on Wednesday evening, flanked as he was by teenagers Rio Ngumoha and Kieran Morrison.

Hugo Ekitike

13

6 (1)

Mohamed Salah

13

4 (3)

Cody Gakpo

13

4 (3)

Federico Chiesa

10

2 (3)

Alexander Isak

8

1 (1)

Florian Wirtz

13

0 (3)

Rio Ngumoha

7

1 (0)

Chiesa has in the past proved he has the talent to sit alongside the world’s best forwards. He has been deeply unfortunate with injuries, but his mental fortitude and underlying talent are beginning to shine, and there is a real chance for him to lay down a marker over the coming months, especially when you consider Mohamed Salah will be away at AFCON come January.

Liverpool's new version of Chiesa

Last season, Chiesa drifted through Liverpool’s title-winning campaign. Clearly, he was a talented player who had the skills to make a mark, but for whatever reason, Slot opted against unleashing him.

Now that he’s seen Calvin Ramsay put in a fine showing against Crystal Palace, the Dutch coach may want to avoid repeating that same mistake. Right-back Ramsay has not played much football over the past several years, but he showed what he can do against the Eagles.

The 22-year-old was composed on the ball and looked to progress play forward when the chance arose. In the first half, he played a Trent-esque diagonal cross over to Ngumoha, demonstrating a range of strings on his bow.

Liverpool signed Ramsay from Aberdeen in July 2022, adding him to the squad for an initial £4m fee. Jurgen Klopp once said “the sky is the limit” for the one-cap Scotland international, but a low-hanging fog has clouded his potential over the past three years, restricting him to just three first-team appearances for the Merseysiders and a string of unsuccessful loan spells.

But there’s a real player in there.

Against Palace, the Scotsman won six duels, made seven recoveries and four clearances, as per Sofascore. Promising stuff, even if the rust was clear to see, losing the ball 19 times despite not creating a chance.

Like Chiesa, Ramsay has been shaken by injuries over the past several years, and at the early stage of his career, this has had a detrimental impact on his hopes of getting going at the highest level.

Liverpool have lost six of their past seven matches in all competitions, with that emphatic win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League an outlier born from the Germans’ own deep defensive deficiencies.

Analytical Reds writer Sam McGuire even said that Slot’s decision to exclude Ramsay previously is “a sackable offence”. Of course, we must take this as tongue in cheek, but it does underline the quality of talent Liverpool have in this Scottish defender, and it’s certainly frustrating that he is now unavailable for the men’s team over the next few months.

Chiesa stands a real chance of continuing to go from strength to strength in Liverpool’s senior squad this year, adding a dimension that Slot simply cannot ignore.

With Jeremie Frimpong not quite a natural full-back and Conor Bradley’s performances leaving something to be desired, might there not be a chance for Ramsay to sneak his way into the club’s plans too?

The defeat to Crystal Palace, the third of the campaign, emphasised the scale of Liverpool’s plight at the moment, with wholesale changes and a bench full of youngsters backing firing on a head coach who now stares down the barrel of a gun, preparing to take on some of Europe’s most threatening outfits.

He will need every tool at his disposal, and allowing Ramsay to taste some more action might not be the worst thing in the world for a side currently lacking solutions.

Van Dijk's new Matip: Liverpool now chasing "sensational" Guehi alternative

Liverpool are in desperate need of defensive reinforcements in 2026.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 29, 2025

Fletcher 118 helps Knight Riders sign off with win and scuttle Unicorns' top-two plans

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

The defeat in the final league match of MLC 2025 meant San Francisco Unicorns finished third on the table, and will have to play the Eliminator

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2025Los Angeles Knight Riders notched up only their second win of MLC 2025, but did it at the worst possible time for San Francisco Unicorns, denying them a chance of making the top two on the points table.Unicorns gave the massive chase of 244 their best shot, but it was firstly too many runs, and secondly, they missed the services of Romario Shepherd with the bat, after he hared in off the boundary line to try and take a catch in the first half, hurt his ankle, and wasn’t available for the rest of the game.Sanjay Krishnamurthi kept Unicorns in the chase with a 40-ball 92•Sportzpics for MLCThe total of 676 runs scored in this, the last game of the league phase, was way ahead of the norm in Lauderhill – the top innings score in the other eight games had been 188 – and it was all thanks to Andre Fletcher, Alex Hales and Sherfane Rutherford in the first half and Sanjay Krishnamurthi in the second.For a while, Krishnamurthi threatened to eclipse Fletcher’s 118, getting to 92 off just 39 balls with seven fours and seven sixes by the end of the 14th over. At that stage, 68 were needed off five overs, the game having been reduced to a 19-overs-a-side affair after a rain delay more or less halfway into the Knight Riders innings. But Jason Holder sent Krishnamurthi back first ball of the 15th, and despite some lusty hitting from Xavier Bartlett, who hit Corne Dry for three sixes and a four in the 16th, Unicorns ran out of steam. Shepherd was missed a great deal.The chase had started badly for Unicorns, though. Karthik Gattepalli, the left-arm spinner on MLC debut, opened the bowling with Dominic Drakes and, after Drakes had removed Finn Allen in the first over, accounted for Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk in the second on his way to returns of 3 for 31.

Krishnamurthi, with help from Hassan Khan (35 in 17) and Hammad Azam (38 in 27) did give Knight Riders a scare, but all the runs they had put on the board made it their night in Lauderhill.After Unicorns had opted to bowl, they went a straight seven-and-a-half overs without a wicket as Knight Riders put up 76 in the powerplay. Most of the damage was done by Alex Hales, who had had a quiet time of it in the competition leading up to this game, as he hit 58 in 26 in the partnership of 94 with Fletcher before becoming first man out.Fletcher then built another big partnership with Rutherford, this one of 97 runs in 52 balls, the two more or less evenly splitting the runs – Fletcher 45 in 24 and Rutherford 49 in 28 – before Rutherford was sent back in the 17th over. Fletcher was on 79 in 46 balls at that point, and upper a gear or two in the company of Rovman Powell, hitting Brody Couch for three sixes and a four – and getting to his century in the process – in the 18th over, and finishing off with two more sixes off Hassan in the last before falling off the last ball of the innings. His 118 (off 58) was his second century of the competition.Knight Riders are done in MLC 2025, along with Seattle Orcas. The top two, Washington Freedom and Texas Super Kings are up next, in Qualifier 1, with the winners going through to the final. Unicorns take on MI New York in the Eliminator, with the losers exiting the tournament and the winners taking on the losers of Qualifier 1 in Qualifier 2.

Braves' Chris Sale Makes Franchise History With 200th Strikeout of Season

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Chris Sale is enjoying a bounce back season in 2024, having joined the Atlanta Braves to pitch in the National League for the first time in his career.

After struggling with injuries throughout much of the last few seasons and making a total of 31 starts from 2020 to 2023, Sale has been arguably MLB's most dominant pitcher this year. Not only will Sale be a NL Cy Young candidate, but he managed to set Braves' franchise history during his outing on Tuesday.

In the third inning of Atlanta's clash against the Colorado Rockies, Sale sat down Drew Romo for his third strikeout of the evening. In doing so, he reached 200 strikeouts on the year and became the first left-handed pitcher in Braves' history to strike out as many batters in a single season.

It's far from the first time that Sale has struck out 200 batters in a season, but he hasn't achieved the statistical milestone since 2019. Prior to his laundry list of injuries, Sale had racked up 200+ strikeouts in each season from 2013-19, including 308 punch-outs in 2017.

He's returned to his previous form in 2024 with the Braves, and looks better than ever during his age 35 season.

Karun Nair to return home to Karnataka for 2025-26 domestic season

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Karun Nair has been granted the NOC to return to the side he played most of his domestic cricket for

Shashank Kishore22-Jul-2025Karun Nair, currently with the India team playing Test cricket in England, is set to return to Karnataka three seasons after his last appearance for the team. Nair, who was with Vidarbha the past two seasons, received a no-objection-certificate (NOC) from the Vidarbha Cricket Association on Monday evening, allowing him to turn out for his original state team.”I’d like to thank VCA for everything they’ve done for me in the last two years,” Nair said in a statement. “Whatever I’ve achieved in the last two years is credit to how they managed me and took care of me like I was their own. Grateful to the VCA, and all the players and support staff.”As a team, we achieved special things. The atmosphere was so positive. The opportunity to lead such an amazing bunch during the Vijay Hazare and achieving success in the Ranji Trophy is something I’ll look back on very fondly.”Nair’s return to Karnataka comes at a time when his stocks have risen considerably from the time he had left. Having been a central figure in Vidarbha’s run to their third Ranji Trophy title earlier this year, Nair earned a recall to India’s Test squad after more than eight years on the back of his 863 runs in 16 innings with four centuries at 53.93. This included a match-winning century in the final against Kerala – Kerala, interestingly, had been keen on signing Nair around the time he was left out of the Karnataka squad in 2021-22.Nair also had a record-breaking run in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he captained Vidarbha to a runners-up finish. He made a chart-topping 779 runs in eight innings, with five consecutive hundreds, while striking at 124.01. During the tournament, he set a new List A record of scoring the most runs (542) without being dismissed.Related

Nair takes his long-awaited chance to light up big stage again

He hasn’t produced anything near the same volume of runs on tour in England so far. Having warmed up for the series with a double-century for India A against England Lions in Beckenham, Nair has so far produced scores of 0, 20, 31, 26, 40 and 14 in the three Tests; his four most recent knocks coming at No. 3.Nair returns to a Karnataka set-up teeming with talented batters. R Smaran, KL Shrijith and KV Aneesh all had breakout seasons in 2024-25. Smaran topped the runs tally for Karnataka, hitting 516 runs in ten innings during the Ranji season, while Shrijith hit a century on first-class debut. With Mayank Agarwal likely to continue as captain and Devdutt Padikkal a definite starter, there could be a healthy selection dilemma for the team management. There might also a slight deviation from the Karnataka State Cricket Association’s stance of looking to the future, something the departure of senior players K Gowtham and Manish Pandey were examples of.Meanwhile, seamer V Koushik has obtained an NOC from Karnataka to shift to Goa for the upcoming season. A late bloomer who gave up a corporate job to make his Ranji debut in 2019-20 at 27, Koushik emerged as one of the key members of Karnataka’s pace attack following the retirements of R Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun and S Aravind. Koushik was Karnataka’s leading wicket-taker in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy; his 23 wickets across seven matches came at 18.73. This included two five-wicket hauls.

Lionel Messi expecting 'extraordinary' 2026 World Cup as Inter Miami superstar hints that he will form part of Argentina’s squad in the United States

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Lionel Messi has hinted that he will form part of Argentina’s squad at the 2026 World Cup, with the all-time great expecting that event to be “extraordinary”. Questions have been asked of whether Messi, who will turn 39 next summer, will grace another international tournament. He is, however, excited about what the United States, Canada and Mexico have to offer.

Messi's international record: Caps & goals for Argentina

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi helped his country to global glory at Qatar 2022. He completed his medal collection there, with the most prestigious of trophies being hoisted aloft in the Middle East.

Ever since that triumph, speculation has raged regarding how much longer the South American GOAT will make himself available to Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni. Messi has reached 195 international caps, scoring 114 goals along the way.

He is considered to have taken in a final competitive outing on home soil, but is expected to remain in contention for selection through to next summer. That will allow him to lead the Albisceleste into a World Cup title defence as captain of his nation.

AdvertisementGettyWorld Cup hint? Messi excited about 2026 finals

Messi has been playing cards close to his chest when it comes to potential involvement at that tournament, but he has now spoken of his excitement at seeing the World Cup head to America – where he is currently plying his club trade for MLS side Inter Miami.

Speaking at the American Business Forum in Florida, Messi said: “I have very high expectations that the World Cup is going to be something extraordinary. There are going to be some great matches. Teams from all over the world are coming, and some of them are very big.”

Having previously suggested that he would not make another appearance at FIFA’s flagship event, Messi said after bidding an emotional farewell to Argentina supporters during a qualification clash with Venezuela in September: “I said it at the time. I don't think I'll play in another World Cup. Due to my age, it's logical that I won't make it, but we're there and I'm excited. I'm taking it day by day, feeling the sensations. And what's clear is that today was the last game here.”

Last dance: Messi urged to join Ronaldo at World Cup

Messi has been urged to take in a last dance with eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2026 finals, with both men entering the latter stages of their record-shattering careers. Cope journalist Tomas Guasch has said: “We were all very calm until Leo Messi appeared, questioning his presence at next year's World Cup. He says it's normal for him not to be there. But if that World Cup had any appeal, it was the final dance between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, in what would be one of the most tremendous and grandiose epics in the history of football and world sport. But Leo casts doubt on that.

“I hope he plays in the World Cup even if he's embalmed. Because there are 48 teams playing, hundreds of players, and only Messi is missing? I think it would be a joke for football, and someone should intervene. You can't leave us alone.”

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GettyInter Miami contract: Messi committed through 2028

While international retirement appears to be imminent, Messi has extended his contract at Inter Miami through 2028. He is looking forward to helping the Herons move into a new stadium next year, with Sir David Beckham and Co drawing up ambitious plans for the future.

Messi said of penning a new deal: “The fact of renewing goes hand in hand with how well we are doing, how well the family is doing and being able to continue helping in the growth of the club.”

Messi and his wife Antonela have felt settled in South Florida since moving to the United States in 2023. Inter Miami have savoured Leagues Cup and Supporters’ Shield triumphs since then, with a crucial playoff decider with Nashville set to be taken in on Saturday as the Herons look to chase down ultimate MLS Cup glory in 2025.

It Didn't Take Long For Phillies Fans to Boo Their Own Players in Game 2 vs. Mets

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Fan of the Philadelphia Phillies didn't have much patience on Sunday.

It didn't take long for Phillies fans to jump on their team during Game 2 of the NLDS against the New York Mets. After their team fell behind 2-0 early, Philadelphia's fans began booing their own players after they went scoreless in the first four innings. The boos were not subtle and came on every at-bat.

Nick Castellanos seemed to get it the worst.

Say what you want, but it appeared to work. The Mets were up 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth when Bryce Harper launched a two-run home run and Castellanos followed that up with a solo shot to tie the game at 3-3.

The Phillies led 1-0 for most of Game 1, but a five-run eighth inning rally helped the Mets take the lead for good in a 6-2 victory. Game 2 is still up for grabs.

Former Premier League star KOs ex-international and calls out Jake Paul

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Premier League fans will have enjoyed a feast of football after the conclusion of the international break. However, a former player in England’s top-flight calling out Jake Paul may not have been on their bingo card this weekend!

Former Premier League star Curtis Davies claims KO victory over Paddy Kenny

Boxing is a sport that has seen plenty of high-profile crossovers in recent years. On Saturday night, it was the turn of former Hull City defender Curtis Davies and ex-Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Paddy Kenny to pull on the gloves for charity.

The Sun report that Graham Stack was behind the event, one that also saw Jody Morris and David Bentley go head-to-head, among other bouts involving Leroy Lita, Lee Trundle and Greg Halford, but Davies and Kenny grabbed the headlines due to a turn of events in Mayfair that has garnered social media attention.

With both ex-footballers fighting it out looking to raise money for Playskill, Willow Foundation, Helping Hands and Sport In Mind, Davies took the victory ruthlessly, knocking out Kenny in the first round to claim a resounding victory.

Despite showing admirable bravery to carry on after his opponent landed a series of blows, Kenny, a former Republic of Ireland international, was eventually downed after a standing count took place moments earlier, in footage that can be seen below courtesy of The Daily Mail.

Unfortunately, the Sheffield United favourite needed oxygen after suffering the knockout blow. Hopefully, he can recover well following a bruising affair with some noble causes at the heart of the event.

Davies said after the fight: “Really pleased, I’ve worked hard for this, it’s bittersweet, I love Paddy to bits, I didn’t want to have to knock him about, but that’s what we’re here to do. It’s all for charity, yes, but I enjoyed that win.”

Curtis Davies calls out Jake Paul after victory over Paddy Kenny

Later on, Davies took the surprise step of calling out world-renowned influencer and professional fighter Jake Paul, alongside signalling his intention to enter the Misfits boxing scene.

Whether his comments were tongue-in-cheek or not remains to be seen, but he said after speaking about his victory:

Full list of results of charity fight card

Jody Morris vs David Bentley

Winner: Jody Morris (decision)

Leroy Lita vs David Noble

Winner: Leroy Lita (decision)

Anthony Gardner vs Lee Trundle

Winner: Anthony Gardner (decision)

Marvin Elliott vs Greg Halford

Winner: Marvin Elliott (decision)

Curtis Davies vs Paddy Kenny

Winner: Curtis Davies (KO)

In his heyday, Davies was a dominant central defender who would offer a physical challenge to any striker in the English football pyramid, and it appears he may have found a new calling in boxing, becoming part of a growing trend of ex-players who have swapped boots for gloves.

Curtis Woodhouse has carved out a successful career in the sport. At the same time, Danny Simpson have been involved in Misfits, creating some intriguing match-ups in a different setting to test out their competitive nature.

Either way, charity was the real winner on this occasion, and money raised will go towards helping vital causes after a momentous night of action in Mayfair.

Gulf Giants appoint Trott as head coach, Bond as bowling coach

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Puttick, Troughton and Lee also added in support staff reshuffle ahead of the ILT20 auction on September 30

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Aug-2025Gulf Giants, the ILT20 franchise, have appointed Jonathan Trott as head coach and Shane Bond as bowling coach for the upcoming season. They replace Andy Flower and Ottis Gibson, respectively.Apart from being Afghanistan’s head coach, Trott was also the head coach of Pretoria Capitals in SA20 and was replaced by Sourav Ganguly there. Bond’s recent stints have been with Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and with Paarl Royals in SA20.”The Gulf Giants have quickly become one of the ILT20’s most successful teams,” Trott said in a statement. “My goal is to empower players to excel and help shape a championship-winning squad through the first-ever ILT20 auction.”Related

Jonathan Trott to step down as Afghanistan head coach after 2026 T20 World Cup

Pretoria Capitals name Ganguly head coach, Pollock assistant coach in SA20

The ILT20 auction will be held on September 30 in Dubai for the fourth season which is set to run from December 2, 2025 to January 4, 2026.”The team’s ambition is clear,” Bond said. “I’m excited to sharpen our bowling attack and make a decisive impact this season.”Giants have also added Andrew Puttick as batting coach, Jim Troughton as fielding coach and Nick Lee as fitness coach.Their squad currently includes James Vince, Aayan Khan, Mark Adair, Blessing Muzarabani and Gerhard Erasmus as their retained players. Their new signings are Moeen Ali, Azmatullah Omarzai and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. Giants had won the inaugural edition of ILT20 in 2023, were eliminated in Qualifier 2 in 2024, and finished second from bottom earlier this year.

Liverpool's Federico Chiesa declines another international recall as Italy manager Gennaro Gattuso hints at ongoing 'problems' behind the scenes

by h716a5.icu Uncategorized

Liverpool forward Federico Chiesa has turned down another international call up from Italy for November's World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Norway. Manager Gennaro Gattuso has said he has spoken with Chiesa and must respect the 28-year-old's decision not to return to the national team. Chiesa has not played for Italy since Euro 2024 when the Azzurri were knocked out of the tournament in the last 16.

Chiesa turns down another call-up

Chiesa has scored two goals and grabbed three assists for Liverpool so far this season in what has been a generally positive start to the campaign for the Italian. He was even named Liverpool's Player of the Season for September despite not starting a single Premier League game for the club in that time. Gattuso had wanted to call him up for Italy's latest fixtures but has once again seen the forward reject the chance to represent his nation. This is not the first time that Chiesa has turned down Gattuso either. The Italy boss revealed back in September that the Liverpool star had said no: "I spoke with Fede, it was a shared decision. He didn't feel ready to return, he wants to be 100%. We decided it together very calmly."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportGattuso hints at problems behind the scenes

The Italy boss spoke about the current situation at a press conference on Monday. He told reporters: "I often talk to him. We have to respect the decisions and problems that each of us has. We know well what we tell each other, and I must respect what the player tells me. I can't say anything else." Gattuso was pressed further on the issue and confirmed the decision has definitely come from the player himself, adding: "Yes, it's already the fourth or fifth time that I'm explaining this."

Can Italy qualify for World Cup 2026?

Chiesa's last appearance for Italy came at Euro 2024 when the Azzurri crashed out of the competition in a 2-0 defeat to Switzerland. The defeat drew huge criticism of the Italian side as Switzerland enjoyed their first victory over the Azzurri in 31 years.

After the tournament, Chiesa moved to Liverpool but endured a injury-plagued first season with the Reds. His injury problems may well be a factor in his thinking and it remains to be seen when he will return to the international team. Italy can still qualify for the World Cup in 2026 despite a campaign that saw Luciano Spalletti sacked a manager in June. Wins in their final two qualifiers will be enough, provided Norway drop points.

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Chiesa was linked with Liverpool exit

Chiesa hasn't had the easiest time at Liverpool since joining andwas linked with a move away in the summer. He eventually opted to stay put and has explained how he's feeling much stronger in the current campaign.

"Last year it was really difficult but I don't think I was at the level the coach wanted me to play. But I understood his choices. This year, it is different. I feel much better physically and mentally. The coach has seen this and given me more opportunities. I'm glad I've made some contributions in the Premier League. That is what Liverpool want from every player who plays for them. It is what the coach wants; all the other players want it, too. If you play for Liverpool, you have to be able to make a difference," he told .

"I'm very happy for the moment and I have to keep working hard to get more chances in the future. I play for a top club. This is maybe one of the top three in the world. It's Liverpool – of course they are going to buy top players; of course, the competition is high. If I don't want competition, I go to another team. But I want the competition! I want to play here and I think, at the end of the day, competition helps you to become a better player. The coach gave me chances in the first four games and I think I showed I can help the team."

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