Glasgow Rangers suffered another pre-season defeat over the weekend, losing 2-0 at Murrayfield.

While pre-season results aren’t exactly important, the fact that several players who looked like they could depart Ibrox this summer managed to find a place in the Rangers starting XI was rather worrying.

Philippe Clement desperately needs to sign another few players ahead of the Gers' Premiership opener against Hearts. Could he be set to raid the Championship in the coming days?

Rangers eye move for Championship winger

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Rangers are “readying a new move” to sign Morgan Whittaker from Plymouth Argyle this summer.

In January 2023, Michael Beale had an offer rejected by Swansea City, then his parent club, for the English winger, but it now looks as though interest has been reignited.

The Light Blues are screaming out for some quality on the flanks and there is no doubt that Whittaker – who has an asking price of £15m – would give Clement something extra out wide.

It wouldn’t be the first time the club have signed someone from the Championship. Could they repeat their Todd Cantwell masterclass?

Why Morgan Whittaker could be Todd Cantwell 2.0

Beale may have endured a torrid ten-month spell in the Ibrox hot seat, but he did make a few decent signings, Cantwell among them.

Since arriving in Scotland 18 months ago, the former Norwich City gem has made 64 appearances for the club, scoring 14 goals and grabbing 12 assists in the process.

When fit and firing, the former Norwich man is a wonderful option to have, yet he was inconsistent at times during the 2023/24 campaign due to occasionally playing out wide on the right in an unfamiliar position.

Whittaker could offer something that the club struggled with last term – goals from the wide areas.

Last season for Plymouth, Whittaker scored a remarkable 20 times for the club in all competitions. Add in a further nine assists, and it is clear he poses a dangerous threat on the right flank.

Goals

2

3

19

Assists

0

4

8

Big chances created

1

3

10

Key passes per game

0.6

1.4

1.4

Successful dribbles per game

0.4

0.9

1.2

Shots per game

1.1

1

3.6

Total duels won per game

1.9

2.4

3.8

Goal conversion rate

8%

10%

11%

When compared to his positional peers in leagues similar to the English Championship, the spritely winger ranked in the top 7% for non-penalty goals (0.43) and the top 2% for total shots (3.78) per 90, more evidence of how effective he is in the final third.

Former Plymouth manager Steven Schumacher hailed the youngster upon signing a permanent deal with the Pilgrims last summer, claiming he was “one of the most exciting prospects in the EFL” and, given how impressive a season the winger went on to have, this was certainly backed up.

Taking out Abdallah Sima’s goal tally of 16 from last term, the highest-scoring winger was Rabbi Matondo with six goals. This clearly isn’t good enough heading into the new season.

Whittaker has proven that he has what it takes to make an impression in the English second tier. A move to Ibrox from the EFL – like Cantwell – wouldn’t faze him in the slightest and the chance to perform at a higher level could see him take his game to the next level.

Rangers could land "impressive" signing who's a dream Cantwell replacement

The Light Blues are reportedly keen on a deal to sign the talented teenage maestro.

ByDan Emery Jul 16, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

Todos os holofotes se voltam para Flamengo e Palmeiras. E não é para menos. Uma final brasileira de Libertadores, entre os dois últimos campeões continentais, os clubes de maior investimento e que têm polarizado o futebol nacional. Um duelo fantástico, de fazer o país parar. Mas há algo não menos interessante quando se olha para outro confronto, outra final brasileiríssima, a de Athletico e Red Bull Bragantino na Copa Sul-Americana.

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Para muitos, trata-se de uma final improvável. Surpreendente. Mas será isso mesmo? Os números e os fatos mostram que não.

Athletico e Bragantino, exatamente como o Palmeiras e o Flamengo, colhem os frutos do trabalho que têm sido realizado fora do campo. O rubro-negro paranaense desde 2012 quando disputou pela última vez a Série B, apostou em um trabalho de reestruturação de longo prazo que, o colocou nos últimos quatro anos entre os principais ganhadores de títulos no país: foram três estaduais, uma Copa do Brasil e uma Copa Sul-Americana conquistados com todos os méritos.

->Governo uruguaio se mostra otimista por 100% de público nas finais da Libertadores e Sul-Americana

O clube apostou em infraestrutura, construiu um dos CTs mais modernos e bem equipados do país, concluiu as obras da Arena da Baixada numa engenharia financeira que não comprometeu suas finanças, reformulou seus estatutos e apostou no marketing para conquistar espaços, sendo a mudança do nome e do escudo o passo mais ousado nessa área. E o mais importante, está pronto para seguir em frente sem a dependência de Mario Cesar Petraglia, seu polêmico presidente e, justiça seja feita, o principal fiador desse processo de transformação, com todos seus erros, acertos e idiossincrasias.

O RB Bragantino tem uma trajetória diferente, mas não menos promissora. A parceria com a Red Bull é recente, foi firmada em 2019 mas tem tudo para repetir aqui o sucesso do modelo de gestão que a multinacional de energéticos construiu em países como a Alemanha, a Áustria e os Estados Unidos, onde muito além de patrocinadora é a dona dos clubes em que investe. Vale lembrar que a companhia mantém ainda um outro clube por aqui, o RB Brasil, que foi fundado em Campinas em 2007 e hoje divide as mesmas instalações do irmão mais rico, em Bragança Paulista.

->Veja como estão as regras no Uruguai para entrada de brasileiros

As metas do Red Bull são ambiciosas: depois de subir para a Série A do Brasileirão, já no primeiro ano de parceria, o clube quer chegar à Libertadores até 2024. A campanha bem-sucedida na Sul-Americana é, portanto, apenas um aperitivo, uma amostra do que a empresa está disposta a fazer. Com dinheiro para investir e uma política de apostar em jogadores jovens, revelados por outros clubes, o Bragantino montou uma equipe competitiva, que se valoriza a cada dia, ao mesmo tempo em que mantém olheiros espalhados pelo Brasil para garantir a continuidade do projeto, mesmo com saídas inevitáveis, como a de Claudinho para o Zenit.

Uma velha máxima do futebol é o peso da camisa, aquela história de que camisa ganha jogo. Se um dia foi assim, cada vez menos no futuro será. O sofrimento de Vasco, Cruzeiro e Botafogo na Segundona, por exemplo, é a comprovação de que tradição já não assusta ninguém. Ao mesmo tempo, a ascensão de clubes como o Fortaleza, o Ceará, o Atlético-GO, o Cuiabá mostra que trabalho sério, uma gestão empresarial, a busca pela estabilidade financeira e a aposta na continuidade são o caminho para a transformação.

Flamengo e Palmeiras, Bragantino e Athletico não estão onde estão por acaso. É simples assim. Outros estão vindo atrás. E quem não entender isso vai perder o bonde da história.

He saw bone through the skin of his little finger in the first innings, but has picked up 3 for 12 in the second so far

Firdose Moonda06-Feb-2021George Linde thought his season was over when he saw bone through the skin of his little finger while fielding in his follow through in Pakistan’s first innings during the second Test.It was his third over, and the 23rd of the match, when Babar Azam drove the ball straight back to Linde, who reached out to stop it as it clipped his left hand and rolled away. With spots of blood visible on his whites, Linde immediately left the field, fearing the worst.”I started running off when I saw bone sticking out and I just popped it in myself,” he said, without flinching. “I went for X-rays and for some reason my finger wasn’t broken. I was quite happy with that.”Not just happy, but hopeful that he would still be able to play a part in the Test.On the same day, with his finger stitched and a dressing wrapped around it, Linde was seen practising and trying to adjust his grip. The next day he returned to bowl two overs. The day after that, he made a run-a-ball 21 and bowled another nine, in which he took three wickets for 12 runs to keep South Africa in the game. He admitted he was in some pain. but not enough to keep him out of the game.”I always say you never know when you will get another opportunity to play for your country. It’s not going to get me down, because it’s just pain. There are people who are sick at home, people who are losing their jobs, people who are dying from Covid or other diseases or something. My injury is nothing compared to that,” he said. “Yes, I’m in pain, but I’m fighting it because I’m playing for my country. I’m not going to stand back for anything just because my finger hurts a little. It hurts for ten minutes, then you get an injection and then you go on.”

“There are people who are sick at home, people who are losing their jobs, people who are dying from Covid or other diseases or something. My injury is nothing compared to that.”GEORGE LINDE

Linde is playing in just his third Test match, 15 months after making his debut in India and, with all his appearances coming in the subcontinent, is justified in wondering when his next cap might come. Not only do South Africa have no more Tests scheduled this summer but the state of the FTP means their next trip to Asia is uncertain, and even home fixtures are not confirmed. When they are, Linde’s place isn’t, because South Africa tend to play one specialist spinner at home and Keshav Maharaj is their first-choice.That means Linde has to make the most of the chances he’s been given, even if that means changing things about the the way he bowls. In this match, he has to remember a little something extra every time he prepares to deliver a ball. “I had to make a small adjustment with the grip. I didn’t even know I use my pinkie (little finger) when I bowl. It’s weird because every time I bowl, I have to first lift it up a little bit to get a better grip,” he said.So far, so good, with Linde appearing in full control in the second innings. He accounted for the wickets of Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam and Faheem Ashraf, who he could have dismissed for a duck had Dean Elgar held on to a catch at slip.South Africa put down three catches in total and allowed the Pakistan lead to swell to 200, but Linde doesn’t think the match has got away from them yet. “It’s quite difficult to get wickets here, especially against a good opposition. We bowled well and were maybe a bit unlucky with a couple of dropped catches,” he said. “But we are hungry to win this Test match. I’m pretty confident the batsmen will take us over the line in the next innings.”Asked what he thinks is chaseable on a pitch with variable bounce and where reverse swing could come into play, Linde was bullish and believes South Africa could still have another hundred runs to play with. “Anything under 300, we will take. Hopefully it will be 250, or 220 or 230. I think realistically under 270 or around 300,”he said. “I am pretty confident we will chase down.”

Barcelona are demanding answers from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) over Robert Lewandowski's disallowed goal against Real Sociedad.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Barcelona lose 1-0 to Real Sociedad
• Lewandowski goal wrongly disallowed
• Barca demand answers from RFEF

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Barcelona suffered their second La Liga loss of the season following a 1-0 defeat at Sociedad on Sunday, but Hansi Flick's men controversially had a goal ruled out. A VAR review found that Lewandowski was offside for his 13th minute goal but the Catalan club are complaining there was an error on the part of the system. Now, claims the Blaugrana want an explanation on this matter.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The report states Barcelona president Joan Laporta was heard saying "It can't be" about the disallowed goal at the Reale Arena and that manager Flick later told referee Cuadra Fernandez that he made the "wrong decision".

  Ultimately, Barca went on to lose the game, meaning they missed the chance to go nine points clear at the top of La Liga.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The report adds Barcelona will ask for explanations to find out exactly what happened and try to find solutions for the future in these types of situations. They also pointed out that the replays didn't show Lewandowski was offside but VAR made the error.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Barcelona will have to stew on this mistake for nearly a fortnight as they are not in La Liga action again until they travel to Celta Vigo on November 23.

Mark Robinson, the World Cup-winning former coach of England Women, looks set to be appointed as Warwickshire’s new head coach.He will, if confirmed, replace Jim Troughton who was sacked at the end of a 2020 season which saw the club finish without a victory in the Bob Willis Trophy and fail to reach the quarter-final stages of the T20 Blast.Robinson, who led England to the 2017 Women’s World Cup, has previously coached Sussex, where he enjoyed great success, winning back-to-back County Championships in 2006 and 2007, the T20 competition in 2009, and List A titles in 2006 (Friends Provident Trophy), 2008 and 2009 (Pro 40 League).While Warwickshire had expressed a hope of completing the appointment before Christmas, ESPNcricinfo understands the process was delayed when another coach on the shortlist suffered some bad news about a health issue in their family.Robinson’s arrival marks something of a change of approach at Edgbaston. Their last few appointments – dating back to the sacking of Mark Greatbatch in 2007 – have all been former Warwickshire players, with Ashley Giles, Dougie Brown and Troughton having periods at the helm. Robinson offers fresh perspective and inherits a support staff that includes three former Warwickshire players in Graeme Welch (bowling), Tony Frost (batting) and Ian Westwood (second XI).Related

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Further changes are not anticipated, with Robinson joining a relatively new management team which includes chief executive Stuart Cain, who started in July 2020, and director of sport Paul Farbrace, who joined ahead of the 2019 season.As well as winning multiple trophies, Robinson has shown an astute eye for new signings, bringing in Jofra Archer and Ollie Robinson – no relation – during his time at Sussex. He also demonstrated the courage to make tough decisions, such as moving on from Charlotte Edwards during his time as England Women’s coach, and respect for his sensitive handling of the mental health issues suffered by Michael Yardy and Sarah Taylor. Promoted, relegated; sacked and lauded: he has, pretty much, seen it all.But this role offers a significant fresh start for him. He was left licking his wounds after being sacked by the ECB in August 2019 after England were overwhelmed in the Ashes by a vastly superior Australia side. It was just two years after the World Cup triumph and less than a year since leading them to the final of the 2018 World T20. He has not held a high-profile role since, though he was recently connected with the position of Bangladesh Women’s head coach.Robinson, now aged 54, previously enjoyed a long playing career as a seam bowler with Northants, Yorkshire and Sussex. He is likely to be joining a club in something of a transition. The likes of Ian Bell, Jonathan Trott, Jeetan Patel and Tim Ambrose have all left the club over the last couple of years with Warwickshire believing they have a talented core of young players with their careers in front of them.In Robinson they will find a quietly spoken, studious coach with a gentle manner and commitment to the welfare of his squad on and off the pitch. But he’ll also have high expectations. It looks a decent combination.

Manchester United mean business this summer. INEOS have wasted no time in bolstering Erik ten Hag's first team, tying up deals for dynamic forward Joshua Zirkzee and LOSC Lille's Leny Yoro.

Having fallen flat in the Premier League last season, United's bleak eighth-place finish was rectified one week later when Manchester City were defeated in the FA Cup final.

The thing is, Man United weren't good enough last year, but Ten Hag still emerged with his second piece of silverware in as many seasons; his advent brought the end of a six-year trophy drought.

Now, it's time to launch an offensive on those at the forefront of the top flight, narrowing the 31-point gulf from champions Manchester City. Dealings thus far have spoken of a step in the right direction, but the defence needs more attention, and that is where the focus lies.

Man Utd transfer news

Yoro, regarded as one of the most talented young defenders in the world, joined United in a deal rising to £59m after a high-profile battle for his signature.

Real Madrid, his favoured destination, were unwilling to pay the demanded figure, while other outfits including Liverpool had previously withdrawn from the race. United have landed an 18-year-old with the skillset tailored to long-term dominance at the apex of the European game.

Now, Sir Jim Ratcliffe hopes to reinforce United's backline once more, with Jarrad Branthwaite and Matthijs De Ligt two high-profile targets but both seemingly more unlikely by the day to join this summer.

As such, Thursday's edition of Portuguese newspaper O Jogo – via Sport Witness – suggests that Benfica's Antonio Silva could be the next to join the ranks, though his €100m (£88m) release clause might prove to be a sticking point.

The Old Trafford side have turned their attention to the 20-year-old after having troubles with other targets, and, crucially, INEOS are 'convinced' that they can negotiate a more affordable figure.

Antonio Silva's impressive rise

Barely into his professional career, Silva has accomplished much across his first two campaigns as a senior member of Benfica's senior set-up. Across this span, he has amassed 94 appearances and has scored seven goals, winning the 2022/23 Liga Portugal title.

His exploits in his homeland earned him a place in Roberto Martinez's Euro 2024 squad, and while the young defender endured a performance to be forgotten as Georgia defeated his nation in a final group stage clash – a dead-rubber match for already-qualified and much-changed Portugal – his skillset is certainly not negated.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has described him as "one of Benfica's best prospects", a "mature leader" with the "raw ability to be a top [centre-back]", and United could score a real hit in bringing him to a defensive line starting to boast a good sense of balance and depth.

Lisandro Martinez is one of the Premier League's best defenders, with Luke Shaw describing him as an "absolute monster" after his stunning debut season; Harry Maguire is an experienced leader in the rear; Jonny Evans, 36, belied his twilit years by producing solid displays in an injury-plagued defence last year.

With Victor Lindelof also on the books and Yoro recently welcomed, United might just find that they have the tools to restore their defence to its one-time vigour.

After all, Yoro and Silva could prove to be one of football's elite partnerships down the line, with the latter perhaps even boasting the quality to be the cream of the crop at the Theatre of Dreams.

Why Silva could be a "superstar"

It's October 2022, and Benfica have knocked Juventus out of the Champions League in the group phase after an extraordinary 4-3 victory at the Estádio da Luz. Silva, 18, opened his account after 17 minutes and issued a knee-sliding salute. He was here.

It was the gusto and guile of a player confident in their prodigious ability and future success at the very highest level, and it's quite likely that Old Trafford bosses were excited having sent scouts to watch the teenager earlier that month.

A hard-tackling and athletically robust centre-half, Silva is shaping up to be the complete package, actually ranking among the top 2% of defenders in Portugal last season for pass completion, the top 14% for progressive passes, the top 16% for successful take-ons and the top 8% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.

He differs from the expertly languid style of Yoro, and that could mark a fine sense of contrast in Ten Hag's unit over the years to come. Yoro's intelligence, spatial awareness, and reading of the game suggest that he has the trappings of a future world-class phenomenon.

Antonio Silva vs Leny Yoro: 23/24 League Stats

Statistics

Antonio Silva

Leny Yoro

Matches played

30

32

Matches started

29

30

Clean sheets

11

13

Goals

2

2

Pass completion

93%

92%

Touches per game

68.3

67.6

Key passes per game

0.1

0.1

Ball recoveries per game

6.0

3.9

Dribbles per game

0.4

0.3

Tackles per game

2.1

1.1

Interceptions per game

0.8

1.1

Clearances per game

3.0

3.0

Duels won per game

4.5 (67%)

3.3 (63%)

Stats via Sofascore

As the comparison table above highlights, both players, scarcely into their respective senior careers, produced an excellent level of performance last year, though Silva showed himself to be more effective and active in the duel and more mobile in his ground covering.

Pundit Jamie Carragher has even gone as far as to say that Silva is "going to be a superstar", in awe at the player's Herculean effort against Juventus almost two years ago.

The season ahead will prove to be a big one for the Portuguese talent, but with such an almighty set of qualities, he could just find himself completing Man United's backline and rising to the No. 1 spot at a club that threatens to return to its one-time imperiousness at the summit of Europe.

Related Talks held: Man Utd moving for "monster" who'd make Amad unplayable

The incredible talent would help the youngster become even more dangerous.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 26, 2024

Spinners likely to get help from the pitch as early as the first day

Nagraj Gollapudi11-Feb-2021

The pitch for the second India vs England Test in Chennai•BCCI

After toiling on a slow and flat surface in the first Test, Indian spinners are likely to get more purchase in the second Test, starting on Saturday, as the pitch is expected to take turn as early as the first day.The key difference between the two surfaces is the nature of the soil. The pitch for the first Test comprised purely of red soil and it did not break until late in the match. However, the surface for the second Test will have a base comprising red soil and a top layer comprising black cotton soil. It is understood that if the conditions are dry, the top layer, primarily made of black clay, will start to disintegrate faster.The red soil in Chennai is different from the Mumbai variant. The Mumbai one stays true through the match, while in Chennai, it usually crumbles quickly if underprepared. However, the pitch was well-bound ahead of the first Test to ensure the match stretched to the fifth day.On the eve of the first Test, Chepauk head groundsman V Ramesh Kumar had told ESPNcricinfo that he would make a surface with an “English look”, to suit all bowlers. But by the time of the toss, Chepauk pitch had been shorn of any grass. Consequently, the pitch was slow.The new ball lost its shine quickly and the leather softened early too, thus hurting India’s fast-bowling duo Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma. Sharma highlighted the bland nature of the pitch across the opening two days, by saying it resembled a “road”.Even R Ashwin, India’s premier spinner, who is closing in on 400 Test wickets, struggled to find purchase from the surface over the first two days. England took advantage of the bald, hard, flat surface as Joe Root made a double-century and England amassed 578 in the first innings.The one factor in favour of the bowlers still was the bounce, which remained consistent mostly throughout the five days. Gradually, the surface became abrasive and it helped both spinners and fast bowlers, the latter making an impact with the reverse swing as James Anderson showed in a memorable spell on the fifth morning.What India might have a desired in the first Test – a quick turner where they can dominate England batsmen – they are likely to get this weekend.Usually, groundsmen stop watering the pitch two days before the Test match to allow the moisture to be retained. When England arrived for training on Thursday morning, the pitch was left uncovered. Later, it was covered with the hessian cloth to protect against the high temperature, which is in the mid-30-degree Celsius.Another significant difference in the second Test could be the low bounce, as a consequence of the dry pitch. It remains to be seen how much grass is left on Saturday morning.The turning nature of the surface is likely to influence the final XI for India, who face difficult questions regarding their second line of spinners to assist Ashwin. India captain Virat Kohli has already spoken about the lack of contribution from Shahbaz Nadeem and Washington Sundar in the first Test.Axar Patel is likely to make his Test debut having recovered from the knee injury he picked on the eve of the first Test. In case Patel plays, the Indian team management will need to figure out whether they go with Sundar or Kuldeep Yadav as the third spinner.

ظهر إبراهيما كوناتي، مدافع فريق ليفربول، في مؤتمر صحفي منذ قليل للحديث عن مباراة ليل المرتقبة مساء الثلاثاء، في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويلتقي الفريقان في خضم منافسات الجولة السابعة من بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، موسم 2024/25، مرحلة الدوري.

ويتصدر ليفربول جدول دوري أبطال أوروبا، برصيد 18 نقطة، حيث حسم تأهله إلى منافسات دور الـ16.

في حين أن ليل الفرنسي لديه 13 نقطة، حيث يحتل حاليًا المركز الثامن في جدول البطولة.

وسُئل كوناتي في البداية عن زميله داروين نونيز، الذي قاد ليفربول إلى فوز صعب على برينتفورد يوم السبت الماضي، بعدما سجل هدفين بعد الدقيقة 90.

وقال كوناتي، في تصريحاته التي نشرتها شبكة “ليفربول إيكو” الإنجليزية: “أنا سعيد للغاية من أجله، أعلم أنه يبذل قصارى جهده ليحصل على هذه اللحظة، قلت له إننا نحتاجه حقًا في هذه المباراة وكان يضحك”.

وأضاف: “أنا مدافع، ومن المهم لكل مدافع في هذا الفريق أن يحافظ على نظافة شباكه، حاولت العودة بنسبة 100% (بعد تعافيه من إصابة مؤخرًا)، لقد سارعت في العودة إلى هذا الفريق، ما زلت أعاني من الألم، هناك مسكنات، هذا يكفي، لا داعِ للتفكير في هذا الأمر”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ماذا فعل كورتيس جونز لمصالحة جماهير ليفربول بعد تصريحه الصادم بشأن محمد صلاح؟

واسترسل: “كانت الخطة هي التدرب هذا الأسبوع، ولكن عندما رأيت جوميز مصابًا، عرفت أنه يتعين عليَّ العودة بسرعة كبيرة، لا أفكر في ركبتي، الألم يتحسن كل يوم”.

وشدد: “قام المعالجون والطاقم الطبي بعمل رائع، لا أعرف عدد الساعات التي قضيتها في النادي كل يوم عندما كنت مصابًا، لقد شكرتهم ببعض البسكويت، لم يكن هناك مخاطرة معي، ألعب وأنا أشعر ببعض الألم، ولكن ليس كثيرًا”.

وواصل: “هدفنا هو إنهاء مرحلة الدوري في الصدارة، ليل فريق جيد للغاية وعلينا أن نكون مستعدين، سنحاول الحصول على النقاط الثلاث غدًا”.

وفيما يخص شراكته مع فيرجيل فان دايك، قال: “الجميع يعرفه ويدرك جودته، هو الأفضل في مركزه بالنسبة لي، أريد فقط أن أكون أفضل منه يومًا ما! ولهذا السبب أعمل بجد”.

ورغم أن كوناتي يمتلك عقدًا ساريًا حتى 2026، إلا إنه سُئل عن تجديد صفقته، حيث قال: “من تحدث عن ذلك قبل بضعة أشهر؟ لم يقل النادي أي شيء، وكذلك أنا لم أقل أي شيء، قال شخص ما ذلك ولم أكن مستعدًا”.

واستأنف: “لم أكن أعرف متى قال ذلك، ولكن بعد ذلك تحدثت مع النادي، أنا أركز على ما سيحدث الآن وسنرى ما سيحدث”.

ثم سُئل كوناتي عما إذا كان ليفربول قد عرض عليه صفقة جديدة، فأجاب: “نعم”، وما إذا كان قريبًا من التوقيع، رد بابتسامة: “هذه محادثة أخرى!”.

MatériaMais Notícias

Neste sábado, às 13h, o Corinthians receberá o Bahia, na Arena Barueri, pela segunda e decisiva rodada da fase de grupos da Copa Brasil Wlegends de Futebol Master. Os torcedores corintianos poderão acompanhar de perto grandes ídolos do passado, como Edilson Capetinha, Fábio Braz, Cristian, Kleber, Fumagalli, além de Basílio e Batata na comissão técnica.

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Para assistir in loco, basta doar 1kg de alimento não perecível, que deve ser entregue no momento da entrada da Arena Barueri, e apresentar comprovante de vacinação (dois doses ou dose única), ou PCR (com no máximo 48h) ou ainda Antígeno (das últimas 24h).

Após empatar em 1 a 1 no primeiro duelo, diante do Palmeiras, com gol de Fernando Baiano, o Corinthians busca uma vitória para se classificar no torneio. Mesmo que conquiste os três pontos, o alvinegro ainda dependerá do outro jogo do dia. Na Chave F estão o Timão (com um ponto) e o Vitória (com três pontos), que na primeira rodada, diante do Bahia, venceu por 3 a 0.

Com isso, mesmo que o alvinegro ganhe, terá que torcer por um tropeço do Vitória, sendo um empate (levando para o saldo de gols) ou derrota contra o Palmeiras, em partida que acontece às 11h, ou seja, o Corinthians já entrará em campo sabendo o resultado que precisa. Bahia e o Alviverde fazem parte da chave E, com o Palmeiras liderando no momento com um ponto.

Dos duelos entre Corinthians x Bahia e Vitória x Palmeiras, sairão dois mais dois times para as quartas de final, que já tem dois duelos definidos, Botafogo x Vasco e Cruzeiro x Santos. Quem passar de Corinthians e Vitória, no Grupo F, encarará o melhor da Chave H, que tem Internacional e Coritiba. Todas as partidas do torneio têm transmissão do SporTV.

Sobre a competição:

A Copa Brasil WLegends 2021 é organizada pela World Legends, empresa que promove eventos de futebol master ao redor do mundo trazendo de volta aos campos craques que já penduraram as chuteiras. Nos últimos campeonatos organizados, foram mais de dois milhões de espectadores acompanhando lendas que fizeram história em seus times e seleções competindo novamente.

Uma equipe de cada grupo avança às quartas de final, que acontecerão de 30 de outubro a 20 de novembro, sempre aos sábados. As semifinais estão marcadas para 27 de novembro e 4 de dezembro e a grande final acontece no dia 11 de dezembro, com sedes indefinidas.

continua após a publicidade

Phil Parkinson has confirmed that Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo could be out for "a minimum of six weeks" in a bitter injury blow.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Okonkwo suffered a wrist injury against Mansfield
• Scans show that the wrist is broken
• Luke Bolton and Will Boyle join him in the treatment room

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 22-year-old keeper was instrumental in preserving Wrexham’s 1-0 lead over Mansfield last weekend but ended the match with pain in his wrist. Subsequently, he was sent for scans and the results have revealed a fracture which will keep him out of action for over a month.

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  WHAT PARKINSON SAID

  Speaking to reporters, Parkinson revealed: "We had some bad news when we had to send Arthur Okonkwo for a scan after he damaged his wrist on Saturday. Unfortunately, he has broken his wrist and is going to be out for a minimum of six weeks."

  During their last outing against Port Vale in the EFL Trophy, Parkinson opted for a heavily rotated lineup, fielding a team distinctly different from the one that clinched the weekend victory over Mansfield. And in the absence of Okonkwo, he alternated between two goalkeepers during the match: Callum Burton took charge in the first half, while Mark Howard filled in during the second.

  “Our fans might have found it unusual that we split the game time between two keepers on Tuesday,” Parkinson explained, “but this was pre-planned, in terms of giving them both some gametime, but also to protect Callum a little bit as well. I feel for Arthur, he’s in good form, but we’ve got two experienced goalkeepers ready and waiting.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In Tuesday’s match, Will Boyle, who was initially selected as captain, had to be replaced just before kickoff after he injured his calf during the warm-up. Max Cleworth took over both Boyle’s position and captaincy for the game. Adding to Wrexham’s misfortune, wing-back Luke Bolton, who recently returned from a foot injury, exited the match just 12 minutes in with another calf problem.

  Asked about about their latest status, Parkinson said: "Unfortunately, we picked up two injuries on the night – Luke Bolton and Will Boyle – and both look like 4-5 week lay-offs, which is obviously frustrating."

  The manager also provided an update on other players dealing with injuries, including George Evans, James Jones, Steven Fletcher, and Jack Marriott. He added: "George Evans is making good progress, James Jones is still a couple of weeks away from joining in training with a foot injury, and Steven Fletcher trained last week but has had a slight setback and he’s seeing a specialist today so we’ll know more after that. Jack Marriott has been with the group, but as everyone knows that’s going to take time. It’s good to have him back in and around the ground with the lads though.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  With Okonkwo and several others sidelined Wrexham now face the challenge of regrouping ahead of their upcoming League One match against Stockport on Saturday.