If the Dodgers want to repeat as World Series champions, they'll have to cobble together 54 more outs against a Blue Jays lineup that has become the toast of Canada a year after hitting .241 collectively.

That starts Friday in Game 6, with both bullpens still feeling the distant aftershocks of Los Angeles's 18-inning Game 3 win. It'll be all hands on deck for a Dodgers team on the brink of extinction, but one notable arm will be absent.

Designated hitter and pitcher Shohei Ohtani is not available to throw for the Dodgers Friday if needed, manager Dave Roberts said via Fox shortly before Game 6 Friday. Ohtani, the losing pitcher in Game 4 (his first loss since August), be available Saturday in the event of a Game 7.

One pitcher that is available Friday for Los Angeles: Tyler Glasnow, who started and took no decision in Game 3.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has gone the distance each of his last two starts, will toe the rubber for the Dodgers Friday. Toronto will start two-time All-Star Kevin Gausman.

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O Coritiba confirmou a contratação do atacante Pedro Rocha, 31 anos, no início da tarde desta quinta-feira (11). O jogador foi o artilheiro da Série B de 2025 e não renovou com o Remo para a próxima temporada.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFutebol NacionalCoritiba negocia com dupla de times rebaixados à Série BFutebol Nacional11/12/2025Futebol NacionalAnálise: Coritiba recalcula rota, conquista título e visa se firmar na Série AFutebol Nacional09/12/2025CoritibaFernando Seabra é anunciado como técnico do CoritibaCoritiba08/12/2025

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

O Coxa tinha um acordo verbal com o atleta desde semana passada e enviou um pré-contrato para garantir o reforço. Ele tem vínculo com o Azulino até o fim deste ano e ficará à disposição a partir de 5 de janeiro, quando abre a janela de transferência.

O contrato de Pedro Rocha com o Coritiba vai até o final de 2027.

– Chego pronto para contribuir ao máximo e ajudar o clube a conquistar grandes objetivos. Gostei muito do projeto que me foi apresentado e isso me deixou ainda mais empolgado para vestir essa camisa. A torcida pode ter certeza de que dedicação, raça e entrega dentro de campo não vão faltar – declarou, ao site oficial.

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Pedro Rocha marcou 15 gols em 32 jogos na Série B e foi determinante para o acesso do Remo, que não joga a Série A desde 1994. Pelo time paraense, Pedro Rocha fez 19 gols e deu nove assistências em 44 partidas nesta temporada, e também foi campeão estadual.

O ótimo desempenho, o melhor da carreira do atacante, chamou a atenção no mercado. Além do Coritiba, outros clubes do Brasileirão, como Corinthians e São Paulo, e alguns do exterior sondaram o futuro dele.

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Pedro Rocha é a primeira contratação confirmada do Coxa para 2026. Além dele, a diretoria alviverde avançou pelo volante Willian Oliveira, do Vitória, e tem interesse em dois jogadores que caíram na Série A: o lateral-direito Tinga, do Fortaleza, e o zagueiro Willian Machado, do Ceará.

O elenco coxa-branca se reapresenta em 27 de dezembro, no CT da Graciosa, para iniciar a pré-temporada. O Coritiba estreia no Campeonato Paranaense em 7 de janeiro com um time sub-23, enquanto o grupo principal jogará a partir da terceira rodada.

Carreira de Pedro Rocha, reforço do Coritiba

Formado nas bases de Atlético Diadema-SP e Juventus-SP, Pedro Rocha se profissionalizou no Moleque Travesso em 2013 e, dois anos depois, acertou com o Grêmio. No Tricolor gaúcho, ele ganhou projeção nacional ao marcar dois gols na final do título da Copa do Brasil de 2016, contra o Atlético-MG, e ser expulso na sequência.

Em agosto do ano seguinte, antes da conquista da Libertadores e com 32 gols e 10 assistências em 126 jogos pelo time gaúcho, o atacante foi vendido ao Spartak Moscow, da Rússia, por 12 milhões de euros (R$ 45,2 milhões, na cotação da época). Na Europa, não conseguiu se firmar, com um gol e uma assistência em 19 jogos.

Sem espaço, ele foi emprestado ao Cruzeiro, Flamengo e Athletico, entre 2019 e 2022. No período, ele foi campeão do Brasileirão pelo Fla em 2020 e da Sul-Americana pelo Furacão em 2021, mas teve pouco protagonismo e veio do banco de reservas na maioria dos confrontos.

Depois, Pedro Rocha ficou no Fortaleza por duas temporadas e meia e sofreu com lesões. No Tricolor do Pici, marcou quatro gols e deu 10 assistências em 35 partidas, além dos títulos do estadual de 2023 e da Copa do Nordeste de 2024. Antes do Remo, ele atuou pelo Criciúma no ano passado e fez apenas sete jogos.

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Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies has made an emotional return to competitive action after a torturous nine-month injury nightmare. After coming off the bench during the Champions League victory over Sporting CP to rapturous applause from the Allianz Arena faithful, his team-mates lined up to praise the Canadian's mental resilience during his 261-day rehabilitation.

• Fonzie is back!

  The 3-1 victory over the Portuguese champions will be remembered for Lennart Karl's record-breaking goal, but for the squad and the supporters, one of the night's biggest cheers was reserved for the 88th minute. Standing on the touchline, ready to replace Serge Gnabry, was Alphonso Davies – a sight many feared might not happen until 2026 given the severity of his knee injury.

  The 25-year-old had not featured for the Bavarians since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament while on international duty with Canada in March 2025, and his senior team-mates were quick to highlight the extraordinary attitude the full-back maintained during his darkest days.

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• Kimmich: 'I wouldn't have managed it'

  Speaking to reporters in the catacombs of the Allianz Arena after the final whistle, captain Joshua Kimmich offered a candid insight into the mental toll such an injury takes on a player. The midfielder admitted that he was unsure if he would have possessed the same fortitude as his team-mate to remain positive throughout the ordeal.

  "The way I experienced him, how he went through rehab, that is exemplary. I wouldn't have managed it like that with this energy," Kimmich enthused, clearly moved by the return.

  The German international went on to reveal details of how the Canadian kept himself integrated with the squad despite being unable to train, highlighting a specific role he played alongside fellow injury-hit star Jamal Musiala.

  "He also always tried to be close to the team," Kimmich continued. "He has been with us in the dressing room for months, comes to the games, comes into the dressing room together with Jamal, turns on the music, tries to create a good mood. That is not something to be taken for granted."

• It was 'a hard time for everyone' – Neuer

  Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who knows all too well the pain of long-term injuries having battled back from a serious leg break himself in the past, was equally effusive in his praise. The veteran shot-stopper emphasised that the defender's absence was felt not just tactically, but emotionally within the dressing room, and offered some sage advice for the next steps of his recovery.

  "It is naturally a hard time," Neuer reflected. "I know that because I have also had severe injuries and I believe for him it is now very important that he stays cool and appreciates this joy of playing football and that he is with us in the team."

  Neuer added: "We obviously also hope that he will remain healthy, but he did it superbly, even during that time."

  Defender Jonathan Tah, who marshalled the backline effectively against Sporting, pointed to the unseen hours of work that made the comeback possible. Speaking in the mixed zone, he summarised the collective relief felt by the squad.

  "I am very happy for him that he is back," Tah stated. "I believe it was a hard path of suffering that he had to walk and we are all happy that he is there again."

• AFP
  

  'Good to be back', says Davies

  For the man of the moment, the reaction was simple and heartfelt. Taking to social media after the game, Davies posted a message on Instagram, capturing the relief of finally doing his job again.

  "Good to be back! Doing what I love the most," he wrote.

  With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon – a tournament his nation is co-hosting – his return to fitness is a massive boost not just for Bayern, but for Canadian football as a whole. For now, however, he will simply enjoy the feeling of grass under his boots and the applause of the Allianz Arena. The "injury hell" is over; the comeback has begun.

Since her arrival, there are few Sri Lanka ODI victories to which their inspirational captain is not central

Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Sep-2025″From the beginning, I knew she was special.”There’s never quite been a player like Chamari Athapaththu for Sri Lanka. Shashikala Siriwardene, who captained Sri Lanka, and played international cricket for 16 years, would know.Siriwardene was already a senior in the Sri Lanka team when Athapaththu broke through. The team had been away at an Asia Cup when Athapaththu first came to their attention. Sri Lanka had played the final of that Asia Cup in Kurunegala, which as it happens is the closest city to Athapaththu’s hometown of Gokarella. But it was in Colombo, at a domestic tournament, that Athapaththu had impressed the selectors.”What I remember about Chamari at the time was how determined she was,” Siriwardene says. “She’d come very early to train. Although she lost her father during that period, she somehow found a way to make sure she could keep playing cricket, and just kept coming. Though she was young [Athapaththu was in her late teens at the time] she had that desire.Related

• India and Sri Lanka kick off a Women's World Cup with a difference

• Women's T20 World Cup: India and Australia in Group 1, England and NZ in Group 2

• Athapaththu's goal? A maiden semi-final for SL

• Age is just a number – the women's World Cup XI of seniors

The early 2010s were not an especially rich era for Sri Lankan women’s cricket. Resources were scant, with the board forever in some kind of political turmoil, which in turn led to enormous debt and even greater financial strain. There had been little consistent coaching support; for some coaches, the women’s team was a stepping stone to more high-profile roles in the men’s game.And yet it took Athapaththu little time to gain a reputation as a batter of rare power. For a Sri Lanka cricketer, her rise was astonishing. No batter from the island had hit an ODI hundred in their first 85 ODIs. Athapaththu managed it in her seventh ODI innings, crashing 111 off 110 balls against Ireland, at the P Sara Oval in Colombo. By the time she turned 22, she had two further fifties to her name, and had drawn admiration for playing shots that no one else could play.”Even back then you couldn’t really compare her to anyone else,” Siriwardene says. “She was totally unique. At her young age, the strength with which she hit the ball, and the style that she had – you can’t coach that.”For all of us in the team, that cover drive she hits for six was the special shot. We’d had six-hitters before, but that was mostly using the slog. We loved watching her go over extra cover and over the bowler’s head.”Chamari Athapaththu launches one down the ground•ACCThrough the course of those earliest years, Siriwardene remembers the seniors wrapping their arms around Athapaththu. “Her father had been the main supporter of her cricket journey, and so she really felt that loss. We all grew quite close to her during that time”There was also the fact of her precocious batting. Siriwardene was among the leaders in the team by this time, and would soon formally take over the captaincy. The decision was made about Athapaththu that a player as talented as this deserved a free hand.”She was the kind of player who even if she hadn’t played for a month, would turn up to a match and do well. But when I was captain alongside coach Harsha de Silva, we gave her a lot of freedom, so she had the space to mature. We didn’t give her any targets. We didn’t tell her what to do. We wanted her to play in her own unique way. We knew the more she grew into herself, she would lift up the team.”So watered by teammates, Athapaththu would soon bloom. In her first World Cup game, she announced herself emphatically, top scoring with 62 against England, in a famous Sri Lanka chase. Eshani Lokusuriyage would go on to play perhaps the more important innings, as Sri Lanka claimed victory off the final ball. But almost everyone agrees that win was maybe the most vital staging post in the team’s history. And Athapaththu had laid the foundation.Shashikala Siriwardene on Chamari Athapaththu: “From the beginning, I knew she was special.”•SLCSince her arrival, there are few Sri Lanka ODI victories to which Athapaththu is not central, few Sri Lankan batting records pages she does not dominate, little argument over whom the greatest cricketer the island has ever produced could be.She is the most prolific ODI batter by such a distance that if she makes a total of 181 runs in this World Cup, she will have twice as many runs as the next-best batter – Siriwardene.Sri Lanka have 11 ODI hundreds in total – Athapaththu has hit nine of those, including each of the top-seven highest individual scores. In T20Is, no other Sri Lanka batter has made triple figures, but Athapaththu alone has three, which places her equal-second in the world. In terms of just 50-plus scores, Athapaththu has 28 in ODIs. Siriwardene, the next-best again, has seven.She is such a singular weapon that she is almost certainly one of the most-studied batters in world cricket, a data-backed view having formed among oppositions that dismissing Athapaththu cheaply usually means beating Sri Lanka.Sometimes even the greatest Athapaththu innings haven’t been enough. Her 178 not out off 143 against Australia in the 2017 World Cup was arguably the greatest Sri Lanka innings played until that point (the only competitors would be other Athapaththu innings). And yet the team’s next-best score was 24, and Athapaththu’s runs comprised 69% of the team’s total. Australia sped to the target with ease.Beyond the frustrations of frequently being on the losing team despite personal heroics, there have been other obstacles. Often the late 20s and early 30s are some of the richest years of a batter’s career – a time when growing experience tends to mesh with still-sharp reflexes. Athapaththu had just turned 30 when she played her last international before the Covid lockdowns.She was almost 32 when she played her next match, Sri Lanka Cricket having refused to schedule women’s bilateral cricket for almost two years, although the men had been playing for much of that time. That hiatus, plus Sri Lanka’s low rankings had meant that Sri Lanka did not even qualify for the last ODI World Cup. There were also snubs from the major franchise leagues, particularly the Women’s Premier League, for which she was not selected in 2023 and 2024.And yet since her post-Covid return, Athapaththu’s batting has been even more exemplary. In ODIs she averages 46.37 and strikes at 98 since 2022 – a substantial improvement on her pre-Covid numbers.Sri Lanka take a victory lap around the Asia Cup win•ACCJust beyond the boundary of the ground in Dambulla, Athapaththu was pacing like a nervous parent on exam day. In the middle, two young batters were attempting to do something Sri Lanka had never done before: win an Asia Cup. Athapaththu had provided the platform for this T20I chase of 166, as usual, hitting 61 off 43 balls from the top of the order, in addition to having claimed a wicket in India’s innings.But Sri Lanka still needed 75 off 48 balls when Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari were joined at the crease. There have been years when this would have seemed too much for the remainder of the batting order. Athapaththu would have been needed to stay until the end to see a victory through.”I never actually saw Atha (younger sister), and take it.'”Dilhari had never before in her T20 career struck a six, but with 51 required to win off 34 balls, she sent a Radha Yadav delivery sailing over the deep midwicket boundary. Several overs later, Dilhari clobbered the second six of her career – down the ground this time. This one won Sri Lanka the match, and their most-prized trophy to date. In the victorious team photo after the tournament, Athapaththu crouched at the edge of the group, letting her younger team-mates have their space near the centre.Athapaththu is still 35, and shows no real signs of waning. In fact, her bowling is arguably getting better. She had picked up offspin only after making it into the national team, Siriwardene says, but had with her usual tireless work ethic, improved her bowling so substantially that she is essentially regarded as an allrounder on the league circuit. Still, Athapaththu has hinted that she’s thinking about international retirement over the past 18 months. Sri Lanka’s younger batters have been lapping up as much of her wisdom as possible.”Atha is not someone who would ever hold anything back from you,” Dilhari says. “Whatever she has learned over the years, playing all around the world, and in the leagues, she doesn’t keep to herself – she’ll tell anyone. With me, she’s talked a lot about how to adjust to different situations in the game. But also I’ve learned a lot about life from her – how to manage our cricket with other things in life.”Chamari Athapaththu brings the Women’s World Cup in to the R Premadasa Stadium•Sri Lanka CricketAthapaththu’s words aren’t all sprinkled with sweetness, Dilhari laughs. “I’m one of the players who gets scolded the most. One time, I’d dropped a catch and when I was asking her a question about where I should field, something about being dangled from a lamp-post was said. But I do really think those things also made me a better player.”Although there is a fledgling group of batters, Sri Lanka would clearly benefit from having Athapaththu around for years to come. It is in the back of many minds that this could be her last ODI World Cup, however. It is in this format that she has carved the greatest arc.”I know she’s got hopes of winning a World Cup, so we’re determined to get ourselves there, and I’m wishing Atha a lot of runs in the tournament,” Dilhari says.Athapaththu herself appears relaxed before the tournament. She doesn’t have to do it all herself anymore, she feels.”More than in the other tournaments, I’m pretty relaxed in this one,” Athapaththu said just ahead of the tournament, in Colombo. “The youngsters have been performing – Harshitha Samarawickrama, Vishmi Gunaratne, and Kavisha Dilhari, are all batting well. So more than other times, I’m able to relax a bit.””I’m going to be playing the game I play in the powerplay. Then, after that, the challenge is to figure out how I can change gears and do more damage. My one aim is to get Sri Lanka into the semi finals before I retire. If we can get there, we can figure out the next steps. But even getting there is big.”Sri Lanka play five of their seven round robin games in Colombo, and internally, believe themselves capable of making a deep run in this tournament. While the younger players mature, Sri Lanka will likely need their greatest player to impose herself again, to make a mark on the tournament.

Diego Simeone has lavished praise on "incredible" Raphinha and expressed his surprise at the Barcelona star missing out on the 2025 Ballon d'Or. The Brazilian winger was once again decisive on Tuesday night as the Blaugrana overturned an early deficit to defeat Atletico Madrid 3-1 at the Camp Nou and tighten their grip at the top of La Liga.

Atletico struck first but then lost control

Atletico began the contest with confidence and clarity. Within 20 minutes, they were in front thanks to Alex Baena, who timed his run to perfection, beating Barcelona’s defensive line before sending a low shot beyond Joan Garcia. But the goal did not break Barcelona’s resolve. Hansi Flick’s team settled, began to dominate possession and soon found the spaces that Atletico had initially denied them. Six minutes after falling behind, it was Raphinha who dragged Barcelona level with a goal. He collected a perfectly weighted through ball from Pedri, rounded Jan Oblak with the poise of a centre-forward and stroked the ball home to cancel out Baena's opener.

Barcelona could have gone into the break ahead after Dani Olmo won a penalty following a clumsy challenge in the box. But the opportunity went begging as Robert Lewandowski, usually so assured from the spot, blazed his attempt over the crossbar. In the second half, Barcelona’s patience paid off. Olmo curled a sublime effort into the bottom corner to hand them the lead, but as he struck the ball, he lost his balance and crashed onto his shoulder and was forced off. With Atletico pushing forward in search of an equaliser, Barcelona struck again. Deep into added time, Alejandro Balde surged down the left and fired a low cross into the area, and Ferran Torres met it with a sharp finish from close range to seal the victory.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBallon d’Or snub leaves Simeone stunned

Despite the disappointment of the result, Simeone was in no mood to hide his admiration for one of the players who undid his team. In his post-match comments, the Atletico manager offered a glowing assessment of Raphinha’s performance. 

"Raphinha is an incredible player," he said. "He can play everywhere. As a winger, as a midfielder, as a striker, or even as a wing back. He can score, can create, he presses and runs. I don’t know how he didn’t win the Ballon d’Or. For me, I would choose him always."

Raphinha finished fifth in this year’s Ballon d’Or rankings, despite registering over 60 goal contributions and helping Barcelona lift three trophies. The prize went to PSG’s Ousmane Dembele, who won a treble with the French outfit, with 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal taking second place. Vitinha was third, and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah came in fourth.

Simeone reflects on missed opportunities & Cardoso injury

Simeone gave a detailed breakdown of the match, praising his team’s determination despite the defeat.

He said: "We started well, but they managed to hurt us inside, with the ball filtered inside. In the second half, it was the opposite: they started a little better, but after 20 minutes, we were the ones who looked for the game. We couldn’t complete it, but I liked the team. We know that they have very good feet and that they play with a lot of people inside so that disorder appears in the rival centre-backs, and today it worked very well for them. But I feel very calm and happy with what the team did. This will help us to improve. Now, a tough match also in Bilbao."

Simeone also acknowledged that an injury to Johnny Cardoso forced an early tactical reshuffle. The USMNT midfielder lasted just 14 minutes before being forced off following a clash with Olmo.

He told reporters: "Cardoso’s injury forced us to adjust. We had high hopes for Johnny, but he got injured and had to leave the game."

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Getty ImagesWhat comes next for Barcelona & Atletico Madrid?

The defeat brought an end to Atletico’s seven-match winning streak across all competitions, pausing the momentum they had built over recent weeks. Their focus now shifts to a demanding run of fixtures to close out 2025, starting with a trip to Athletic Club on Saturday, followed by league meetings with Valencia and Girona, then a crucial Champions League encounter with PSV. Barcelona, meanwhile, continue their climb, buoyed by confidence and a growing belief that they can sustain their latest title push under Flick. The win marked the Catalan side's fifth consecutive league win and carried them four points ahead of Real Madrid, who play on Wednesday.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl will be relishing his first opportunity to bring in his own players when the January transfer window opens for business next month.

The German manager joined after the summer window closed and has only been able to work with the squad that was put together by previous managers and sporting directors.

With five wins and two draws in seven matches in the Scottish Premiership so far, it is exciting to think about what Rohl could achieve with signings that he has a chance to have a say in.

Rangers pushing to sign Premiership star

After a host of signings from England in the summer, the Light Blues are reportedly looking closer to home to bolster the manager’s options in midfield.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to FootballTransfers, Glasgow Rangers are ‘pushing’ to reach an agreement to sign Kilmarnock central midfielder David Watson in the January transfer window.

The Scotland U21 international’s contract with Killie is due to expire at the end of the season, and the Gers are looking to take advantage of that situation to make him the first signing of the Rohl era.

It adds that Kilmarnock are open to a sale in January, to avoid losing him for nothing in the summer, but it remains to be seen how much they will demand for his services.

FootballTransfers reveals that the 20-year-old starlet has been identified as the club’s top target for the January window, but they will face competition from Lazio and Celtic, which means that this will not be an easy deal for Rangers to get over the line in the coming weeks.

Why Rangers should sign David Watson

With Mohamed Diomande heading off to the African Cup of Nations later this month, Watson could arrive at Ibrox at the start of January as an upgrade on the Ivorian talent.

Rangers will, of course, be without Diomande until the end of his country’s run in the tournament, which could provide a new signing like the Kilmarnock star to come in and take his place in the team before he returns.

Based on their respective performances in the Scottish Premiership this season, Watson would be likely to step into the side and offer more than the left-footed star has for Rangers so far.

Described by Scottish scout and analyst Kai Watson as a “box-crashing, goalscoring midfielder that works hard on both ends”, the Kilmarnock star has scored three goals and created two ‘big chances’ for Kilmarnock in the Premiership, per Sofascore, whilst Diomande has only scored one goal and created one ‘big chance’ for his team in that time.

This suggests that Watson, on current form, could offer more of a threat at the top end of the pitch for the Light Blues if he arrives in January to take a place in Rohl’s midfield, as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the middle of the park.

Appearances

12

16

Goals

1

3

Big chances created

1

2

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.9

3.1

Duels won per game

2.9

5.7

Ground duel success rate

45%

50%

Aerial duel success rate

31%

41%

As you can see in the table above, the Scottish talent has also provided more quality than Diomande out of possession in the league this season, winning a higher percentage of his duels on the ground and in the air, whilst making more defensive interceptions per game.

Analyst John Walker claimed that Watson had “blown up the league” last year, and the same is true this season with his impressive performances in the middle of the park as a 20-year-old star.

The Killie central midfielder has significantly outperformed Diomande, who was the subject of a £6.5m bid from Besiktas in the summer, and has shown that he can deliver consistent displays in the division.

Watson, who scored four goals in 23 league starts in the 2024/25 campaign, is a proven Premiership performer who could arrive at Ibrox to hit the ground running in January, which is exactly what they need when signing a player midway through the season.

Rangers dud was as "rotten" as Miovski, now he's Rohl's most improved player

This Glasgow Rangers flop who looked as bad as Bojan Miovski is now Danny Rohl’s most improved performer.

ByDan Emery 4 days ago

With Diomande set to jet away to the African Cup of Nations, signing the Scottish star to come in as an upgrade on him at the start of the January transfer window could be a shrewd move by the club and a dream first signing for Rohl.

Liverpool and Arsenal are now both reportedly eyeing the chance to sign a Paris Saint-Germain attacker in 2026.

Salah's rant compiles Liverpool misery

Ao Tanaka’s late equaliser was the last thing that Liverpool needed. The Reds only had themselves to blame after going from comfortable 2-0 leaders to level at 2-2 then throwing their 3-2 lead away at the death. In 99 minutes of action, the Premier League champions had their problems laid bare for all to see.

For a third-consecutive game, meanwhile, Mohamed Salah watched on from the bench. And for the second time in those three games, the Egyptian didn’t even get on the pitch. When Liverpool needed a goal, last year’s Golden Boot winner and top playmaker was forced to watch on and to say he wasn’t happy would be an understatement.

The Anfield icon went rogue at full-time, unleashing an explosive rant about Arne Slot’s recent decisions, saying: “After what I have done for the club it really hurts. You can imagine, really.

Liverpool join race to sign "aggressive" gem who's been compared to Szoboszlai

The Reds could deal Newcastle another blow

ByTom Cunningham 5 days ago

“After going from home to the club and you don’t know if you are starting. I know the club too well, I have been here many years. Tomorrow [Jamie] Carragher is going to go for me again and again and that’s fine.

“I have been at this club, scoring more than anyone in this generation since I came to the Premier League, I don’t think anyone has scored more goals and made more assists than me. In the whole Premier League. If I am somewhere else, everybody would go to the media and defend the players. I am the only one in this situation.”

It doesn’t get much more damning than that for Liverpool, who could now have a decision to make. Do they back Salah or do they back Slot? That’s the question and if the manager wins the war then they must find a replacement for one of their best-ever players.

Liverpool battling Arsenal in Barcola race

According to Le10 Sport in France, as relayed by Sport Witness, Liverpool are now a very active contender to sign Bradley Barcola alongside Arsenal, as the PSG winger continues to deliberate over signing a new deal in Ligue 1.

As things stand, his deal doesn’t run out until 2028 but PSG have been attempting to secure new terms to avoid any potential exit in the coming years. Barcola, however, is still hesitating to put pen to paper on a new contract – potentially leaving the door ajar for Liverpool.

Minutes

760

1,118

Goals

5

4

Assists

0

2

Key Passes

18

27

If Liverpool’s search for a Salah replacement has just become more urgent then Barcola should be on their list of candidates. The Frenchman has outscored the Egyptian in less minutes so far this season and is destined to get even better at just 23 years old.

Described as “one of the best wingers in Europe” by European football expert Zach Lowy, Barcola’s contract situation is one to watch, especially if Liverpool come calling next year.

"Annoying" Liverpool star showed why FSG have to sign Semenyo

Celtic’s interim head coach Martin O’Neill has confirmed that Wednesday night’s clash with Dundee at Parkhead will be his final match in the dugout for the Scottish giants.

The experienced manager stepped in after Brendan Rodgers resigned at the end of October and has won six of his seven matches in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, to date.

Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy will then take over as the permanent successor to Brendan Rodgers and will face a baptism of fire at the weekend against league leaders Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

The French boss will be watching on from afar for the clash this evening and will have one last chance to assess the players who will soon be at his disposal before being tasked with organising them in training.

O’Neill will also be keen for his last game to be a memorable one, leaving Nancy with the team in the best possible position, by claiming all three points against Dundee.

The experienced boss may look to make some changes to his starting line-up from the side that beat Hibernian 2-1 at Easter Road on Sunday in order to secure the win this evening.

The Celtic players who could be dropped against Dundee

Football FanCast have already suggested that right-sided winger Luke McCowan should be dropped from the team after he failed to impress against Hibs at the weekend, with no shots on target or ‘big chances’ created, per Sofascore.

The former Dundee man has been tasked with filling in out wide in recent games, due to the lack of natural options in that position, but he was ineffective last time out, which could provide Benjamin Nygren with a chance to play in that role.

On the other side of the pitch, Marcelo Saracchi could make way for Kieran Tierney at left-back, as the two defenders have shared the workload so far this season in the Premiership.

25/26 Premiership	Saracchi	Tierney
Appearances	7	10
Starts	6	6
Minutes	405	609
Big chances created	2	2
Assists	1	2
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the statistics above, they have both started six league games this term, and it could be Tierney’s time to start this evening after coming off the bench against Hibs.

Another player who could be dropped from the starting line-up, alongside Saracchi and McCowan, is left-sided attacker Hyun-jun Yang, who played a part in Arne Engels’ goal with a deflected cross for the Belgian on Sunday.

Aside from that deflected cross, the South Korean forward offered little to the side in or out of possession on the left flank. Per Sofascore, he played 86 minutes without registering a key pass, a ‘big chance’ created, or a shot on target, as his part in Engels’ goal did not count as an assist.

The 23-year-old star, who scored against Feyenoord last week in the Europa League, also lost 75% (3/4) of his duels throughout the game, per Sofascore, which shows that he was not strong enough in his physical battles.

With this in mind, and the fact that they have Hearts to play on Sunday, O’Neill should ruthlessly ditch Yang from the starting line-up to provide another player with an opportunity to impress.

Chalkboard

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

Dropping the South Korea international could allow the experienced boss to finally unleash rarely-seen winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha on the left flank against Dundee tonight.

Why Celtic should unleash Michel-Ange Balikwisha

The Belgian forward played 59 minutes across three substitute appearances in O’Neill’s first three games in charge, but has been an unused substitute for the last four matches in all competitions.

We are not privy to what goes on behind the scenes, in training and in tactical meetings, and the experienced boss will have his reasons for not giving Balikwisha much game time in recent weeks.

However, in a three-game week, this clash with Dundee ahead of the meeting with Hearts on Sunday provides the manager with a chance to give the summer signing from Royal Antwerp a start for the first time.

In fact, Balikwisha has not started a game for Celtic since the 2-1 win over Kilmarnock away from home in September under Rodgers, per Sofascore, which means that the winger has not had many opportunities to showcase his quality.

Balikwisha in 25/26 Premiership
Opposition	Minutes
Hibernian	0
St Mirren	0
Kilmarnock	0
Falkirk	29
Hearts	30
Dundee	26
Motherwell	12
Hibernian	16
Kilmarnock	58
Rangers	65
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Celtic winger started his first two games in the Premiership against Rangers and Kilmarnock, after signing from Royal Antwerp, but has not gotten a look-in since then.

There is more to come from Balikwisha in a Celtic shirt because his form for Royal Antwerp in Belgium suggests that he does have the potential to carry a threat at the top end of the pitch.

Per Transfermarkt, the 24-year-old wing wizard scored 30 goals and provided 17 assists in 145 matches for Antwerp, yet he has only managed two assists and no goals in 12 outings in all competitions for the Hoops.

The only way he will improve and adapt to Scottish football, though, is by playing matches and getting used to the intensity and physicality of the division, which he cannot do from the bench.

That is why O’Neill should give Balikwisha a rare opportunity to start against Dundee as a parting gift to Nancy, as it would provide the winger with another opportunity to develop as a Celtic player ahead of a fresh page under the next manager.

Therefore, the interim manager should ruthlessly drop and rest Yang from the starting line-up this evening, bringing the rarely-seen Belgian in to give him a chance to stake a claim for a place in the side moving forward.

Nancy could bin Celtic star who's been the biggest winner of O'Neill's reign

Incoming Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy could drop this star who has been the biggest winner of Martin O’Neill’s reign.

1

By
Dan Emery

Dec 2, 2025

The PCB confirmed that renewal offers, as well as new franchise fees, were sent to “all compliant PSL franchises”

Danyal Rasool14-Nov-2025Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen has not received an offer from the PSL to renew his ownership of the franchise. The PCB confirmed that renewal offers, as well as new franchise fees, were sent to “all compliant PSL franchises”. A Sultans representative confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that they were not one of the franchises to receive such an offer.ESPNcricinfo has spoken to some franchises who confirmed they were sent renewal offers following a meeting between the PSL management and the owners, including Tareen, on Thursday. It is believed each of the other five franchises has been given the chance to extend their ownership, with the renewal valid for a further ten years. The Sultans representatives were invited to attend meetings concerning the scheduling and operations of the upcoming PSL, though Sultans believe they were not invited to meetings concerning financial discussions.A PSL representative declined to comment when asked if Sultans’ ownership did not receive a renewal offer owing to potential non-compliance.Related

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The long-running dispute between the PSL and Tareen spilled over into the open when Tareen publicly criticised the league in the build-up to its 10th edition for what he alleged was a lack of transparency and communication from the management. The criticism ramped up in the months that followed, and earlier this year, the PSL threatened to blacklist him unless he made a public apology.Following that threat going public, Tareen issued a taunting video apology to the management, in which he sarcastically apologised for “wanting to make the PSL better”. He ended the video by ripping up a copy of the notice the PCB had sent him.It appears evident that public “apology” is not regarded as such by the PCB. With all franchise rights up for renewal before the next season of the PSL, each franchise had the right of first refusal on renewing ownership. But the PCB had made clear to Tareen this only applied to franchises who were “compliant”, a standard they felt Tareen had fallen short of with his public critiques.According to a couple of franchises, they now have 10 days to respond to the renewal offers. All of them will have to consider paying increased annual franchise fees, at a minimum 25% more than what they pay now. Likely, with increased valuations, it will be 25% of the new value (whichever, ultimately, is higher).This year will also see the addition of two teams to the PSL. The PCB’s statement released a list of cities potential owners could name their new teams after. Hyderabad, Sialkot, Muzaffarabad, Faisalabad, Gilgit, and Rawalpindi are the new potential cities, from which two will be chosen.The new, eight-team PSL is scheduled to take place in April and May next year.

Hobart Hurricanes openers Lizelle Lee and Danni Wyatt-Hodge destroyed the Sydney Sixers bowling attack with a record stand in a dominant six-wicket WBBL win.Earlier, three wickets in over and career-best figures by Hurricanes fast bowler Hayley Silver-Holmes rocked her former side in a deserved player of the match display.Related

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The opening stand of 95 between Lee and Wyatt-Hodge rollicked along at more than 10 runs per over and allowed Hurricanes to coast to victory at North Sydney Oval on Thursday.Sixers had made 152 for 9 but Hurricanes were never troubled in the chase and won with 19 balls remaining to stay undefeated.Lee slammed the bowlers to all parts of the ground. She showcased all her skills and combined power and touch in equal measure to score her 12th WBBL half-century to go with her five hundreds.Wyatt-Hodge, fresh from a brilliant 90 in her last match, dominated on the offside where she placed the ball to perfection.  The England star also lofted two sixes over the leg side that went through the hands of Sixers fielders.The pair’s opening stand was the highest in Hurricanes history.After being sent in, Sixers were 2 for 92 after 12 overs and appeared set for a 170-plus total before Silver-Holmes took three wickets in one over.She had the dangerous Ash Gardner out pulling a delivery that hurried on. Next ball Silver-Holmes knocked over Amelia Kerr with an off-cutter. Another off-cutter to Alyssa Healy went through the gate to cap a tremendous over.The 22-year-old didn’t play last year’s WBBL series due to an elbow injury that required surgery.”I’ve had a really bad few years with injuries but I think the big thing for me was getting as fit as I could,” Silver-Holmes said. “That makes it that much easier to do what I do.”She was humble about her decisive over that turned the match. “When things are happening, they are happening. That’s T20 cricket,” Silver-Holmes said. “It was all a bit of a blur but I’m super pumped to get the win.”Healy, playing her first WBBL match of the season after recovering from a hand injury, used the pace off the pitch to perfection in her cameo and in combination with Ellyse Perry had looked in control.Perry smoked six boundaries, with her shots through the cover region sublime, before Heather Graham cleaned up her stumps. Graham, fifth on the all-time WBBL wicket list, bowled with guile. Her seamers moved both ways and challenged the strong Sixers top order.