The Rossoneri lost it late, conceding two unanswered as Bologna won all three points
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Roy Keane says Manchester United "got out of jail" with their late FA Cup win over Leicester City after blasting their "shocking" first half.
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Cristiano Ronaldo dreams of posting “untouchable” records, says Raphael Varane, with a positive form of “madness” driving the Portuguese GOAT.
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Evergreen frontman still going strong at 40Has no plans to retire any time soonIntends to continue rewriting the history booksFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Despite winning countless honours with club and country over the years, with the history books being written on a regular basis, Ronaldo is showing no sign of slowing down at the age of 40. He remains a prolific presence for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr and is up to 217 international caps for Portugal.
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Ronaldo has stated a desire to reach 1,000 career goals before giving any thought to retirement, and is being backed to hit that landmark. Varane believes that CR7 will not stop until his body gives out, with there still plenty left for him to achieve.
WHAT RAPHAEL VARANE SAID
French defender Varane, who worked with Ronaldo at Real Madrid and Manchester United, has told : “He wants to be untouchable in terms of records and leave an indelible mark on football for thousands of years if possible. His major motivation at 40 is hard to analyse since he's already won everything long ago, but it's not financial.
“It's more about wanting to be extraordinary. He never mentioned age limit [in terms of retiring]. But for him, anything is possible. So when he reaches a limit, he wants to go further. I think he'll only stop when he can't anymore.”
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Ronaldo has been at the top of his game for over 20 years, with remarkable individual standards being maintained. Varane added on how the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has been able to achieve that: “They say genius borders on madness, and what he does is sometimes a bit mad. It's so intense that it's impressive. He inspired me enormously throughout my career.
“Yes, hot bath, cold bath. But that's not a myth; I did it too. He does it for the physical aspect but also for the mind, to unwind before sleeping. He didn't do it every match nor did [he do] sit-ups all day long every day, but he always maintained this level of demand.”
The start to the 2024/25 campaign has been underwhelming, to say the least, for West Ham United, with the club failing to have the immediate success desired after an ambitious transfer window.
Over £100m was spent on new signings to provide new boss Julen Lopetegui with all the ammunition needed to be a success during his debut campaign as the Hammers boss.
However, the Spaniard has endured a difficult start to life at the London Stadium, winning just two of his opening eight outings – with his only Premier League win coming over Crystal Palace back in August.
Pressure is already mounting on the 58-year-old given his below-par start to life in the capital, with this weekend’s fixture against Ipswich Town a pivotal outing if he is to be a success with the Hammers.
Whilst Lopetegui is yet to pull up any trees as West Ham boss, multiple of his new additions have also failed to impress, including one player who arrived at the London Stadium with high expectations.
Guido Rodríguez’s stats at West Ham
After arriving on a free transfer from Spanish side Real Betis this summer, midfielder Guido Rodriguez joined West Ham with real pedigree after his consistent displays in LaLiga which saw him rack up 173 appearances for Los Verdiblancos.
However, his start to life with the Hammers hasn’t been plain sailing, often failing to impress despite starting all six league matches since his summer transfer.
His most embarrassing moment undoubtedly came in the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea, with the Argentinian star hooked after just 38 minutes by Lopetegui, subsequently being replaced by Tomas Soucek.
Rodriguez still has time to turn around his below-par start to life in England, but given the club’s current poor form since Lopetegui’s arrival, he may find himself in and out of the team as the Spaniard looks to find a settled starting eleven.
The experienced boss may regret sanctioning the sale of one player who has starred away from the London Stadium after securing a permanent move during the summer transfer window.
The former West Ham star who’s outperformed Rodriguez
Boyhood West Ham fan Flynn Downes spent one season in the club’s first team before a loan spell at Southampton last season, in an attempt to gain more regular game time.
After helping the Saints secure an immediate return to the top flight, he departed the Hammers in a £18m deal, ending his stay in the capital without an appearance under the new boss.
However, it may be a decision that Lopetegui could regret given his form for Russell Martin’s side, which has seen him outperform new signing Rodriguez in numerous key areas for a midfielder.
Games played
6
6
Minutes played
540
460
Progressive carries
2
0.2
Progressive passes
4.8
2.4
Pass accuracy
93%
84%
Tackles won
1.2
1
Interceptions
2
1.6
The “monstrous” talent, as described by current boss Martin, has completed more of the passes he’s attempted this season, with more of his attempts being progressive compared to the Argentinian.
Downes has also started defensively, winning more tackles and completing more interceptions per 90, potentially showing Lopetegui what he’s missing by offloading the 25-year-old.
Does the club miss him? Potentially, with his box-to-box profile providing that dimension that the Hammers have been desperately lacking since his appointment during the summer.
It’s still early days for the 58-year-old during his time at the helm, but Downes’ desire to succeed for his boyhood club could’ve proved to be the difference for the club during their current slump in form at the start of the 2024/25 campaign.
Moyes wanted West Ham to replace Rice with £50m ace but got Alvarez instead
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ByConnor Holden Oct 3, 2024
Chris Dent hit an unbeaten 112 as Gloucestershire cruised to an eight-wicket win over Kent Spitfires in the Royal London Cup at Beckenham, with 74 balls to spare.Graeme van Buuren added an aggressive 51 not out as Gloucestershire closed on 219 for 2, leaving the visitors with an anxious wait to see if Lancashire would deny them a place in the quarter-finals by beating Essex at Old Trafford.Ollie Robinson made his highest List A score of 75 but Kent failed to build on a solid opening partnership and were restricted to 218 for 9. Van Buuren took 3 for 34, with James Bracey taking five catches.Gloucestershire began the day in sixth place in the table, but knowing they would qualify on points-per-game in third if they won and Lancashire lost to Essex.The visitors won the toss and asked Kent to bat under unexpectedly cloudy skies.Robinson was dropped on 12 and 21 and Kent advanced to 61 without loss, but the hosts toiled after Tawanda Muyeye pulled Jared Warner to Tom Smith at midwicket for 30.Van Buuren then bowled Jack Leaning for 16 and had a disgruntled George Munsey caught behind off the next ball. Harry Finch bottom-edged the hat-trick ball for a single but fell in the next over for one, becoming Ollie Price’s maiden victim at county level when he was caught behind.Robinson then edged Van Buuren behind and Bracey claimed his fourth catch of the innings when Josh Shaw found Grant Stewart’s inside edge and was out for six.Darren Stevens gave Kent some hope with 40, but when he was caught by Bracey off Matt Taylor Kent were down to the bowlers, with six overs remaining. Harry Podmore made 19 but when he tried to accelerate he holed out to Taylor and Smith took a steepling catch.Warner bowled Nathan Gilchrist for five and it was left to James Logan and Matt Quinn, unbeaten on 17 and 3 respectively, to nudge the total towards something defendable.Just how defendable it was became clear as Gloucestershire marched to 72 without loss before Price was lbw to Leaning for 24 in the 12th over. Logan trapped Bracey lbw, attempting to reverse sweep for 23 and Muyeye was unlucky not to take his first Kent wicket when Dent was dropped on 70, but the Spitfires were doomed by failure to make any further inroads.A Van Buuren six over midwicket sent a number of supporters to the exit and Dent reached his century with an edge through the vacant slip area for a single off Quinn, before cutting Stewart to the boundary for the winning runs.
Nottinghamshire Outlaws, already assured of a home quarter-final, suffered only a second defeat of the season in the Vitality Blast as bottom-of-the-table Leicestershire Foxes won by two wickets with two balls to spare.Josh Inglis and Arron Lilley were joint top-scorers with 42 and though the Foxes suffered some jitters after needing 35 from 25 balls and six off the last over, Naveen-ul-Haq hit back-to-back fours off former Leicestershire fast bowler Zak Chappell to get them over line after Steven Mullaney had taken 3 for 33 and Calvin Harrison 2 for 21.The Foxes had dismissed Nottinghamshire for 173 in 19.2 overs, Naveen picking up 3 for 33 and Colin Ackermann 3 for 35. Joe Clarke hit 57 in 27 balls and Ben Duckett 45 off 27 but the Outlaws lost their last six wickets for 22 runs, Lilley holding four outfield catches.Ackermann claimed an early blow for the Foxes after winning the toss when Alex Hales hit a full toss straight to deep midwicket but Clarke launched Gavin Griffiths for back-to-back sixes and Naveen for three consecutive fours as the Outlaws ended the Powerplay on 62 for 1.Clarke struck two more sixes off Ben Mike as he reached fifty from 24 balls and cleared long-on for a fifth six as Ackermann returned, only to follow Hales in finding Lilley at deep midwicket. Three fours in a row by Duckett off Ackermann advanced the total to 110 for 2 at halfway.Lilley then applied the brakes with the ball, conceding only 20 in his four overs of off-spin and dismissing Mullaney as the Outlaws innings fell apart. The demise of Duckett, leg before sweeping, sparked the loss of their last six wickets for 22 in 23 deliveries, Naveen taking three wickets in seven balls.The Foxes lost Rishi Patel early but with Inglis hitting sixes off Dane Paterson, Chappell and Matt Carter and Lilley another off Samit Patel, the home side were ahead of what was needed at 75 for 1 after six.Inglis and Lilley fell in turn to Harrison, both perhaps guilty of taking liberties with the young leg-spinner, Inglis hitting straight to long-on, Lilley comfortably stumped, yet at 107 for 3 after 10 overs, the game was there to be won.Scares followed for the home crowds as Harry Swindells was caught behind off a bottom edge, Ackermann sliced to short third man, Lewis Hill ramped straight to short fine leg, Louis Kimber was caught at midwicket and Callum Parkinson at cover but Naveen picked up four off the edge before pulling Chappell for the winning boundary.
أجرى الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم كاف، قرعة ربع نهائي بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا اليوم الخميس، في العاصمة القطرية الدوحة بتواجد الأهلي وبيراميدز.
تأهل الأهلي وبيراميدز من مصر إلى دور ربع النهائي بعد احتلالهما المركز الثاني في مجموعتهما حيث احتل الأهلي المركز الثاني في المجموعة الثانية، بعدما حصد 10 نقاط من الفوز بـ3 لقاءات والتعادل في مباراة وحيدة وتلقى هزيمتين.
أما بيراميدز تعد هذه هي المرة الأولى في تاريخه للمشاركة بهذه المرحلة من بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا بعدما تواجد في المركز الثاني من المجموعة الرابعة.
وتواجد بيراميدز في المركز الثاني بمجموعته برصيد 13 نقطة، بعد الفوز بـ4 لقاءات والتعادل في مباراة وحيدة وتلقى هزيمة أخرى.
واستقر الاتحاد الإفريقي على مواعيد مباريات دور ربع النهائي بنظام الذهاب والإياب، حيث ستُقام مباريات الذهاب في دوري أبطال إفريقيا أيام 1 و2 و8 و9 أبريل 2025.
طالع | “ثنائي الأهلي ولاعب بيراميدز”.. التشكيل المثالي لدور مجموعات دوري أبطال إفريقيا
واختار كاف أربعة من أبرز نجوم الكرة الإفريقية السابقين للمشاركة كمساعدين في سحب قرعة دور ربع النهائي حيث سيشارك في مراسم القرعة كل من وائل جمعة (مصر)، رابح ماجر (الجزائر)، راينفورد كالابا (زامبيا)، وبين مالانغو (جمهورية الكونغو الديمقراطية)، وهم نجوم تركوا بصمة بارزة في تاريخ الكرة الإفريقية.
وأسفرت قرعة دوري أبطال إفريقيا عن مواجهة الأهلي نظيره الهلال السوداني، في حين بيراميدز سيواجه نظيره الجيش الملكي المغربي. الفرق المتأهلة إلى دور ربع نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا
المجموعة الأولى
1- الهلال السوداني – المركز الأول.
2- مولودية الجزائر – المركز الثاني.
المجموعة الثانية
1- الجيش الملكي المغربي – المركز الأول.
2- صن داونز الجنوب إفريقي – المركز الثاني.
المجموعة الثالثة
1- أورلاندو الجنوب إفريقي – المركز الأول
2- الأهلي – المركز الثاني.
المجموعة الرابعة
1- الترجي التونسي – المركز الأول.
2- بيراميدز – المركز الثاني. نتائح قرعة ربع نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا
– الأهلي (مصر) ضد الهلال (السودان)
– بيراميدز (مصر) ضد الجيش الملكي (المغرب)
– ماميلودي صن داونز ( جنوب إفريقيا) ضد الترجي الرياضي (تونس)
– أورلاندو بايراتس (جنوب إفريقيا) ضد مولودية الجزائر (الجزائر) قرعة نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا
– الفائز من الأهلي والهلال ضد الفائز من ماميلودي صن داونز والترجي الرياضي
– الفائز من بيراميدز والجيش الملكي ضد الفائز من أورلاندو بايراتس ضد مولودية الجزائر
Liverpool are interested in Samuele Ricci, and may rival Manchester City for the Torino star's signature in January, per a new report.
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Ricci eyed by both clubsBoth had been interested in Martin ZubimendiZubimendi sustained serious injuryFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
According to, both City and Liverpool are interested in signing Ricci in January. The pair had each been linked with Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi but he was recently ruled out with a back injury, perhaps encouraging each club to source potential alternatives.
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City need a replacement for the injured Rodri, while there is also said to be interest from both AC Milan and Inter. Liverpool are now said to have joined the chase, with Torino demanding more than €30 million (£25m/$31.5m), although that fee is unlikely to put off Arne Slot's side.
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Ricci can play as a six or as an eight in midfield, and has clocked 95 appearances for Torino since arriving from Empoli in 2022. He has also won six caps for Italy, and he recently played 90 minutes in their 3-1 Nations League win over France.
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Ricci has a contract until 2026 and with so many clubs sniffing around, it feels very likely that he will be moving on swiftly. It remains to be seen if he ends up at Anfield or the Etihad, however, given that there is also interest in Italy.
Lionesses legends Alex Scott and Steph Houghton are among four new inductees into the Women's Super League Hall of Fame.
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WSL announces four new Hall of Fame inducteesFormer Lionesses Scott, Houghton & Flaherty addedTrailblazing referee Welch also recognisedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Scott, now well-known for her role as a pundit and a presenter, called time on her playing career back in 2018, after racking up 140 caps for England and winning 22 major honours at Arsenal, including the Champions League. The full-back was part of the Lionesses side that reached the final of the European Championship in 2009, and the one that finished third at the 2015 Women's World Cup.
Houghton, meanwhile, only retired earlier this year, after a 22-year club career at the top of the English game which returned 16 trophies. Eight of those came at Manchester City, whom she captained for her entire 10-year stay, an honour she also held with England. Only Faye White has had a longer stint as Lionesses skipper than Houghton, who helped her country reach three successive semi-finals as they firmly established themselves among the elite in the women's game.
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Also inducted into the Hall of Fame this year are Gilly Flaherty, the former England defender, and referee Rebecca Welch. Flaherty won nine caps in a 17-year career which saw her represent Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham and Liverpool. Stints with the former two produced trophies galore, with her also part of Arsenal's European triumph in 2007 alongside Scott. Flaherty racked up 177 WSL appearances and scored the league's first-ever goal back in 2011.
Welch completes the 2024 inductees, following her retirement from officiating back in August. The 41-year-old is a trailblazing figure in her realm of the game, becoming the first woman to referee an English Football League match in 2021 and the first to do so in the Premier League in 2023, after several years of officiating at the highest level of in the women's game.
DID YOU KNOW?
These four inductees take the WSL Hall of Fame's total up to 14, after it was established in 2021. It is mainly made up of players, with Kelly Smith, Rachel Yankey, Fara Williams, Karen Carney, Katie Chapman, Eni Aluko, Jill Scott, Ellen White and Anita Asante all recognised. Welch is just the second non-footballer to be added, after former Chelsea boss Emma Hayes.
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Scott, Houghton, Flaherty and Welch will be part of an official induction at a special WSL Hall of Fame celebration event in January 2025.
It's been a relatively positive summer for Tottenham Hotspur so far this year, with four wins out of five in pre-season and the progressive signings of Archie Gray and South Korean youngster Yang Min-Hyeok.
However, if Ange Postecoglou is going to achieve his goals in North London and lead the club back up the Premier League table next season, he will need more firepower in his team.
The good news is that Daniel Levy and Co seem to share this opinion. Over the last week or so, the club has been linked to several exciting strikers, particularly Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke.
However, recent reports have suggested the North Londoners are just as interested in another quality number nine who may be an upgrade on the Cherries ace.
Tottenham Hotspur striker search
According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, alongside Solanke, Tottenham are currently 'chasing' Brentford's Ivan Toney this summer.
The report claims that the Bees ace is available 'at the right price' and that the Lilywhites could lodge a bid for the striker in the coming weeks.
There is no mention of how much he could cost the North Londoners, but reports from earlier this summer revealed that, due to his contract expiring next year, he could be available for £50m or less.
It would still require a significant fee, but given Toney's record in the Premier League, he's worth splashing the cash on, and he'd be a better signing than Solanke.
How Toney compares to Solanke
So, if Tottenham's choice this summer is between Toney and Solanke, who should they sign? And how do they compare?
Well, the pair's output over the last couple of seasons is a little hard to compare given the Brentford star's eight-month betting ban last season, but even so, when it comes down to goal involvements per appearance, he comfortably beats out the Cherries ace.
For example, when combining the last two campaigns, the "unplayable" 28-year-old, as dubbed by Alan Shearer, has scored 25 goals and provided seven assists in 52 appearances, which equates to an impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.62 games, despite coming back into last season without any real preparation.
In contrast, the former Chelsea ace has scored 28 goals and provided 11 assists in 77 appearances, equating to an average goal involvement every 1.97 games.
Okay, how about their underlying numbers across the last two seasons, then? Is it another easy win for the Brentford ace when we look under the hood?
Toney vs Solanke
Stats per 90
Toney
Solanke
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.53
0.48
Non-Penalty Goals + Assists
0.49
0.48
Progressive Passes
2.43
1.56
Progressive Carries
0.76
1.78
Shots
2.82
2.65
Shots on Target
1.10
0.92
Shot-Creating Actions
2.15
2.04
Goal-Creating Actions
0.29
0.28
Aerial Duels Won
3.33
2.17
All Stats via FBref for the 22/23 & 23/24 Premier League Season
Indeed, in every relevant metric, the Northampton-born "monster," as dubbed by manager Thomas Frank, comes out ahead, including non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals plus assists.
He's also ahead for progressive passes and carries, highlighting his ability to get possession up the pitch, shots and shots on target, shot and goal-creating actions and aerial duels won, all per 90.
Ultimately, while both strikers would surely bring more goals to Spurs next season, Toney would be the better signing. Even when including his entirely unusual campaign last season, he comes out ahead of Solanke in every measurable comparison.
Talks underway: Spurs pushing for "dream" Johnson teammate in £60m star
The impressive goalscorer would be an incredible signing.
1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 7, 2024
Therefore, Levy and Co must do what they can to bring the Brentford star to N17 this summer.