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Continuing their search for their next manager, Celtic have already been hit with a problem in pursuit of Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen, who has impressed the Bhoys during his time in Belgium.

The last thing Celtic need is a managerial saga, but they may have no choice. The Scottish Premiership champions must get their next appointment right and silencing the noise to do exactly that will be key.

That is, of course, easier said than done with several candidates already shortlisted and the likes of Chris Sutton already having their say on the vacant position.

The former Celtic star believes that Ange Postecoglou is the “obvious” choice and it’s easy to see why. The Australian won five trophies out of a possible six during his last spell at the club and is currently a free agent after lasting just 39 days at Nottingham Forest.

There will be some concerns about his recent performances in the dugout, but the Bhoys know more than anyone just how quickly Postecoglou can create success.

Another name on the reported shortlist is Kieran McKenna. The Ipswich manager took the Tractor Boys from League one all the way to the Premier League in back-to-back promotions, before suffering relegation from England’s top flight last season.

Although he has endured a tough year at Portman Road, his reputation remains intact and managerial ability clear for all to see. Whether Celtic would be able to lure him away from Ipswich remains to be seen, however, and that’s a problem they face with another candidate.

Celtic already facing Nicky Hayen problem

According to Sky Sports, Celtic are now tracking Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen, who held Brendan Rodgers’ side to a 1-1 draw in the Champions League last November.

Rodgers upgrade: Celtic have "kamikaze" title-winning manager on the radar

Celtic have a manager on their radar who could come in as a big upgrade on Brendan Rodgers.

ByDan Emery Oct 29, 2025

The 45-year-old has impressed in Belgium and would have no trouble convincing those at Celtic Park that he’s the right man for the job after smashing Rangers 9-1 on aggregate in the Champions League qualifiers back in August. Alas, there still lies one problem.

Luring Hayen away from Brugge could yet prove to be a difficult task and that instantly hands Celtic an obstacle that they’ll have to overcome if he emerges as their top choice.

Celtic already watched on as Rangers endured managerial chaos and may choose to avoid taking a similar path. If that does prove to be the case, then Hayen could become an unlikely candidate.

It’s clear why Brugge will be so desperate to keep their young manager, too. Speaking to The Guardian in January, the owner of Haverfordwest, Rob Edwards, who worked with Hayen at the Welsh club before he set off for Belgium said: “He’s a workaholic and that rubs off on players, it rubs off on staff and it gets everyone behind you if you lead from the front.

“I always knew he was going to go off somewhere else. We didn’t have him that long, but to see what he’s achieved since then makes us all really proud.”

Celtic readying first move for Ange Postecoglou

Shohei Ohtani and his agent are being sued by a Hawaii real estate investor and a broker who were fired from a $240 million luxury housing development, according to the Associated Press.

Some very expensive homes are being built on Hawaii's Big Island on the Hapuna Coast at the Mauna Kea Resort and Ohtani bought one of those homes for about $17 million. He was apparently asked to get involved because of his "celebrity and promotional value." Reports of his buying one of the homes first surfaced in April 2024.

According to the lawsuit the Dodgers star and his agent, Nez Balelo, are accused of "tortious interference and unjust enrichment." Balelo allegedly kept asking for concessions until the point where developer Kevin J. Hayes Sr. and real estate broker Tomoko Matsumoto were both pushed out.

In a statement emailed to on Tuesday, Kingsbarn Reality Capital called the allegations “completely frivolous and without merit.”

“Kingsbarn takes full responsibility for its actions regarding Kevin Hayes and for removing Tomoko Matsumoto as the project’s broker. The Mauna Kea project is world class, and we look forward to welcoming our final group.”

You can check out the area and some of the houses on the project's website.

According to the Associated Press, Ohtani plans to live there in the offseason and will "construct a small hitting and pitching facility for preseason training."

Something feels different about Arsenal this season, doesn’t it? The Gunners sit pretty at the top of the Premier League table and they have a 100% record from their three Champions League matches.

A year ago, it was a struggle. Multiple red cards and injuries plagued a heavily talented squad and, until the latter stages of European competition, they struggled to hit top gear.

Yet for all of the reliance on set-pieces, for all of the ridiculous comments on long throws in recent days, Arsenal looks like the best team in the land.

Steady on. We know. Let’s not count our chickens just yet, but everything is looking rather rosy. Mikel Arteta’s men have shipped just one open-play goal all season and are yet to concede in the Champions League.

Their forward line, as demonstrated in that stunning 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid, is improving all the time too.

That’s hardly a surprise. Andrea Berta – once of Atleti’s parish – invested KSE’s money heavily over the summer on the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze.

Gyokeres went nine goals without finding the net before his brace on Tuesday night. The relief and delight were clear to see on the Swede’s face.

The number 14 has some way to go before he can be considered an all-time great but amidst Arteta’s setup, there are a few faces beginning to make themselves modern icons. Gabriel Magalhaes is the prime example.

Why Gabriel is now the best centre-back on the planet

Swing in a corner or set-piece and there is usually one result. Gabriel will be on hand to head home.

His record in recent years and indeed this season has been extraordinary. No central defender across the top five leagues in European football has scored more goals than his tally of 22 since 2020.

The big Brazilian is inevitable and his remarkable record in 2025/26 has only strengthened his argument as the best goalscoring defender around.

In his last five games, he has scored twice and also picked up two assists. There was that crashing header in the dying embers to win the game at Newcastle United and he followed that up by flicking on Bukayo Saka’s corner for Leandro Trossard’s winner at Craven Cottage a few days ago.

His performance against Atleti, however, was colossal. It was the 27-year-old who headed the Gunners in front from Declan Rice’s teasing free-kick and it was Gabriel who got on the end of Rice’s corner minutes later in the second half. He didn’t find the net this time but he did put it on a plate for Gyokeres to score from a matter of yards out.

But, can he defend too? You bet he can. Gabriel is one of the sternest central defenders in the land.

He has been dribbled past just 0.4 times per game in the league this season and is winning 77% of his ground duels. For context, of Premier League defenders to win more than ten ground duels in 2025/26, he ranks joint-fifth for percentage of ground duels won. He sits level with Virgil van Dijk in that regard.

1. Joel Veltman

89%

2. Noussair Mazraoui

82%

3. Daniel Ballard

78.57%

3= Trevoh Chalobah

78.57%

4. Kenny Tete

77%

5. Virgil van Dijk

76.92%

5= Gabriel

76.92%

Defenders who have won 10 + duels only

So, he’s a set-piece menace. He’s a warrior, he’s a leader of men and he’s a pretty damn good defender too.

Is there anything Gabriel cannot do? Perhaps not. He is undoubtedly one of the best players we’ve seen in the Emirates Stadium era. But, is he the best?

Arsenal's best player since Arsene Wenger retired

While Arsene Wenger’s final few years at Arsenal were not as victorious and triumphant as the early days, he is still remembered fondly. Besides the great Herbert Chapman, he is the finest manager the club have ever had and he had some remarkable players in his armoury.

Whether it was Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira or Robert Pires, the greats of Arsenal were around when Wenger was.

Chalkboard

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

Yet, since he retired, the Gunners have struggled and it’s not until recent years that Arteta has transformed them into title challengers again.

The aforementioned Gabriel has been a big part of that. As has Saka. Without him, there’s a very realistic chance that Arteta wouldn’t even still be in the job.

During the infancy of the Spaniard’s coaching career in north London, it was the Hale End marvel who got the Gunners out of plenty of sticky situations.

Yet, in recent years, they’ve found a transformational player, a generational talent who looks like he could eclipse some of the best players we’ve seen at Arsenal since Wenger walked away. Mesut Ozil? He’s making a bigger impact than him. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang? He’s certainly earned more respect than their former no.14.

Even better than Gabriel and Saka? Arguably so. Rice is your man and he’s becoming one of the finest specimens in world football.

Back in 2023, Edu and Co moved heaven and earth to bring the England international to the Emirates, paying a club-record £105m to sign him from West Ham. They fended off serial winners Manchester City to do so. It was a landmark move.

Well, since heading to Arsenal, Rice has made that fee look like a bargain. Since when has that sort of money ever looked cheap? Well, West Ham must be cursing their luck that they did not get more bang for their buck.

The midfielder was a mighty fine player at West Ham but he has gone on another level after his big-money move.

At the Irons, he was seen as a defensive midfielder but Arteta has transformed him into one of the best, if not the best box-to-box midfielder in the land. Rice’s work rate is simply incredible and his ability to win the ball back is second to very few.

But, at Arsenal, he’s now become a threat in the final third. He scored nine goals and registered ten assists last term, his best tally in a single season.

While the 26-year-old has only scored once in 2025/26, he has registered four assists, all from set-pieces. Indeed, that’s one area where Rice has been exceptional, particularly in the last year.

You won’t need a reminder but we’ll bring it up again anyway. His free-kicks against Real Madrid last season were a thing of beauty. However, it’s his delivery into the box that stands out most.

He was involved in two of the four goals against Atleti this week, swinging in a delicious ball for Gabriel to head home and then firing in the corner that led to Gyokeres’ second.

In the words of Sky Sports reporter Sam Blitz, the Three Lions star is now “the best set-piece taker in world football.”

If you didn’t think Rice could get any better, think again. He is the perfect all-rounder. Gabriel is a menacing centre-back and Saka’s creativity skills are sublime. Yet, the £240k-per-week earner has it all. He can score, he assist, he can defend and he’s arguably got the best set-piece delivery in Europe.

Few will argue against just how good Rice has been since he moved across London. The best signing we’ve seen since Wenger left? It’s hard to suggest he hasn’t been.

عقد هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة، مؤتمراً صحفياً للحديث عن مباراة اتلتيك بلباو غداً في الجولة الثالثة عشر من الدوري الاسباني.

وقال فليك عن لقاء بلباو في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية: “نحن جميعاً سعداء بالعودة للملعب، الخصم فريق قوي تأهل لدوري أبطال أوروبا هذا الموسم، يمتلكون لاعبين مميزين وهذه فرصة لنرى إلى أي مدى يمكننا الوصول”.

وأضاف عن موقف لامين يامال من المشاركة في مباراة الغد: “أعتقد أنه سيكون قادراً على اللعب، تدرب جيداً خلال الأسابيع القليلة الماضية، هو يمر بفترات صعود وهبوط ولم ينته الأمر بعد، هو الآن تحت مراقبة طبية دقيقة من قبل الطاقم الطبي”.

وحول سبب غياب راشفورد عن تدريبات برشلونة، أكد فليك: “إنه يعاني من حمى، هناك شكوك حول عودته غداً، لكنني سعيد جداً بعودة رافينيا، لا أعرف إن كان سيلعب 10 أو 15 دقيقة، سيبدأ بديلاً لكنه عاد لنا”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. تقارير: ألونسو نافس فليك وأرتيتا على تدريب عملاق أوروبي

وقال فليك عن صراعه مع الاتحاد الاسباني بشأن لامين: “لامين لاعبنا، نحن والاتحاد نعتني به، كان قرار بقائه صائباً، هو يدير حالته البدنية بشكل جيد”.

وسئل فليك عن لويس دي لا فوينتي مدرب إسبانيا :”الآن نركز على الأسابيع الأربعة المقبلة، لدينا تسع مباريات ويمكننا الحصول على مزيد من النقاط أو خسارتها، لا أريد التفكير في أمور أخرى حول هذا الضجيج، أنا سعيد جداً بتدريباتنا”.

وعبر فليك عن سعادته بالعودة لملعب الكامب نو: “نفضل اللعب به، عندما تدربنا وقمنا بالسير بخطواتنا هناك، شعرت بإحساس رائع، إنه ملعب كرة قدم ونحبه حقاً، يمكن أن يعطينا دفعة معنوية خلال المباراة، تماماً كما فعلنا في مونتجويك، أنا سعيد بتواصلي الجيد مع الجماهير”.

وذكر فليك حول الضغط على ريال مدريد: “علينا أن نتعامل مع كل مباراة على حدة، لا يزال الطريق طويل حتى نهاية مايو وليس لدي أدنى شك في كيفية لعبنا وتحقيق اهدافنا، نعلم أنهم منافس قوي وهناك فياريال وأتلتيكو فريقان رائعان، علينا التركيز على أنفسنا وتقديم أفضل ما لدينا في كل مباراة، لهذا السبب يدعمنا جماهيرنا”.

وتحدث فليك عن بيدري وخوان جارسيا :”لا أعرف متى سيعود بيدري، نسير خطوة بخطوة معه ولا نريد الضغط عليه حيث لن يكون ذلك جيداً، إنه يتقدم بشكل جيد ونحن سعداء، سيعود في وقت أقربن لا أعرف إن كان ذلك ضد تشيلسي أو في المباراة التالية، خوان جارسيا سيكون أساسياً”.

وسئل فليك عن ميسي وعودته لبرشلونة بعد زيارته لملعب الكامب نو: “لماذا لا أدرب ميسي؟ إنه أفضل لاعب في آخر عشر سنوات أو أكثر، لطالما استمتعت بمشاهدته يلعب، ما يقدمه مذهل، سيكون جيداً مع أي فريق، ينتهي عقده في 2028 وينتهي عقدي في 2027 لذا لن يكون ذلك ممكناً”.

وأتم فليك عن غياب دي يونج: “نعرف كيف نريد استبداله، سترون غداً، فرينكي مثل بيدري، لاعب ممتاز للفريق ويمنحنا الثقة بالكرة، سندير الأمور جيداً”.

Tottenham Hotspur have really put their fans through the wringer so far this season.

One moment, the North Londoners put three past Manchester United at Old Trafford, and then the next, they hand Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town their first Premier League wins of the season.

Ange Postecoglou has certainly brought back the entertaining style of football that Spurs fans used to pride themselves on, but he hasn’t been able to iron out the inconsistencies that could ultimately cost him come May.

However, it’s not entirely his fault as he’s got to work with the players he has, and some of them, like Radu Dragusin, just don’t appear to be good enough, so Daniel Levy and Co should look to bring in a replacement in 2025, a player they could get for free.

Dragusin's season so far

Now, the first thing to say is that while Dragusin has been generally quite poor so far this season, he’s obviously not the sole reason that Spurs have struggled in games, but he certainly hasn’t helped either.

For example, on his European debut for the club against Qarabağ FK, a game which should have been a relatively easy one for the club, he managed to get himself sent off before ten minutes were played.

Fortunately, his teammates put in an impressive showing and came away with all three points and, in turn, protected him from what could have been a considerable level of backlash had they lost with ten men.

Unfortunately, he was much more at fault for the loss to Galatasaray last week, as he once again made countless foolish fouls, took a poor touch that led to Victor Osimhen’s first goal and generally looked out at sea in what was an extremely hostile environment.

It’s not just been in Europe where the former Genoa ace has struggled either, as he was notably poor against Ipswich Town in the Premier League last weekend as well and received a paltry 3/10 match rating from respected Spurs writer Alasdair Gold.

Overall, it’s hard to see Dragusin improving much as the season progresses, so it would be wise for Levy and Co. to look for an upgrade, and the good news is that they have already been linked with one.

The impressive defender who could replace Dragusin

So, while there are undoubtedly a whole host of talented defenders that Spurs could work on bringing to North London next year, one in particular would be an excellent addition to the team: Jonathan Tah.

The good news is that, according to a report from the Boot Room earlier this week, the club are interested in the German ace and have already talked with intermediaries about a potential deal.

However, it gets even better, as the 28-year-old’s surprisingly small £45k-per-week contract is set to expire in the summer, meaning he’ll be available for free and will be able to sign a pre-agreement with non-German clubs from January.

With all that said, why would the Bayer Leverkusen ace be a great signing?

Well, the first big bonus is that, as well as being 6 foot 5, which should help him adapt to the physical nature of the Premier League, the Hamburg-born “battleship”, as dubbed by former teammate Christoph Kramer, is vastly experienced.

Across his career, the defensive titan has made 20 appearances for Hamburg, 23 for Düsseldorf, 370 for Leverkusen, who he helped win a league and cup double last season, and has won 32 caps for the German national team, so it’s unlikely that there would be any situation in a Spurs shirt that would see him overawed and make silly mistakes akin to Dragusin last week.

Finally, he’s no slouch with the ball at his feet, either.

According to FBref, which compares players across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, the German ace sits in the top 1% of centre-backs for pass completion, the top 6% for total shots, the top 11% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area and the top 14% for attempted and progressive passes, all per 90.

Ultimately, given his incredible ability and experience, Spurs should be looking to sign Tah whatever he costs, so the fact he’ll be available for free when Transfermarkt values him at €30m – £25m – makes this potential transfer a total no-brainer.

Spurs may already have a bigger talent than Moore up their sleeve

The sensationally talented youngster could have a bright future at Spurs.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 15, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

da marjack bet： Vivendo grande momento com a camisa do Flamengo, o atacante Pedro foi o herói rubro-negro na vitória sobre o Athletico-PR, na última quarta-feira, que garantiu a classificação do time carioca às semifinais da Copa do Brasil de 2022. Com um golaço de bicicleta, o centroavante balançou as redes num dia especial na sua carreira.

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da 888：
Exatos quatro anos antes da pintura feita na Arena da Baixada, Pedro era convocado pela primeira vez para a Seleção Brasileira. Em lista divulgada pelo técnico Tite no dia 17 de agosto de 2018, o então jogador do Fluminense, na época com 21 anos, foi relacionado para amistosos contra Estados Unidos e El Salvador, em setembro.

+ Veja a tabela e os jogos da Copa do Mundo de 2022

Assim como em 2022, Pedro vivia fase excelente pelo Tricolor. O atacante tinha 19 gols marcados na temporada e era o artilheiro do Campeonato Brasileiro, com dez tentos. Exatos oito dias depois da convocação, porém, veio a ducha de água fria.

Em uma partida contra o Cruzeiro, no Mineirão, pelo Brasileirão, Pedro torceu o joelho direito no fim do primeiro tempo e precisou deixar a partida. Dias depois, exames constataram um estiramento no ligamento cruzado anterior e ele precisou passar por cirurgia, que o tirou dos gramados por quase oito meses.

Para o lugar de Pedro, Tite convocou outro jogador que teve história no Fluminense: Richarlison. Recém-contratado pelo Everton em 2018, o Pombo teve sua primeira oportunidade com a Amarelinha e deixou boa impressão. No amistoso contra os salvadorenhos, o atacante marcou dois gols e deu uma assistência na goleada por 5 a 0. Desde então, tornou-se figura constante na Seleção Brasileira.

O momento de Pedro antes da lesão era tão bom que o centroavante quase deixou o Fluminense para atuar no futebol europeu. O centroavante recebeu propostas de Bordeaux, da França, e do poderoso Real Madrid. A negociação com espanhóis, inclusive, ficou perto de ser finalizada, mas foi atrapalhada em virtude da contusão.

Pedro voltou a jogar em abril de 2019, mas em setembro se transferiu para a Fiorentina, da Itália. Sem conseguir emplacar no Velho Continente, o centroavante voltou ao Brasil em janeiro de 2020, para atuar no Flamengo.

+ Pedro na lista!Confira os 20 jogadores mais valiosos do Brasileirão

PRIMEIRA CONVOCAÇÃO PARA VALER
Contratado pelo Fla por empréstimo, Pedro fez um bom ano em 2020 e ganhou espaço no time titular por conta de uma lesão de Gabigol. Em novembro daquele ano, o camisa 21 foi novamente chamado por Tite para a Seleção, para os duelos contra Venezuela e Uruguai, nas Eliminatórias Sul-Americanas para a Copa do Mundo de 2022.

O atacante entrou no segundo tempo do jogo com os venezuelanos, no Morumbi, mas ficou em campo por pouco mais de 15 minutos somente. Sem muitas chances, não marcou gol. Pedro, porém, acabou cortado da relação por uma lesão muscular e não enfrentou a Celeste, em Montevidéu, dando lugar a Thiago Galhardo.

O RETORNO?
O nome de Pedro tem sido muito comentado para ganhar uma chance na lista de Tite nos amistosos que o Brasil fará na Data-Fifa de setembro. Será a última convocação do treinador antes da relação final para o Mundial de Qatar, e o camisa 21 tem grandes chances de estar presente nos amistosos.

O próprio treinador da Seleção Brasileira já admitiu inúmeras vezes que gosta do jogador. Tite vê em Pedro um atleta com características únicas, que ele não tem hoje em sua equipe. A mais recente declaração do comandante da Canarinho foi justamente na última quarta-feira, quando o centroavante fez o gol de bicicleta.

-Não vou fugir da pergunta. Pedro tem característica muito especial para enfrentar times com linhas baixas. Tem que ter opção com essa característica. Talvez dos 26 jogadores, 80% estejam encaminhados. Mas sem fechar a lista, sem ficar na caixinha. Grandes atletas se afirmam – disse Tite à “Rádio Globo”.

Pedro tem 20 gols em 45 jogos na temporada 2022 e está perto de atingir o melhor ano de sua carreira. Sonhando com uma vaga na Copa do Mundo do Qatar, o centroavante do Flamengo segue mostrando suas credenciais para convencer Tite.

* Estagiário, sob a supervisão de Leonardo Martins.

Manchester United are in a sticky situation under Ruben Amorim and plenty of high-profile names have delivered intriguing verdicts on his predicament, including Alan Shearer.

Man Utd in stick or twist situation with Ruben Amorim

External pressure in football has been heightened drastically over recent years due to the rise of social media, though there is a clear debate to be had about whether a managerial change at Old Trafford is necessary after a poor Manchester United run of form under Amorim.

The former Sporting boss has delivered 19 victories, nine draws and 21 losses in charge of the Red Devils, averaging 1.35 points per game in the Premier League.

Only two wins have arrived for Amorim this season without the added strain of having to juggle both European and domestic football, with the lowlight being a dismal loss to Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup.

Wayne Rooney clarified he has ‘no faith’ in Manchester United turning things around. However, INEOS have decided to keep their man in the dugout for the time being, offering a stay and a chance to change public perception after a rocky start to 2025/26.

Conversely, Sir Jim Ratcliffe may already be plotting a change in the background amid Gareth Southgate being contacted by the Red Devils as an alternative to Amorim.

Not just Shaw: Amorim must drop Man Utd ace who's becoming a huge "problem"

Manchester United need a solution to their problems after yet another defeat in the Premier League.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 28, 2025

Over the coming weeks, expect more out-of-work bosses to be linked to the Old Trafford cauldron as speculation continues to grow on what happens next. For now, nothing is concrete, though the Red Devils have a dilemma on their hands.

Either way, Manchester United will be focused on improving results, albeit not everyone is convinced Amorim is the right man to kickstart that process.

Alan Shearer dissects Ruben Amorim's situation at Manchester United

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Alan Shearer said Manchester United don’t want to admit they’ve made a mistake in hiring Amorim, hence why he thinks they haven’t already moved to relieve him of his duties.

He stated: “I genuinely believe that the owners or the people that are running the club at the minute have made that many errors in the last two years or 18 months since they’ve been there. It would look terrible to admit another error and sack (Amorim).”

Manchester United’s sink or swim fixtures under Amorim

Sunderland (H)

Old Trafford

Liverpool (A)

Anfield

Brighton & Hove Albion (H)

Old Trafford

Nottingham Forest (A)

City Ground

Tottenham Hotspur (A)

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Amorim was a promising appointment when he came in last year, though down the line, many would argue Manchester United haven’t shown any signs of improvement and still regularly cough up inconsistent results.

In his defence, he did take the Red Devils to the Europa League final, progressing past the likes of Lyon and Real Sociedad, but fell at the final hurdle and missed out on Champions League qualification.

For now, he remains and the support will back Amorim to rescue Manchester United from despair. Nevertheless, he is walking on thin ice, something that Shearer has indicated could be costly.

Italian side Fiorentina have announced the sacking of Stefano Pioli as head coach. The decision comes amid a dismal 10-game winless run that has left the club rooted to the bottom of the Serie A table. Pioli joined Fiorentina following successful spells with AC Milan and Al-Nassr, having won the Scudetto with the Rossoneri.

Pioli sacked after dismal Serie A start

The Viola are winless in the league this season, with four draws and six defeats in their opening 10 matches, leaving them near the bottom of the table. Their strong start in the UEFA Conference League, where they sit top of the table with two wins from two games, wasn’t enough to save Pioli from dismissal.

The club’s official statement read: “ACF Fiorentina can confirm that Stefano Pioli has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the first team.”

Meanwhile Fiorentina have announced a temporary replacement for Pioli until a new head coach is appointed. The club stated: “Daniele Galloppa will take charge of the first team temporarily, starting from this afternoon's training session.”

Pioli’s sacking follows Fiorentina’s decision to terminate the contract of sporting director Daniel Prade.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhere did it go wrong for Fiorentina?

Italian outlet summed up Pioli’s downfall at Fiorentina by highlighting several key mistakes the tactician made during his tenure. It all began with an air of overconfidence that stemmed from his past successes with Milan and Al Nassr. The Italian coach often declared himself among the country’s top managers, even taking subtle digs at peers such as Massimiliano Allegri and Luis Enrique. However, this arrogance backfired as results worsened and performances declined, with Pioli appearing to lose confidence with each passing game.

On the pitch, Fiorentina looked disorganised and lacked chemistry despite Pioli’s claims of productive training sessions. His frequent tactical switches between the 3-5-2, 3-4-2-1 and 4-4-2 formations only deepened the confusion, leaving players uncertain and disconnected. Pioli even tried deploying Fagioli as a deep-lying playmaker in a 4-4-2 system, but the experiment was abandoned after a draw against Como. His substitutions often worsened matches rather than improving them, exposing his poor in-game management.

Fiorentina’s summer transfer activity, conducted jointly by Pioli and sporting director Prade, also proved problematic. Pioli’s initial tactical plan relied on a three-man attack featuring Moise Kean, Edin Dzeko or Roberto Piccoli, and Albert Gudmundsson, leading the club to invest heavily in Piccoli. However, after a string of disappointing results, Piccoli was benched and the three-man attack was scrapped altogether, rendering that investment a costly misstep.

Pioli enjoyed success with Milan and Al-Nassr

Pioli was appointed as interim head coach of AC Milan in 2019, replacing Marco Giampaolo. He implemented a 4-2-3-1 system that revitalised the team and restored Milan’s identity. With the arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pioli brought stability and experience, helping young players such as Rafael Leao, Theo Hernandez and Sandro Tonali reach their full potential. Under his guidance, Milan qualified for the Champions League in the 2020–21 season after a seven-year absence. The following year, Pioli led the Rossoneri to their first Scudetto since 2011, marking a remarkable turnaround.

He continued to impress in Europe, guiding Milan to the Champions League semi-finals in the 2022–23 season before leaving the club in 2023–24. During his tenure, Pioli managed 240 matches, recording 128 wins, 64 draws, and 48 defeats.

In 2024, he took charge of Saudi side Al-Nassr, where he reportedly became the fourth highest-paid manager in the world. At the Riyadh club, he managed stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane, achieving 22 wins, six draws and six losses during the 2024–25 season.

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Getty ImagesFiorentina start search for a replacement

Fiorentina take on German side Mainz in the Conference League on Thursday as they look to appoint a replacement as soon as possible. For Pioli, the Fiorentina sacking will come as a setback, but given his impressive accomplishments with Milan, he will be hoping to find a new opportunity either in Italy or abroad.

Fast bowlers from both sides have contributed to a game moving in fast-forward in Centurion

Firdose Moonda01-Mar-2023A baker’s dozen of Anrich Nortje fans made up the biggest section of the crowd at SuperSport Park on Wednesday afternoon and they had a lot to do copying their cult hero.First it was the figure-of-four stretch which required them to balance on one leg, cross the opposite ankle over the standing knee and then crouch down to feel the stretch in the outer hip. With an afternoon’s worth of beers down them, some wobbled, some tumbled and others didn’t even bother, as Nortje switched effortlessly from one side to the next. Then came the more simple side stretch. Both legs on the ground, one arm up and over to the other side to give the obliques and lats a nice release. That was followed by the arm swing to warm up the shoulder joint and a bit of jumping up and down on the spot to get the legs ready. But the hardest bit came when Nortje jogged to his mark and was ready to bowl his third spell.In the previous two, Nortje threatened with the short ball and got the wicket of Jermaine Blackwood, who inside-edged to the wicketkeeper. West Indies meandered from that point and scored at 2.26 runs to the over and when they lost Raymon Reifer and Roston Chase in successive balls, it was Nortje time and his small army of supporters were more than ready.Related

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Twelve of them took their places on the edge of the grass bank, leaving one behind to pretend to be a West Indian batter. As Nortje ran in, so did they. Slower, obviously. As he released the ball, so did they. An imaginary one, obviously. They reached the edge of the boundary just in time to see Joshua da Silva cut the ball and Marco Jansen catch it. Nortje erupted in cheers and so did they. Pumped up, all of them, they went again.For the second ball, the crew arrived at their viewing point to see Jason Holder block it. As Heinrich Klaasen clapped and Nortje turned to head back to the top of his run-up, they clapped and turned themselves. As Nortje shook his head and muttered to himself, so did they. Was he reminding himself to hold the length back? He must have been because the third ball was a touch short and Holder left it alone. Nortje and his fans were getting into their rhythm.They readied for delivery number four and mock sent it down just as Nortje delivered another short ball and Holder was squared up, popping an edge to Aiden Markam at second slip. While the South Africans on the field high-fived Nortje, those on the sidelines patted each other’s backs. In the space of 17 deliveries, West Indies had lost four wickets for 10 runs and their middle order had been blown away. Some of it could be blamed on shot selection – da Silva failing to keep the cut down for example – but a lot of it on the pressure South Africa put on West Indies in the final session.Alzarri Joseph handed Temba Bavuma a pair on captaincy debut•AFP/Getty ImagesThat’s when most wickets have fallen in this game so far: 18 have been taken in the third session of day one and two combined, compared with six in the first two sessions on both days. Holder blamed it on variable bounce. “A couple of balls kept low,” he said. “On this pitch, I don’t think you’re ever in. You have to watch very single delivery, play as late as possible and when you get opportunities to score, just score.”No batter other than Markram, and to a lesser extent Dean Elgar and Reifer, applied themselves in that way. “He is well-balanced at the moment,” Holder said of South Africa’s first-innings centurion. He is really moving well and poised at the crease,” Holder said. “He looks like he has a little bit more time than everyone else and that’s because he is moving well.”Markram was back at the crease at the end of the second day because less than 50 minutes after Nortje ended the West Indies innings with a final spell of 5-2-7-4, his posse were silenced. Alzarri Joseph, Kemar Roach and Holder removed four of their top five, and the fans sat in a small patch of shade and looked on, stunned.Joseph, in particular, put in a big effort after completing his first Test five-for earlier in the day. He now has seven wickets to his name in this match and like Nortje, used the short ball to good effect. Elgar was dismissed for the second time in the match trying to ramp Joseph over deep third. He then accounted for Temba Bavuma, who became the third South African captain after AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis to bag a pair at SuperSport Park and was on his toes trying to defend a delivery that straightened on him and took the edge.In 2020, on tour to England, Joseph told that he was committed to Test cricket and wanted to become West Indies’ leading bowler in the format. This was a culmination of that dedication. “I am not surprised by his performance at all,” Holder said. “He came in quite young and he has learnt significantly over the time he has played for West Indies. I’m really pleased with his progress. Now that he has that first five-for, we’ll see a few more from him. He is leading the attack, running in and giving a lot of energy with the new ball.”Will that tempt the Nortje emulators to find someone else to copy on the third day? It’s unlikely given that there may not be that many more of them at SuperSport Park. Given the fast-forward nature of this match, it won’t last the full five days and cricket fans in South Africa may get their first weekend off since the SA20 started in January. More’s the pity because even though this hasn’t had the profile of the match taking place in Indore, Holder hopes it can bring the excitement of the recently completed match in Wellington, with South Africa 179 runs in the lead and only six wickets left in hand.”This game has created a really good challenge for us. It’s good for Test cricket,” Holder said. “If you look at the recent match between England and New Zealand – this could set us up for something like that.”

Jurgen Klopp has, having previously criticised the spending power of Manchester City, addressed Liverpool’s elaborate recruitment drive in the summer of 2025 that saw them smash records while splashing out £450 million ($603m). Ex-Reds boss Klopp claims that he would “never, ever” have asked for that kind of money from the Anfield board during his time at the helm.

Klopp delivered Liverpool trophies on a tighter budget

Klopp was able to make Liverpool competitive across his nine-year tenure, with Premier League and Champions League crowns being captured. His coaching CV would have been even more glittering were it not for the presence of Pep Guardiola and City – with the Sky Blues investing heavily in a squad that enjoyed domestic domination during Klopp’s time in England.

Liverpool have now shown that they are prepared to compete in the transfer market, with huge sums of cash being parted with when securing the signatures of Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Hugo Ekitike, Giovanni Leoni and Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Klopp has told podcast: “I had no clue that this is possible. Nobody ever told me that it’s possible that we can spend like that. My last year at Liverpool, we obviously (had) the adidas deal, the new stadium, all these kind of things – they earn more money. But never, ever I could have asked for that amount of money, but that’s not a problem. In that time it was not there, no problem at all.”

AdvertisementGOAL What Klopp said about Man City spending

Back in 2022, as City prepared to march their way towards a historic treble, Klopp said when asked if Liverpool could compete with Guardiola’s expensively-assembled squad: “Oh, you won’t like the answer. You will not like the answer, and you all have the answer already. Nobody can compete with City in that.

“You have the best team in the world and you put in the best striker on the market [Erling Haaland]. No matter what it costs, you just do it. I know City will not like it, nobody will like it, you’ve asked the question but you know the answer. What does Liverpool do? We cannot act like them. It is not possible. Not possible. It is just clear and again you know the answer.

“There are three clubs in world football who can do what they want financially. It’s legal and everything, fine, but they can do what they want. They will say: ‘Yeah but we have…’ but it’s exactly the fact. We have to look at it [and say]: ‘We need that and we need that and we have to look here and make it younger, and here a prospect and here a talent’ and that is what you have to do. And you compete with them.”

Isak & Wirtz backing: Klopp expects expensive stars to shine

Klopp has no complaints at seeing purse strings pulled a little tighter during his tenure, with that approach making his trophy triumphs even more fulfilling. He went on to say: “I love the fact that we were as successful as we were and built new stands and built a training ground, because we talk now about a transfer window in the way you want to talk about it, spend a lot of money, but there’s no discussion about the stands and no discussion about the training ground. They are second to none. The training ground and the stands are wonderful. In the same place where Anfield is, they could build pretty much a new stadium without leaving the old one, so that’s a fantastic story. And that will stay forever.”

Liverpool are yet to enjoy the return they are after from big-money additions to Arne Slot’s ranks, but Klopp is convinced that proven performers will come good. He added: “Isak is an incredible striker. Florian Wirtz, you will eat your words if you use the wrong words. He is an incredible talent. Ekitike is an incredible player. It’s a really, really, really good squad.

“If the young centre-half (Giovanni Leoni) doesn’t get injured, it’s a perfect squad. Now he’s injured, that doesn’t help. But besides the centre-half position, it’s a perfect squad. Two super left-backs, a really super-right back. That’s how you set a team up.

“Now you have to deal with the situation. They’ll all think they have to start the game but that’s a normal job. You’ll have this discussion of who will start in a week or two, and then in the third week one is injured and you’re happy that the other can start. That’s the world a football manager is living in. We don’t have to worry about Liverpool. They will be fine.”

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GettyLiverpool wobble: Four successive defeats under Slot

The Reds are enduring an uncharacteristic wobble at present. Having burst out of the blocks in 2025-26 with seven straight victories across all competitions – with the history books being rewritten by a flurry of late goals – Slot’s side have suffered defeat in each of their last four fixtures. A dramatic loss was endured at the hands of Manchester United last time out, with Liverpool set to be back in action on Wednesday when facing Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.