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There’s been a suggestion that one “hugely respected” chief is a favourite to replace Edu Gaspar at Arsenal, with manager Mikel Arteta’s key club ally departing N5 in what is a real blow for the Spaniard and Gunners.

Edu quits Arsenal as Arteta suffers week to forget

It’s been a really regrettable week at the Emirates Stadium, starting with Arteta’s side falling seven points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool in the title race after their damning 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United at St. James’ Park.

Why Edu Gaspar decided to leave Arsenal

It comes amid a tough start to the season for the Gunners.

ByBen Browning Nov 4, 2024

Alexander Isak’s only goal of the game secured Eddie Howe his first win since mid-September and Arsenal’s second top-flight loss in two weeks. The north Londoners have now gone three straight league matches without victory, and if that isn’t rectified immediately, their chase for a first domestic crown in 21 years is seriously threatened – even this early in the campaign.

To add insult to injury, the man responsible for Arteta’s hire and an array of key signings like Martin Odegaard has now left his post. Edu arrived back at the club in 2019 after originally donning Arsenal colours during his playing career, first taking up the role of technical director.

Takehiro Tomiyasu (Knee)

23/11/2024

Kieran Tierney (Thigh)

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Riccardo Calafiori (Knee)

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Martin Odegaard (Ankle)

10/11/2024

The South American was then promoted to sporting director three years later in 2022, with both Edu and Arteta playing a major role in building this Arsenal project together – liaising with each other on transfers and helping to transform the club from mid-table fodder back to an elite English side.

Evangelos Marinakis has made Edu a double-your-money offer to oversee the development of his club group, with the tycoon targeting him as a possible chief executive. Marinakis, who owns Nottingham Forest, Olympiacos and Rio Ave, has apparently lined Edu up for a key role leading operations at this trio of sides (The Telegraph).

“One of the key points that attracted Edu to Evangelos Marinakis’ project is control,” said journalist Ben Jacobs on X.

“Like Michael Edwards at FSG, Edu will take on a ‘CEO of football’ type role (title to be determined) and have the ability to lead on adding clubs.”

At Arsenal, the question is who will now step into the 46-year-old’s shoes. Arteta is set for a big say on how Arsenal replace Edu, and we personally think Bayer Leverkusen director Simon Rolfes would be a fine choice for Arsenal’s new transfer chief.

He’s just helped Xabi Alonso achieve a historic unbeaten season domestically, all while operating with fairly limited funds compared to that of Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich.

However, journalist John Cross of The Mirror believes someone else closer to home could actually be a favourite.

Suggestion Jason Ayto is a favourite to replace Edu at Arsenal

Writing a piece for the outlet on Monday, Cross has suggested that assistant director Jason Ayto is an “obvious choice” to replace Edu at Arsenal.

Ayto, who has worked closely under Edu and knows the inner workings of his former boss, is apparently “hugely respected” within the club and could be a major contender to take up the former Valencia midfielder’s mantle.

It will be interesting to see if Arsenal look internally, at candidates like Ayto, or focus more externally at outsiders. However, one thing is for certain, Arsenal’s hierarchy must make an informed decision and take their time – as Edu will be a very hard figure to replace.

In 2017 it felt like the end of something but tourists will hope Manchester in 2022 is the start of something else

Firdose Moonda24-Aug-2022

Keshav Maharaj bowls during a net session at Old Trafford•Getty Images

Manchester, early August, 2017.The end of a tour that started in mid-May and reached groundhog day. South Africa lost the ODI series, lost all but one of their games in the Champions Trophy early, lost the T20I rubber, lost at Lord’s and eventually also lost at Old Trafford to go home empty-handed and jaded.Manchester, late August, 2022.Close to the end of a tour that started in mid-July and has so far gone so good. South Africa shared the ODI series, won the T20I rubber and won at Lord’s. They’ve returned to Old Trafford with hope, and more importantly, belief.What’s changed?”We are more sound as a unit,” Keshav Maharaj, said. “We know what to do and go about our business a lot better. There’s more clarity and role definition within the team. That’s been Dean [Elgar]’s go-to mantra from the time he has taken over as the Test captain.”We had meetings before the West Indies tour and there was a lot of clarity put into place. The guys needed that clarity and it shows in our performances in the last year. He is a driven character. He is a very straightforward character. That’s what the guys needed – a little bit of a shake-up.”The South Africa of 2017 found themselves scrambling for solutions after Kagiso Rabada was suspended for a match, Vernon Philander fell ill during one Test and was injured for another and Chris Morris also picked up a niggle. They ended up going into the Manchester Test with only four frontline bowlers – Morne Morkel, Rabada, Duanne Olivier and Maharaj – and were found wanting. Now, they have six to choose from and five are certain to play. All of them are match-winners who slot into specific roles in the attack and who have made up for batting lapses.Since the start of 2019 to end of 2020, South Africa won four out of 12 Tests and their bowlers took 177 wickets at 35.64. Since the beginning of 2021 to date, South Africa have won nine out of 13 Tests and their bowlers have taken 240 wickets at 21.29.Interestingly, the person who made the most progress is Maharaj. Between the start of 2019 and end of 2020, he took 20 wickets in eight Tests at 60.60. Since then, he has taken 42 in 12 Tests at 21.21.Related

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Maharaj has matured as a player and is more attacking in his approach but he is also used differently. Rather than just a holding role, he is entrusted with wicket-taking and has been given the new ball on occasion. With it, Maharaj has taken 36 of his 152 Test wickets at 25.05 (below his overall average of 30.50). Two of those came at Lord’s, where he was given the ball in the eighth over of England’s second innings, with a plan to target Zak Crawley.Doubtless both Elgar and Maharaj would have been pleased to hear that Crawley will be in England’s XI again at Old Trafford but, as two of the three that played in England before, neither will take the hosts lightly and if they start to, the rest of the squad will pull them back in line. “We had the youngsters motivating us because they’re not carrying any baggage,” Maharaj said.In an “everyone is equal,” environment, which is how Elgar described the South African set-up, inexperience has immense value. “We’ve got a lot of young guys that haven’t had a lot of failures when touring,” Elgar said. “They don’t come with a lot of baggage, which is nice, but they don’t have a lot of experience, which they still have to gain.”Only three of South Africa’s squad – Elgar, Rabada and Maharaj – have played a series in England before, and even though half of the current squad played and lost in Pakistan in early 2021, the other half (apart from Simon Harmer in India in 2015) haven’t played, or lost much away from home.Keegan Petersen was part of a winning squad in West Indies; Sarel Erwee, Keegan Petersen, Kyle Verreynne, Glenton Stuurman and Lutho Sipamla were part of the squad that came back from defeat in three days in New Zealand to square the series. The sample size of just four away Tests is small but the point stands – this is a South African side mostly unscarred and so, unscared of foreign conditions.But they’re not just bullish, they’re prepared. While South African teams are known for training militantly, they are not always known for training smartly, something which has changed under Mark Boucher and his emphasis on upskilling. An example is Verreynne, on his first tour to England, who was impressive behind the stumps at Lord’s and was spotted putting in more drills, despite difficult personal circumstances, ahead of the Old Trafford Test. For at least an hour, Verreynne kept to Maharaj, who was bowling to a target on a full length on the practice pitch, and then practised wide catches from balls hit by a tennis racket on the outfield.Boucher, on his first tour to England in 1998, struggled against the swinging ball and ensured Verreynne is prepared. And if for any reason South Africa felt he wasn’t, Ryan Rickelton is in reserve, as more proof of the depth of their resources. “The competition within our squad is huge,” Elgar said. “It’s the strongest I have ever seen the competition. It’s healthy competition, it’s not malicious competition.”In 2017 when then-coach Russell Domingo was pushed out of his job with his replacement, Ottis Gibson, in the opposition changeroom, Domingo left Manchester not yet knowing but suspecting that his application to continue in the role had failed. He oversaw the first South African team to lose a Test series in England since 1998 after they drew in 2003 and won in 2008 and 2012. For South Africa, Old Trafford in 2017 felt like the end of something. They’ll hope Old Trafford in 2022 is the beginning of something else.

Phoenix batter downplays efforts, suggests Henry Brookes deserved match award

ECB Reporters Network11-Aug-2022Will Smeed expressed his joy at becoming the first-ever centurion in the Hundred’s history, after his stunning 101 not out helped Birmingham Phoenix to a dominant 53-run victory over men’s champions Southern Brave at Edgbaston.The 20-year-old struck his ton from just 50 balls to make him the owner of the highest individual total in the 100-ball format, eclipsing the 92 made by both Liam Livingstone and Jemimah Rodrigues last season.”I never really felt like I was close to a hundred until right at the very end,” he said. “I knew they were going to bowl wide to me, and I just tried to hit the ball.”I think my role is to just try and smack it at the top. I didn’t get off to a flier but I caught up and kept going from there.”Smeed, who recently made his England Lions debut against South Africa, was keen to heap the praise onto his teammates.”Everyone stuck their hand up today, everyone’s doing their job,” he said. “It felt like we were above par, it felt like if we bowled well and fielded well and stuck to our plans, we’d win the game, and we obviously saw that.”The way we’re set up, we’re looking to play positive, so if a few people can come off every game then that should leave us in a good position. There’s a lot of belief in the group that everyone playing can do a job for the team.”Will Smeed leaves the field of play unbeaten on 101•ECB/Getty Images

Seamer Henry Brookes took 5 for 20 on his Hundred debut, and player of match Smeed wasted no time in making sure his efforts didn’t go unnoticed.”Brooksy bowled amazingly. I feel like I’ve stolen [the award] off Brooksy,” he chuckled. “He got five wickets and two catches, but it’s a team game at the end of the day and we’ve all contributed. He should get all the plaudits.”The England prospect is now – quite understandably – looking forward to continuing his side’s momentum for the rest of the competition.”It was nice to get going, obviously we didn’t lose a game here [at Edgbaston] last year so let’s keep that going,” he said. “We had a couple of training sessions and that sort of made me feel good again, so whether we’re playing or training I don’t really mind.”

The points from the three matches are set to be awarded to Australia after the visitors effectively conceded the series

Andrew McGlashan13-Jul-2022South Africa have withdrawn from their ODI series in Australia scheduled for January 2023 and the hosts set to be awarded the ODI Super League points from the three matches.With South Africa effectively losing the series 3-0, it pushes them closer to missing direct qualification for the 2023 World Cup in India. They were already languishing at No. 11 in the table with just four wins from 13 matches. The top eight teams in the ODI Super League as of the cut-off date of May next year will qualify directly for the World Cup. The remaining five teams will compete with five Associate teams in a qualifying tournament for the final two spots.Last month CSA had made a request to CA to move the series, which was to take place after the three Tests, following the announcement of their new T20 league due to begin in January.However, in a crowded calendar no window has been found so the matches are cancelled.”Given these games will not be played before the qualification cut-off date in May, CSA has agreed that Australia will be awarded the competition points pending ICC approval,” a Cricket Australia statement said.One big knock-on effect of the series being scrubbed is that it means Australian players will be available for the BBL which will be a boost for that competition. The fixtures for the BBL are due to be released on Thursday.While Australia’s Test stars will still be absent for the first part of the tournament, those who would normally also play ODIs will now have greater availability and white-ball players, such as Aaron Finch, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa, will not be pulled out of the BBL for a 10-day period.CA has also made adjustments to the international schedule elsewhere to compensate Hobart – whose only international game of the season was due to be during the visit of South Africa – and Perth.The second men’s T20I against West Indies on October 7 will now be played at the Gabba instead of at the Metricon Stadium, with the first T20I against England on October 9 moved to Perth instead of Brisbane.Hobart will now stage the second women’s T20I against Pakistan on January 26 which had originally been scheduled for Canberra.”It’s disappointing to have another men’s international game removed from the schedule in Tasmania, it highlights the lack of international content that the state receives,” Dominic Baker, the Cricket Tasmania CEO, said. “However, we are working closely with Cricket Australia on our International fixtures calendar to see what opportunities can be pursued for our Tasmanian cricket fans in order to make up for this loss.”We’re looking forward to having such a high calibre of female players joining us here in Hobart, giving our fans the opportunity to experience and enjoy some international cricket this summer.”Nick Hockley, the CA chief executive, said: “It is disappointing that Cricket South Africa will be unable to contest the ODI series in January. That said, we are delighted to be hosting South Africa for the three Test series which includes the Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests and with the comprehensive schedule of international cricket that will take place across Australia throughout the summer.”

Amended fixtures

Men’s T20I series vs West Indies
October 5: Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast (N)
October 7: The Gabba, Brisbane (N)Men’s T20I series vs England
October 9: Perth Stadium, Perth

October 12: Manuka Oval, Canberra (N)
October 14: Manuka Oval, Canberra (N)Women’s T20I series vs Pakistan
January 24: North Sydney Oval, Sydney
January 26: Blundstone Arena, Hobart (N)
January 29: Manuka Oval, Canberra

da supremo： Aston Villa fans will be itching for more action to get underway when the international break is over and done with, with their team thrilling supporters for large patches of the early season so far.

da pinnacle： That was definitely the case when Villa unexpectedly toppled Bayern Munich 1-0 in the Champions League to start October off with a bang, whilst wins such as the 3-2 Premier League victory over Everton were also breathless in nature, as Unai Emery’s men fought back from two goals down to win the exhilarating contest.

Morgan Rogers has been one standout performer for his exciting side this season so far, having only really been used as a bit-part player last campaign, before turning into a definite on his manager’s teamsheet in the here and now.

Rogers' season so far

Only signing for Villa back in the winter window earlier this year, after walking away from Michael Carrick’s Middlesbrough for a shot in the Premier League, there would have been pressure on Rogers’ shoulders to impress making the step-up, considering his former education in the Manchester City youth team.

The youngster would go on to make 11 appearances in the top flight in the second half of 2023/24, scoring three goals, while this campaign it has begun to truly slot into place for the 22-year-old at Villa Park.

Rogers has one goal and two assists next to his name when playing in the Premier League this campaign, with both of those assists coming against Wolverhampton Wanderers at the end of September, where the youthful attacking midfielder ran the show for his side.

The exciting Villa number 27 would create three big chances in that eventual 3-1 win for his high-flying outfit, thankful for the likes of Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran for finishing them off, whilst his showing against Manchester United last time out nearly made the 0-0 draw come to life as the ex-Boro starlet fired two efforts at Andre Onana’s net.

Many punters at Villa Park will be aware though that Rogers isn’t the finished article yet by any stretch of the imagination, as he continues to grow and learn as a youngster plying his trade.

There’s even a former Villa man outperforming the £15m signing in his new surroundings this campaign, who the West Midlands outfit allowed to leave for nothing.

The player now outperforming Rogers

The player in question is Bertrand Traore, who suffered from an up-and-down time in England when on the books of Emery’s men.

After a stunning debut campaign saw him fire home seven goals and pick up six assists in league action, his importance to the cause would start to diminish, not helped by the fact the Burkina Faso international constantly found himself near to the Villa Park treatment room.

Traore’s numbers for Ajax vs Rogers at Villa (24/25)

Stat

Traore

Rogers

Games played

12

9

Goals scored

3

1

Assists

4

2

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Looking at the table above, however, the former Chelsea youth product is currently dazzling in his fresh surroundings in the Netherlands, having helped himself to three goals and four assists playing for Ajax across 12 games, compared to Rogers’ lesser three overall.

Of course, this is an environment the 29-year-old knows well having previously been on the roster of the Amsterdam giants before his switch to Villa, but it’s a welcome return to form all the same for the right winger who struggled during the latter stages of his time at Emery’s side.

He did have this up his sleeve at points though when starring with his ex-employers, leading to former Villa boss Dean Smith describing the experienced talent as “marvellous”, but it was a sorry end to his stay in the West Midlands when he was allowed to exit for nothing.

Now, that could be a regret on the end of Emery and Co, but the Spaniard will be content with the faces he has in his group at the moment regardless, as he hopes Rogers can kick on even more when football resumes.

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ESPNcricinfo understands an increased demand for tickets led to the association seeking government approval to throw open the entire stadium

Shashank Kishore10-Mar-2022The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru has been thrown open to 100% crowd capacity for the second India-Sri Lanka Test, which will be played under lights, starting Saturday. This is a change from the earlier approved 50% capacity. The decision comes following approval from the state government to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).ESPNcricinfo understands an increased demand for tickets led to the association seeking government’s approval. Nearly 10,000 tickets thrown open to the general public have been sold out for the first two days, according to KSCA treasurer Vinay Mrithyunjaya.Related

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The KSCA has also opened additional tickets from Friday to cope with the surge in demand, following their decision to throw open the entire stadium to spectators.”Considering the high volume of response and since there are no further restrictions for spectators, KSCA will be opening up sale of tickets for full capacity of the stadium,” stated an official release from the association.Bengaluru is hosting a Test for the first time since Afghanistan played their inaugural game in the city in June 2018. It last hosted an international fixture in January 2020, when Australia toured for a short ODI series, with Rohit Sharma’s century sealing a series win for India.Overall, this is India’s third day-night pink-ball Test at home, following matches in Kolkata against Bangladesh (November 2019) and Ahmedabad against England (February 2021). India won both those Tests inside three days.The city was initially slated to host the first Test, Virat Kohli’s 100th, but was later slotted in to host the tour ender as it would help facilitate a direct flight back home to Colombo for the visiting Sri Lankans.

da blaze casino： Arsenal could sign a future Spain mainstay in January, and it is believed he actually wanted to join them before summer deadline day.

Edu's rumoured Arsenal transfer plans for next year

da bet nacional： By sporting director Edu Gaspar’s own admission, weeks of planning go into each Arsenal transfer window, including over 180 pages of homework on one particular player alone.

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The Brazilian did extensive background on Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino, Neto and Raheem Sterling before bringing them to the Emirates Stadium, and he’s reportedly underway with more preparations ahead of 2025.

“You can’t sign for the sake of signing. It has to be a process that takes weeks and weeks,” said Edu on Arsenal’s recruitment policy in an interview with Estadao earlier this year.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games

Date

Leicester City (home)

September 28

Southampton (home)

October 5

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

Liverpool (home)

October 27

Newcastle United (away)

November 2

“On my desk, I have reports of over 180 pages on one player. It’s really detailed stuff. Physical, technical, mental profile, whether he has Premier League experience, whether he’ll be able to adapt. Everything. We analyse our deficiencies, where we can improve, where we can invest and then we go in search of that new name. We’ve been discussing what I’m going to do now since January. It’s not my decision or Mikel’s. It’s a group decision.”

It is believed that Arsenal are very keen to sign a prolific new striker next year, despite the form of Kai Havertz in a makeshift role. Arsenal are planning a potential bid for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, while Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres have also been linked very recently.

Arsenal planning January move for Joan Garcia

Espanyol keeper Joan Garcia, who agreed personal terms over a move to Arsenal in the summer (Fabrizio Romano), also remains a target – despite their acquisition of Neto on deadline day.

Reports earlier this week claimed that Arsenal are highly likely to bid for Garcia next year, with a report by El Periodico Mediterraneo sharing further news on the matter.

The Spanish news outlet, via Sport Witness, write that Arsenal could go back in for Garcia as early as January, which suggests just how highly Edu and Arteta rate the Spaniard considering they have Neto for the full season on loan from Bournemouth.

Garcia has started this season in fine form for the newly-promoted La Liga side, making an average of 4.67 saves per game so far, whilst conceding nine goals and keeping one clean-sheet.

“I like the personality he has, the style he has,” said ex-Espanyol keeper Kiko Casilla, who tipped Garcia to become Spain’s future star number one. “He is the future goalkeeper of Spain. He is the present of Espanyol and I hope he is also the future.”

The 23-year-old’s contract also includes a £26 million release clause, which may well be enticing from Arsenal’s point of view.

Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor has revealed that the ICC is about to “impose a multi-year ban” on his international career after he allegedly delayed reporting a corrupt approach “by an Indian businessman”. Taylor had met with the businessman in October 2019 after being asked “to discuss sponsorships and the potential launch of a T20 competition in Zimbabwe”.Taylor delayed reporting that meeting in India because, he said, he wanted to protect his family. He describes substance abuse having taken place during that meeting in a statement on Twitter, which he says led to him being allegedly blackmailed. “We had drinks and during the course of the evening they openly offered me cocaine, which they themselves engaged in, and I foolishly took the bait.” The men he had met, Taylor said, stormed into his hotel room the next day, and threatened to release video of the substance abuse unless he carried out spot-fixing for them. He was given USD 15,000 – which he said he took to flee India – and told it was a deposit for a future payment once the fix was carried out.Related

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“It took me 4 months to report this offence and interaction to the ICC,” Taylor said. “I acknowledge this was too long of a time but I thought I could protect everyone and in particular, my family. I approached the ICC on my own terms and I hoped that if I explained my predicament, my genuine fear for our safety and wellbeing, that they would understand the delay.”Unfortunately, they did not, but I cannot feign ignorance in this regard. I have attended many anti-corruption seminars over the years and we know that time is of the essence when making reports.”Taylor also said he had “never been involved in any form of match-fixing. I may be many things but I am not a cheat. My love for the beautiful game of cricket far outweighs and surpasses any threats which could be thrown my way.”The ICC has yet to comment on Taylor’s statement, and if he does – as he said – face a ban on his international cricket career, it’s worth noting he does not have much of one at the moment: in September last year he retired from international cricket, after a 17-year career.Taylor’s statement does reveal, however, some of the difficulties in playing for Zimbabwe, which led to him eventually being prescribed a strong anti-psychotic medication. He said that at the time of the incident he hadn’t been paid by Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) for six months “and it was questionable whether Zimbabwe would be able to continue playing in the international arena”.Another former Zimbabwe captain, Heath Streak, was banned by the ICC for breaches of the anti-corruption code in April 2021. Streak was coach of the side during the World Cup qualifiers in Harare in 2018 and revealed in a recent interview with that the coaching team had agreed to forfeit pay during that period, hoping that if Zimbabwe qualified, the ICC prize money for doing so would enable payments to be made eventually. Zimbabwe did not qualify for the 2019 World Cup.Taylor revealed that he will be “checking into a rehabilitation centre” from January 25th in order to deal with the substance abuse.”I will admit that the past two years have been incredibly challenging, both personally and professionally and it is from absolute rock bottom that I am trying to climb out of this mess I made. My family and friends have been incredibly supportive of me and it is clear to me now that I have a much bigger problem which for some time has needed addressing.”And so, I would also like to let you know that on Tuesday the 25th of January I am checking into a rehabilitation centre to get clean and to get my life back on track. I have to tell my story now because I know people will want to hear from me. To try and understand what led to this point. But for many weeks I will be away and trying to get better.”l owe it to myself and to my family to get clean and to put them first. I have let a substance take control of me and impair my vision, my morals and my values and it is time that I prioritise what really matters.”Taylor captained Zimbabwe in 71 games between 2011 and 2021 across the three formats. He was full-time captain between mid-2011 and mid 2014, before Zimbabwe went the split captaincy route and Taylor remained in charge only in Test cricket. Then, at the end of the 2015 World Cup, he retired from internationals and went to the UK on a Kolpak deal aged 29. In late 2017, he ended his Kolpak deal and returned to Zimbabwean cricket.

Cristiano Ronaldo had a bit of advice for Manchester City players as he backed Pep Guardiola's side to "come back" from their miserable run.

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Ronaldo gives opinion on Man City strugglesAdvises players to do the talking on the pitchBacks Real Madrid to defend their UCL crownFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ronaldo, who has won the Champions League five times during his illustrious career, was honoured at the glitzy gala in Dubai, collecting awards for the Best Middle Eastern Player and the Top Goalscorer of All Time. Speaking after being given his trophies, the Portuguese superstar backed Guardiola's side to recover from their current dip in form while emphasizing Real Madrid’s enduring prowess in Europe’s premier competition.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT RONALDO SAID

"Teams always have their good and bad moments. Now Manchester City have gone through a bad moment but they will come back," he said at the Globe Soccer Awards.

"I would tell City to their players that they have to show more and not talk now. The great players know where the problem is."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Shifting the focus to one of his former clubs, Ronaldo praised Real Madrid for their consistent ability to shine in the Champions League. Despite some early setbacks this season, which see them reeling at the 20th spot in the Champions League with just nine points in six games, he predicted that the Spanish giants would once again assert their dominance on the European stage.

"As for Madrid, in the end they are always there, you can never give them up for dead," he said. "I would bet on Real Madrid winning the Champions League again because all the other teams are scared when they play Madrid at the Bernabeu. I would bet on Madrid because they always come back. They had difficulties at the beginning, but then they have improved."

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER CITY?

Ronaldo’s comments come at a critical juncture for City, who are striving to regain their rhythm. Injuries and a stretched squad have hindered their usual high standards, but Guardiola’s men will look to turn things around when they face Leicester City on Sunday. The Foxes, currently battling relegation, could offer City the opportunity to rebuild confidence and return to winning ways.

Aston Villa are gearing up for one of their most important seasons in recent memory. Not only does Unai Emery have the momentum behind him after a fourth-place finish in the Premier League last term, but he is able to look forward to taking his team into the Champions League next season.

This wonderful campaign has allowed the Spaniard to strengthen his squad with some excellent signings. The likes of Ian Maatsen, Jadon Philogene and Amadou Onana could all take the club to the next level.

Could it be a sign of things to come? As it appears this could be the beginning of what might turn out to be one of the finest eras in the club’s recent history.

Such is their current stature, the Midlands outfit are now looking at signing a midfielder who was most recently playing for Barcelona…

Aston Villa's first five Premier League fixtures of 2024/25
West Ham United	Away (August 17)
Arsenal	Home (August 24)
Leicester City	Away (August 31)
Everton	Home (September 14)
Wolverhampton Wanderers	Home (September 21)
Via Sky Sports

Aston Villa's search for a midfielder

According to Catalunya Radio, reporting via ‘Tot Costa’ X account, Villa are reportedly one of the clubs that are best positioned to make a move for midfielder Sergi Roberto.

West Ham United and Ajax are the other two frontrunners mentioned in the pursuit of the 32-year-old gem, yet Villa are the only club to be able to offer Champions League football next season.

His contract expired at the end of last season and while Deco wishes for him to stay with Barcelona, it looks like he is ready to try a new challenge.

Might the Premier League await in the coming days? Especially considering that he could be an ideal replacement for Douglas Luiz.

How Sergi Roberto compares to Douglas Luiz

The Brazilian midfielder departed Villa for Juventus a few weeks ago as Emery needed to sell players in order to comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations.

Luiz made a total of 53 appearances last term, registering 20 goal contributions – ten goals and ten assists – in all competitions, becoming a key player for the club.

As such, this level of performance led to plenty of interest in the former Manchester City starlet, and it was clear he was going to be on the move this summer.

Roberto is the first-most comparable player to Luiz, according to FBref, which suggests that he could be an ideal replacement for the Brazilian next season.

Spaniards to make an appearance for Aston Villa
Player	Club signed from	Appearances
Pau Torres	Villarreal	39
Alex Moreno	Real Betis	48
Jota Peleteiro	Birmingham City	16
Pepe Reina	AC Milan	12
Borja Baston	Swansea City	2
Adama Traore	Barcelona	12
Jose Crespo	Córdoba	2
Carlos Gil	Valencia	34
Antonio Luna	Sevilla	18
Carlos Cuellar	Rangers	121
Via Transfermarkt

Indeed, the pair registered similar statistics with regard to shots per 90 (1.05 vs 1.32), pass success rate (89% vs 85.7%), goal-creations per 90 (0.31 vs 0.30) and successful take-on percentage (50% vs 51.1%).

These figures clearly show just how alike they are statistically, indicating that signing the Spaniard could be a logical transfer this summer in order to fill the void left by Luiz.

He may be nearing the end of his career, but the 32-year-old could add some vital experience to the Villa starting XI in the Champions League next season.

Sergi Roberto’s season in numbers

Roberto played just 14 times in La Liga during the 2023/24 campaign, with only ten starts, yet he still managed to showcase his abilities during his time on the pitch, hailed as "extraordinary" by then-boss, Xavi Hernandez.

Not only did the midfielder score three goals and grab two assists, but he also finished the season with a 90% pass success rate, averaged 0.6 key passes per game and completed 75% of his dribble attempts.

Defensively, Roberto won over 50% of his total duels, recovered 3.1 balls per game and was dribbled past on just 0.6 occasions per match.

Capable of contributing both going forward and defensively, his presence at the heart of the Villa midfield would give Emery another option to call upon, thus improving his squad depth.

Could he even form a partnership with Onana in the Villa midfield?

Amadou Onana and Sergi Roberto could shine together

Onana arrived at Villa Park in a deal worth around £50m, a significant outlay for the club, but one that Emery will hope can take his side to the next level in Europe.

The Belgian machine showed exactly why Emery splashed the cash on him during Euro 2024, starring as one of Belgium’s better performers.

Indeed, he won a staggering 78% of his total duels – 5.3 per game – while also losing possession just 6.3 times per game, making two tackles and recovering 2.8 balls per game as the nation went out at the last 16 stage.

When compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, Onana ranks in the top 8% for tackles (3.06) and the top 6% for aerials won (2.24) per 90 over the previous 365 days. These defensive statistics clearly show what the 22-year-old could offer Villa next season.

Adding in a player like Roberto, who possesses a wealth of experience for one of the biggest clubs in the world, could be a solid piece of transfer business.

There is no doubt he brings a winning mentality to the Premier League, having won seven La Liga titles and two Champions League crowns, making a total of 307 appearances in total across both competitions.

Former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique praised Roberto previously, dubbing him “marvellous” and his attacking qualities could see him shine alongside Onana as Luiz 2.0 in essence.

Indeed, compared to his positional peers, Roberto ranks in the top 2% for non-penalty goals (0.25), top 5% for assists (0.25) and 4% for touches in the opposition penalty area (3.22) per 90 across Europe’s top five leagues.

Considering how often he played domestically last term, these statistics are certainly impressive. Emery would surely utilise him more than what Xavi did last term, meaning he could improve on these numbers during the 2024/25 campaign.

While he may demand a high wage, signing Roberto on a free transfer would add some steel to the heart of the midfield, especially since Luiz has departed for Turin.

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By
Ross Kilvington

Jul 25, 2024