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Argentina captain Lionel Messi congratulated his team-mates on convincingly beating Brazil, while appearing to aim a subtle dig at their arch-rivals.

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Messi sends message to Argentina playersAlso took swipe at arch-rivalsArgentina thrashed Brazil 4-1Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Inter Miami star did not join Argentina's latest camp for their March World Cup qualifiers due to injury, however, the national team captain did cheer for his colleagues from his home. After a thumping 4-1 win over arch-rivals Brazil on Tuesday, Messi took to social media to congratulate the world champions.

AdvertisementWHAT LIONEL MESSI SAID

On his Instagram story, the 37-year-old uploaded a collage of photographs of the Argentina players celebrating and wrote in the caption: "Inside, outside, wherever it may be with this national team. Always speaking through football. Congratulations on the great match you played last night and also on the win against Uruguay."

IG:@leomessiGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Messi's congratulatory message also appeared to carry a subtle dig at the Brazilian team. Barcelona star Raphinha had made an X-rated provocative statement to rile up Argentina before the game. The winger almost got involved in a physical altercation with a number of Argentina stars after the full-time whistle and was subjected to frequent taunts from the home fans.

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

Argentina are now qualified for the 2026 World Cup, but Messi has not yet confirmed whether he will play at the tournament in North America. His current focus in on regaining fitness to aid Inter Miami's latest bid for MLS Cup glory, with a clash against the Philadelphia Union up next for Javier Mascherano's side this weekend.

In a rematch of the 2024 playoffs, Miami exacted revenge on the club that knocked them out of the MLS postseason

Lionel Messi returned to the starting XI and scored for visiting Inter Miami as the defeated Atlanta United 2-1 Sunday night. In a rematch of the 2024 MLS round one series in which the stunned the and eliminated the Supporters' Shield champions, Miami came out on top.

One thing remained the same: late drama, leading to a late winner.

The hosts opened the scoring early, with MLS record signing Emmanuel Latte Lath thumping home a close-range header just 11 minutes into the match. That lead didn't last long, and it was Messi who made sure.

The Argentine brought Miami level in the 20th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error from Atlanta to score his first MLS goal of the season. Atlanta midfielder Bartosz Slisz sloppily gave the ball away outside the box, and after Messi found the ball, he dribbled past defender Derrick Williams to chip goalkeeper Brad Guzan.

Despite numerous attacking chances that followed, it was Guzan who remained stout, with the former U.S. international – who proved to be the difference in the postseason last November – standing on his head once again for Atlanta. The 40-year-old goalkeeper made six saves, denying the on multiple occasions, and making a world-class save near the 60th minute, denying Messi from close range.

The breakthrough arrived in the 88th minute, with substitute Fafa Picault heading home off a late corner to give Miami all three points on the road. The MLS veteran and Miami native smashed home his headed attempt across the box and into the back of the net for the dramatic winner – and he was instantly swarmed by teammates to celebrate.

With the result, Miami claimed first place in the Eastern Conference, leapfrogging the Philadelphia Union. However, they still trail the Vancouver Whitecaps in the race for the Supporters' Shield, with Javier Mascherano's men sitting second in the league standings.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Mercedes Benz Stadium.

Goalkeeper & Defense

Rocco Rios Novo (7/10):

Thrown into the XI with Oscar Ustari suspended and Drake Callender injured. Made a great save midway through the second half, was overall a positive.

Jordi Alba (6/10):

Worked his flank really well – but the final ball was never there from him. The could have used more service from him.

Maxi Falcon (6/10):

Powerful and consistent, but caught in moments. Needs to communicate with Noah Allen more as their partnership continues to grow.

Noah Allen (6/10):

Struggled in possession at times – nearly gave Atlanta a goal early in the second half after his pocket was picked inside his own box. However, he was composed in 1v1 situations off the ball.

Gonzalo Lujan (5/10):

Miami continues to not miss Marcelo Weigandt – a testament to Lujan's rapid rise. However, Saba Lobzhanidze was too much for the Argentine to handle on his own – the Atlanta winger beat him numerous times.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Sergio Busquets (7/10):

Veteran performance locking down the midfield when tasked. Calm, composed and controlled the tempo to a needle.

Yannick Bright (7/10):

Solid performance in the middle of the park. Progressed the ball well forward, and broke up the midfield when needed.

Telasco Segovia (5/10):

Really struggled to break down the Atlanta defense, was often lost in his attacking midfield role.

Getty Images SportAttack

Tadeo Allende (5/10):

Was pacey on the counter, but never made his presence truly known.

Luis Suarez (4/10):

Struggled to integrate from the opening whistle. Looked tired early on and never recovered.

Lionel Messi (8/10):

Scored the Miami opener, a menace in the attack as always. Big picture: he was reliable and an outlet for Miami in the attack, which was what they needed – and what's expected.

Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Benjamin Cremaschi (6/10):

Replaced Segovia, but never really found himself on the ball. Struggled to catch up to the tempo and insert himself.

Tomas Aviles (N/A):

Subbed on in stoppage-time.

Fafa Picault (9/10):

Instant impact. He only played 11 minutes, but he made every second count, scoring the game-winner.

Federico Redondo (N/A):

Subbed on with seven minutes to spare.

Javier Mascherano (4/10):

Severe lack of structure with the team going forward. There was no attacking identity. It was find Messi and see what he can do on the ball. The fullbacks failed to drive forward with the ball, and the midfield struggled with forward progression. A late goal saved them a draw on the road, but that shouldn't overshadow how poor they were on the ball in Atlanta's half – outside of Messi.

Arsenal are reportedly prepared to let four players leave this summer as they try to raise funds to sign a new striker.

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Arsenal to let quartet leaveHoping to free up fundsGunners search for new No.9Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Mirror reports that Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jorginho, Thomas Partey, and Kieran Tierney are all expected to leave the club this summer, with Arsenal eager to build a 'transfer war chest' for manager Mikel Arteta. However, only Zinchenko is not in the last year of his contract so it will more be about getting their wages off the bill.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Arsenal lost Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz to injury earlier this year, highlighting the club's desperate need to bring in attacking reinforcements. They have been linked with Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, among others, but if they fail to sign a new striker this summer, fans may turn on the Gunners. And the wait for a Premier League title looks set to extend to 21 years.

DID YOU KNOW?

The report adds that Tierney is likely to go to former club Celtic when his contract expires this summer and Jorginho seems destined to head to Flamengo but the future is uncertain for £17 million-rated ($22m) Zinchenko and Partey.

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Aside from injuries and transfer targets, Arsenal entertain PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday and boast a 7-1 lead from the first leg of their last 16 tie.

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)

23/11/2024

Riccardo Calafiori (Knee)

23/11/2024

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.