Tag Futebol

da aposte e ganhe： Leeds United are preparing to take on Southampton at Wembley in the play-off final on Sunday, with a place in next season's Premier League up for grabs.

da spicy bet： The Whites can seal an instant return to the top-flight by picking up a win against the Saints this weekend, which would then leave Daniel Farke and his team preparing for a huge summer transfer window.

They would need to bolster the squad to give themselves the best possible chance of avoiding an immediate drop back down to the Championship, which was the fate suffered by Burnley, Sheffield United, and Luton Town this year.

The Yorkshire-based outfit are already reportedly eyeing up a new right-back to add to the group should they win promotion to the Premier League on Sunday…

Leeds United's interest in Bundesliga ace

According to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Leeds have made contact over a possible deal to sign Borussia Dortmund defender Marius Wolf.

The reporter states that the Whites have "inquired" about a swoop for the German full-back, whose contract with the Bundesliga giants is set to expire this summer.

He states that the £55k-per-week ace is a "serious" option for Farke to bring to Elland Road ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, if they are in the Premier League.

However, Plettenberg adds that they face competition from clubs in Spain, Italy, and Saudi Arabia, which suggests that there could be a fight to land his services on a free transfer over the coming weeks and months.

If Leeds do win the race for his signature, though, then Farke could land an exciting partner for Italian forward Wilfried Gnonto down the right flank next time.

Why Marius Wolf could thrive with Wilfried Gnonto

The 28-year-old defender, who has played 22 matches in the Bundesliga for Dortmund this season, is a progressive and forward-thinking full-back who can bomb forward to link up with the former Zurich star in attack.

Wolf ranks within the top 15% of full-backs in the Men's Big 5 Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for progressive carries per 90 (2.95), as well as the top 26% for progressive passes per 90 (4.54).

This suggests that the attack-minded dynamo, who has still won 51% of his defensive ground duels in the league this season, is a very progressive player who consistently looks to drive his team up the pitch to find teammates in dangerous positions.

He also ranks within the top 19% of his positional peers in the aforementioned criteria for shot-creating actions per 90 (2.84), which illustrates how often Wolf can make things happen for his team in the final third.

This could allow him and Gnonto to thrive as an attacking pair down the right side as the Italian winger is a clinical attacker who could make the most of the Dortmund man's progressive play.

Related Leeds lining up swoop for 16-goal EFL star who'd thrive with Rutter

The Whites have been linked with a summer deal to sign the impressive centre-forward.

Posts ByDan Emery May 20, 2024

The 20-year-old star scored eight goals from 5.47 xG in the regular Championship season – the highest overperformance on xG in the entire squad – and this speaks to his ruthless nature in front of goal.

He also ranks within the top 9% of his positional peers in the second tier for progressive passes received per 90 (11.32), which suggests that Gnonto is constantly in good positions to receive the ball from deep.

The former Inter youngster could, therefore, thrive with Wolf's impressive ability to make progressive passes and create shooting opportunities from right-back, which is why they could be an exciting pair for Leeds if the club snap him up on a free transfer.

He is also sure of making a comeback in India’s white-ball side

Sidharth Monga27-Aug-2020

Ajinkya Rahane believes he should have been the No. 4 India were looking for at the 2019 ODI World Cup, a vacancy they failed to fill after trying various players. Rahane last played ODI cricket on the tour of South Africa in 2017-18 when his captain Virat Kohli called him a “strong candidate” for the No. 4 slot in the World Cup in England. Until then Rahane was seen as someone who did well at No. 3 but struggled if he had to start his innings against an older ball and a well-spread field.Kohli’s lifeline to Rahane – handed out under the impression that middle overs in England would feature more pace bowling than they do in Asia – lasted only one series, in which Rahane scored 140 runs in five innings.”I was actually thinking I will be there in the World Cup batting at No. 4, but it is gone now,” Rahane said at a virtual press conference. “You cannot think too much about it. My goal, my aim, is to come back into the ODI team, do well in white-ball cricket which I am really confident about. I don’t think too much about it [the World Cup], [but] yes, especially when I was playing county cricket when World Cup was happening…as a player everyone wants to be a part of the World Cup team, especially when you know you have worked really hard, your record in the past was really good.”But I always think of things I can control as an individual and how can I give my best and learn and get better as a cricketer. Right now my only aim is to do well for Delhi Capitals. And I am sure about my ODI comeback, and I do believe in myself. Not thinking too much about it, but yes at that time I felt that I should be there at No. 4.”Rahane maintained his record in ODI cricket was good when he was dropped. “If you see my record before getting dropped in ODIs, it was good actually,” he said when asked where he saw his white-ball career going. “People obviously talk about strike rates, people talk about averages; in the two years before getting dropped, my record was really good in 50-overs cricket.”I am really positive, I believe in myself, and it is all about that. Having that faith in myself rather than what people are saying. Just keep working hard, which I am doing in my career. I have the ability, I have the belief in myself, and I am sure I will be back in white-ball cricket.”In the two years before being left out of the India team, starting with the ODI series in Australia, Rahane batted 25 times and averaged 42 with a strike rate a trickle under 80. However, 17 of those innings came at the top of the order. So most of his ODI cricket in those two years came when one of the first-choice openers was missing. He could argue, though, that once identified as a potential No. 4 he didn’t get a long enough run.Rahane starts his new IPL season with a similar dilemma for his team management. He is best utilised as an opening batsman, but the side is filled with explosive openers: Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Jason Roy. They even have Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant with first dibs at Nos 3 and 4. Asked if he was asked to take up a finisher’s role, Rahane said he would be game to try it.”We are still in quarantine. We are still stuck in our rooms as of now,” Rahane said when asked if he knew what role he would be playing for Delhi Capitals. “What role I am going to play I don’t know. We will have to wait and watch. When we start our practice session, then only we will have that communication.”You know my character. I am always open to whatever the team asks me to do. I always give my best for that particular role. Having said that I always opened throughout my career. I always enjoy opening the batting. It is completely up to the team management what role they want me to play. I will 100% accept that. If they want me to bat 5 or 6, I will definitely accept it. It will be an opportunity for me as a cricketer to explore something new about my game.”However, the switch is not easy. As many a team has found out, starting an innings in the middle overs is the toughest job in T20 cricket. As Rahane himself said, you have neither the time nor the cushion of field restrictions at the start of the innings. “When opening, you know there are just two fielders outside the ring,” he said. “So you have the freedom to express yourself. Whereas in the middle order – 4, 5, 6 – you have to grind. You know the field is spread. The boundary options are fewer. In 50-overs cricket, still there are only four fielders outside till 40 overs.”The uncertainty around Covid-19 means the team management has not had the luxury of letting a player know his role well in advance so he can start training for it, but Rahane said five to six intense sessions should be enough for someone to adapt to a new role. Capitals hope they will start training on August 29; their quarantine ends on the 28th with one final Covid-19 test due on that date.

MatériaMais Notícias

da esport bet： A Ponte Preta inicia, nesta quinta-feira, a disputa do Campeonato Brasileiro de Aspirantes. A Macaca visita o Avaí, às 15h, na Ressacada, com um time composto em sua maioria por jogadores do sub-20 e alguns atletas que estavam treinando com o time principal e “desceram” para a disputa da competição. O zagueiro Douglas, que deve ser titular, falou da preparação.

RelacionadasPonte PretaZagueiro do Goiás estaria perto de se tornar reforço da Ponte PretaPonte Preta09/06/2021GuaraniNo Guarani, Tony ressalta competitividade na atual edição da Série BGuarani09/06/2021CearáNúmeros defensivos do Ceará pioram com ausência de Luiz OtávioCeará09/06/2021

da 888casino： TABELA
> Veja classificação e simulador do Brasileirão Série B-2021 clicando aqui

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

GALERIA
>Neymar vai passar Pelé? Veja os maiores artilheiros da história da Seleção

– Viemos trabalhando forte nas últimas semanas e estamos preparados para a competição. O time está entrosado, a gente se conhece bem e vamos fazer o nosso melhor. Estamos focados e com muita vontade de jogar e mostrar nosso futebol – afirmou Douglas.

O zagueiro, de apenas 16 anos, é uma das promessas da base da Ponte Preta que passou por um período de treinamentos com o time principal. Durante o Campeonato Paulista, Douglas foi levado para o elenco profissional e observado pela comissão técnica. Agora, de volta para a base, quer mostrar serviço para retornar de vez para o time principal.

– Foi uma experiência muito boa. Poder treinar com os jogadores do grupo principal, conviver com jogadores mais experientes… Isso ajuda muito no nosso desenvolvimento. Agora vou trabalhar pra ajudar o time sub-20, pra gente fazer uma boa campanha no Aspirantes, e quem sabe, voltar pro elenco principal – disse o zagueiro.

A Ponte Preta está no grupo A do Brasileiro de Aspirantes, com Ceará, Corinthians, Cuiabá, Figueirense, Grêmio, Juventude e Vitória. Na primeira fase da competição, os time enfrentam os adversários do outro grupo. Além do Avaí, a Macaca vai enfrentar Bahia, Coritiba, CRB, Fluminense, Fortaleza, Red Bull Bragantino e Santos.

The Bianconeri's new boss is overseeing a ruthless clear-out in Turin as he looks to put the Old Lady back on her perch

Federico Chiesa was just 22 when he inspired Italy to victory at Euro 2020. For a player coming off the back of a brilliant debut season at Juventus, superstardom beckoned. Alessio Tacchinardi was among those who tipped him to challenge for the Ballon d'Or "in three or four years".

Sadly, Chiesa's career has gone in a very different direction since then. The expected leader of the post-Cristiano Ronaldo era at Juventus has now been deemed surplus to requirements in Turin by new coach Thiago Motta.

Consequently, less than a fortnight before the start of the new Serie A season, one of the heroes of Italy's Euros win is searching for a new club – and worse still, no top teams seem to want to sign him. It's a shocking and sad turn of events for Chiesa, who was being courted by nearly all of Europe's elite after his heroics at Wembley in the summer of 2021.

Getty Images'Impossible to stop him'

Bayern Munich were particularly keen at the time, with then-coach Julian Nagelsmann making no secret of his admiration of the winger. "I've known about Chiesa for a long time," the German told , "and I find him exceptional because he often goes for a one-on-one, and then tries to shoot very quickly."

There was talk of the Bavarians bidding €100 million (£86m/$109m) for his services but, as far as Juve were concerned, Chiesa was priceless. He was to be the cornerstone of their new project, the dazzling dribbler that admired Ronaldo's work ethic and had developed a similar knack of stepping up to the mark in the biggest of games.

"After a season at Juve with Federico it is no longer a surprise for me," former team-mate Gigi Buffon told the after the Euros, "but it was not obvious when he arrived that he would be able to play at such a high level in a tournament like the European Championship. But he was unbelievable. In the final against England, it was impossible to stop him.

“When he joined Juve I didn't think he was so good, I have to be honest, but if you do those things at such a high level, then it means that you are really special."

AdvertisementGettyCruel twist of fate

However, Chiesa's development has since been cruelly checked by awfully bad lack. Not only has he been blighted by incessant injuries – Chiesa has been sidelined on 17 separate occasions over the past three seasons – he also had the dreadful misfortune to have Massimiliano Allegri as a manager.

Chiesa scored 14 times during his first season at Juve. He's managed just 18 since, though. The drastic dip in productivity can be partially attributed to the cruciate ligament tear he suffered in January 2022 that ruled him out of 10 months, but Allegri's painfully negative tactics caused Chiesa just as much pain.

Getty Images'Always the first to be taken off!'

Juve were utterly unwatchable for nearly every game of Allegri's second spell in Turin, with the coach rather indefensibly adopting a provincial mentality to managing the biggest club in the country. The net result was talented players being utterly wasted in a system ill-suited to their skillset, with Dusan Vlahovic, for example, so often left completely isolated as games passed him by.

Chiesa, though, was the biggest victim of Allegri's anti-football. One of the world's most exciting wingers was repeatedly played out of position as a central attacker and whenever he drifted wide, Allegri could be seen screaming at Chiesa to get back into the middle.

Consequently, the frustrated forward was regularly withdrawn for failing to do what was asked of him – usually around the 60-minute mark – and his displeasure was obvious. Indeed, on one occasion last season, he was even spotted shaking his head while lamenting, "I am always the first to be taken off!"

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

(C)Getty ImagesNew coach, no difference

In that context, Allegri's long overdue sacking should have been good news for Chiesa, particularly as the dour Tuscan's replacement, Thiago Motta, is a far more progressive coach who relies heavily on wingers in his preferred 4-1-4-1 formation. However, the 26-year-old is actually heading for the exit door himself now. In this regard, though, Chiesa arguably only has himself to blame.

Juve were keen to extend his contract – but on pretty much the same terms as his previous deal. Chiesa's agent has denied claims that he was seeking a significant pay rise for his client, but it's clear that that the two parties had wildly contrasting views on the winger's worth.

The net result is that Chiesa is set to become the first major casualty of the revolution that Motta and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli are overseeing at Juve. He won't be the last, though.

MatériaMais Notícias

da apostebet： No início do mês de maio, o meia Wellington Simião, aos 34 anos de idade, anunciou a sua aposentadoria dos gramados. O agora ex-jogador defendia o Brasil de Pelotas e já começou sua trajetória para ser treinador da equipe Sub-20 do Poços de Caldas, clube onde conquistou o acesso para o módulo II do Campeonato Mineiro em 2007.

da casino： >Tabela inicial da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro

Revelado pela Caldense, Simião jogou por Brusque (onde conquistou a segunda divisão do Catarinense em 2015), Coritiba (disputou a Série B do Brasileirão de 2018) e Avaí, jogando a Série A em 2017, entre muitas outras equipes do cenário nacional. Fora do país, Wellington teve somente uma experiência quando se transferiu em 2010 para o Buriram United, da Tailândia.

– Passei por muitos momentos difíceis, lesões, falta de pagamentos e cobranças que passaram do ponto. Mas tenho certeza que o saldo é positivo, conquistei títulos, acessos, e consegui formar uma carreira baseada no profissionalismo”. Disse o atleta, antes de completar:

– Não encaro nada em minha vida como um fim, e sim como uma oportunidade de recomeçar. Foram muitos anos me dedicando a esse esporte, tenho muito agradecimento por cada clube que me deu a oportunidade de realizar um sonho de criança, ser jogador de futebol.

Se especializando para ser treinador, Simião começou ainda como jogador. Ao todo, já são 32 cursos para fazê-lo um técnico de futebol em um futuro próximo. O foco agora está em tirar a licença B para comandar as categorias de base, a licença A, que libera para ser treinador nas competições da CBF, e a Pro, que serve para treinar equipes da Série A do Brasileirão.

– Agora é a hora de contribuir para o futebol como treinador, há muito tempo venho realizando vários cursos. O Poços de Caldas já me apresentou um projeto para comandar a equipe Sub-20, então estou iniciando meu trabalho e passando tudo que sei de futebol e aprendi nos meus cursos – finalizou.

da roleta： Falling against Manchester United in the FA Cup quarter-finals stung Liverpool supporters, but one bad result should not detract from a remarkable resurgence under Jurgen Klopp, who has revived his high-class squad and is now preparing to step down from his position at the end of the campaign.

da dobrowin： The German has brought illustrious success to an outfit that had fallen, quite dramatically, off its perch in the years before his appointment, but Liverpool's struggle last season was a by-product of inaction in the transfer market.

Since the influx of influential players in the earlier days of Klopp's reign, the £25m deal to bring Thiago Alcantara to Anfield was the lone midfield acquisition before last summer's frenzied activity.

The distinguished Spaniard has enjoyed a career laden with prosperity but, while winning silverware with Liverpool, he has failed to replicate the same lofty heights due to incessant injury problems, with the 32-year-old out of contract in the summer and having played just five minutes of football this season. It's unknown if he will feature again.

Still, as harsh as it may be it's probably for the best that he is headed for the exit, ageing and costing the club a large sum with a £200k-per-week contract. The fresh faces are relishing their responsibilities at the crest of the new wave.

Alexis Mac Allister is an elite talent; Domimik Szoboszlai is an elegant workhorse. Surprise signing Wataru Endo has been a bona fide success in the holding midfield. Ryan Gravenberch, aged 21, was the final piece of the puzzle and the last to join the project – immensely talented, he's yet to grow into his skin fully.

Why Liverpool signed Ryan Gravenberch

Gravenberch has been regarded as a top talent for several seasons now but he fell by the wayside after transferring from Ajax to Bayern Munich last season and started just three Bundesliga matches, failing to win over both Julian Nagelsmann and his successor Thomas Tuchel.

Klopp was a big admirer nonetheless and swooped in to secure the Netherlands international for £34m just before last summer's transfer deadline, with his multi-functionality and sublime technical quality speaking of his potential to succeed at the apex of the European scene.

As per FBref, the rangy midfielder ranks among the top 7% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 6% for progressive carries, the top 5% for successful take-ons and the top 6% for blocks per 90.

Ryan Gravenberch: Similar Midfielders

#

Player

Club

1.

Kevin De Bruyne

Manchester City

2.

Federico Valverde

Real Madrid

3.

Alexis Mac Allister

Liverpool

4.

Ilkay Gundogan

Barcelona

5.

Jude Bellingham

Real Madrid

Sourced via Football Transfers

These skills place him alongside some of the game's most creative and influential midfielders, with his likeness to Jude Bellingham particularly eye-catching.

Liverpool missed out on the prodigious England international last summer, pulling out of the race in April given the need to spread funds across multiple areas of the central midfield, with Bellingham thus completing a transfer to Real Madrid, rising to £115m.

The greatest faculty Gravenberch shares with Bellingham is probably his sublime quality on the ball, and while he doesn't boast the same prolificness as the man who has scored 20 times from his first 31 matches in a Los Blancos shirt, he's rounded and dynamic in a way that few can rival.

For example, the 20-year-old has completed 89% of his passes in La Liga, averaging 1.7 key passes, 1.4 tackles, 4.5 ball recoveries, 1.8 dribbles and 7.1 successful duels per match, as per Sofascore, proving that he's not just poaching goals in the final third.

While he's ebbed and flowed in performance for the Reds so far – described as a "passenger out of possession" at one stage by one Liverpool writer – Gravenberch is undoubtedly a high-calibre player and he might just have found the perfect stomping ground at Anfield.

Make no mistake, Gravenberch still perches in the maiden stage of his professional career but he's already worth a sizeable amount and could see his worth skyrocket in the years to come.

Ryan Gravenberch's market value in 2024

Since arriving on Merseyside, Gravenberch has seen his value rise, but the most exciting part is that he's barely scratched the surface of what could flower into a rich career at Liverpool.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Expand Collapse

According to CIES Football Observatory's valuation model, Gravenberch is currently valued at £51m, marking a 50% rise in price since his entry.

Moreover, he's worth more than goal machine Mohamed Salah, who is valued at £34m, which does seem a little low for the 31-year-old, who has wreaked devastation on defences this season and boasts 21 goals and 13 assists from just 31 matches in all competitions.

Salah is not exactly enjoying a rogue campaign of brilliance either, having netted 207 goals and added 92 assists across 337 appearances for Liverpool since signing from Roma for £34m back in 2017, near the start of the stunning rise under Klopp's management.

Interestingly, Salah arrived at the club for the same amount as Gravenberch, with the latter now capable of emulating his peer and seeing his market price balloon as he develops his qualities under the Anfield lights. Klopp might be closing the door on his tenure at the club, but Liverpool have everything that Gravenberch needs to grow into a world-beater at the forefront of the European scene.

There are of course teams that would pay a far greater fee to procure Salah's signature, with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad even offering £150m to snatch the Egyptian away from Liverpool last summer, but it's a testament to Gravenberch that he has risen in value nonetheless.

With so much room for growth, the Dutchman will have delighted Anfield bosses so far. With tweaks and refinements over the coming years, he might turn into a world-class machine down the line.

Mike Dodds will be pulling his hair out over who he should select at centre-back for Sunderland's next Championship encounter, with the issues in defence just piling up for the out-of-luck Black Cats of late.

Whilst Luke O'Nien being suspended and Daniel Ballard's availability being up in the air owing to a hamstring knock was already adding to Dodds' stress, the misery has been compounded even more now knowing that Jenson Seelt looks like he could well be out for the season in the heart of defence too with a serious injury.

As a consequence, Sunderland may well be cursing their luck that they allowed a certain defensive prospect to head out on loan to Scotland, with the versatile 20-year-old in question beginning to impress those at his new short-term club to the dismay of the Black Cats in their current predicament.

Nectarios Trinatis' time at Sunderland

Signed from Central Coast Mariners in far-out Australia just last summer, Nectarios Trinatis hasn't really been able to bed into the Sunderland starting lineup in his short time in the building.

The young Australian defender hasn't been helped by the fact O'Nien and Ballard are trusted in their centre-back duties as main starters for Sunderland when available, and so the 6 foot 3 new recruit found himself unable to break into the first team on a consistent basis as a result.

It would lead to the 20-year-old being given more minutes in the U21 fold over playing regular Championship football – where he made just two appearances – but he would end up amassing six games for the youthful Black Cats and even scored against Tottenham Hotspur U21s back in October.

In the January transfer window, off the back of his lack of minutes in the first team, it must have been viewed in Triantis' best interests to ship him out on loan to get more first-team experience away from the Stadium of Light.

Looking back now, knowing the dire situation Sunderland find themselves in at the back, this could prove to be a decision held with some regret.

Nectarios Triantis' time at Hibernian

Triantis has slowly but surely worked his way into the Hibernian first team up in Edinburgh, the nomadic youngster notching up eight appearances for the Scottish side since joining on deadline day.

Deployed as a defensive midfielder from at times during his fleeting spell with Hibs to date – making one appearance in that spot – Dodds and Co massively overlooked Triantis' versatility to plug gaps when a crisis crops up.

The towering 6 foot 3 youngster from down-under has excelled in spurts at centre-back away from showing off his eagerness to play wherever suits, winning six duels as an imposing presence versus Aberdeen just last month.

With O'Nien out for another game owing to suspension, alongside Ballard and Seelt being potential long-term casualties to the Stadium of Light treatment room, the powers that be at the Wearside outfit will be wondering why they didn't stick it out with their summer buy in case the injury list at Sunderland did somehow get longer.

Whilst the mood at Sunderland remains sour, Hibs manager Nick Montgomery will just be ecstatic that he has Triantis at his disposal who he has praised for being "versatile" and "strong" since walking into Easter Road as a relative unknown entity on loan.

Sunderland will have to simply make do with what they have when they face off against Queens Park Rangers this Saturday, Dodds praying that a seventh loss on the trot in the league isn't the outcome for his running-on-empty group.

Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Luis Campos has poured cold water on suggestions that Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal should win the Ballon d’Or, insisting the award has “no discussion” and must go to Ousmane Dembele. Yamal enjoyed an extraordinary season with Barcelona, but Campos highlighted Dembele’s treble-winning heroics with PSG as decisive.

• Barcelona star’s Ballon d’Or case questioned by PSG chief

  PSG’s sporting director Campos dismissed Yamal’s Ballon d’Or chances during an appearance on . He praised the teenager as a huge talent for the future, but argued that the award is about one season, not potential. In his view, Spaniards record, limited to winning La Liga with Barcelona was not enough compared to what others achieved.

  The 18-year-old was central to the Catalan giants' domestic treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana. His creativity, goals, and maturity lit up Spanish football, cementing him as one of the brightest prospects in the game. But despite his rise, doubts remain whether that resume is enough to challenge PSG’s headline star.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Campos shuts down comparisons with Lamine Yamal

  "We're looking at Lamine Yamal as a huge player for the future. But we're talking about a very specific season. The record has been decisive in all the previous years, and what has Lamine Yamal won? The Spanish league," Campos said.

  He added: "PSG has nine nominees for the Ballon d'Or. We're very happy and very proud. Other players also deserve to be there, like [Bradley] Barcola and [William] Pacho. Ousmane Dembele scored 35 goals and provided 16 assists. He was voted best player in the Champions League, best player in his league. He finished as the top scorer in his league. He won everything. Whether his name is Leo Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, there's no discussion."

  The sporting director also expressed frustration at the possibility of Dembele being overlooked: "If he doesn't win the Ballon d'Or, it's because the people who voted don't have the skills to vote for the Ballon d'Or. Because the stats he has and everything he's won are very strong. In my opinion, the one who clearly deserves the Ballon d'Or is Ousmane Dembele. For me, there's no discussion. I'm talking about the past season, not a projection on Lamine Yamal in the coming years. In this season, the player with the best stats and the most prominent in all competitions is Ousmane Dembele. [Achraf] Hakimi and Vitinha, who also won the Nations League, also had extraordinary seasons, but the truth is that the best player in the Champions League and Ligue 1 is Ousmane Dembele. The Ballon d'Or should be him."

• Dembele tipped as clear favourite after historic treble

  The French forward, who left Barca for PSG in 2023, spearheaded the club’s first-ever Champions League triumph last season. His 35 goals and 16 assists were backed by individual honours, including Best Player in the Champions League and Best Player in Ligue 1.

  Dembele’s dazzling false nine role and big-game moments made him indispensable as Les Parisiens secured a historic treble. Campos insisted that if the Ballon d’Or were judged purely on numbers and trophies, there could be no debate.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  What lies ahead in the Ballon d’Or race

  The Ballon d’Or will be announced on September 22, with both Yamal and Dembele named among the contenders. PSG boast nine nominees overall, including Hakimi and Vitinha. Both Dembele and Yamal will miss the opening round of Champions League group matches due to injury, but could go head-to-head on October 1, when Barcelona face PSG in a high-stakes clash.

Raphael Varane shared a message on social media after officially completing his move to Serie A side Como on Sunday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Varane joined Como on a free transfer
• Shared a message on social media
• Como will face Al-Nassr on Monday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The French defender left Manchester United earlier this summer after spending three years at Old Trafford. He was initially linked with a move to Inter Miami and clubs in the Saudi Pro League, but eventually decided to play under Cesc Fabregas at Como as he penned a two-year deal.

Advertisement

• WHAT RAPHAEL VARANE SAID

  After the official confirmation came from the Serie A side, Varane took to X as he quoted the club's post and wrote: "I’m super excited, incredibly proud and can’t wait to get started!!"

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The former Real Madrid defender experienced an injury-hit campaign in his final season with United as he remained sidelined for over a month with a muscle injury. He eventually appeared in 32 matches across all competitions, including the FA Cup final as they beat rivals Manchester City to lift the FA Cup.

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Fabregas' side will be next seen in action Monday as they take on reigning Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal in a pre-season friendly. Varane, however, could appear for the Italians for the first time on Saturday as they next face Wolfsburg in a second friendly clash.

Fast bowler was synonymous with England’s famous victory at Headingley in 1981

Andrew Miller04-Dec-2019Bob Willis, the former England captain and fast bowler who will be forever synonymous with England’s 1981 Ashes victory, has died at the age of 70 after a short battle with cancer.Willis claimed 325 wickets in a 90-Test career that began on the Ashes tour in 1970-71, when he was called up as a 21-year-old as a late replacement for the injured Alan Ward and played a full role in a famous 2-0 series win.Nicknamed “Goose” for his unconventionally loose-limbed approach to the crease, Willis was capable of extreme hostility with the ball, making him England’s one true answer to the West Indian and Australian pace batteries that dominated the 1970s and early 1980s.His finest hour came at Headingley in 1981, when – in the wake of Ian Botham’s counter-attacking 149 not out – he tore into Australia’s second innings in a frenzied display, pounding down the hill from the Kirkstall Lane end to deliver an incredible 18-run win with figures of 8 for 43.Botham would go on to describe Willis as a “tremendous trier, a great team-man and an inspiration – the only world-class fast bowler in my time as an England player”.Willis went on to lead England on 18 occasions in Test cricket, including the 1982-83 Ashes tour, where England were defeated 2-1 though not before pulling off a remarkable three-run win in the fourth Test at Melbourne.Replacing Keith Fletcher in the wake of the 1981-82 tour of India and Sri Lanka, Willis inherited a weakened team, shorn of a number of key players including Graham Gooch and Geoff Boycott who had signed for that year’s rebel tour of South Africa. But he went on to claim nine wickets in his first match in charge, against India at Lord’s, and would lead the side through to the visit of West Indies in 1984.Willis retired after the first Test of that summer as England’s leading wicket-taker, and second in the world overall, behind Australia’s Dennis Lillee. His national tally was subsequently overhauled by his long-term team-mate Botham (383), and more recently James Anderson (575) and Stuart Broad (471).He also captained England at the 1983 World Cup, where England were defeated by India, the eventual winners, in the semi-final at Old Trafford. He claimed 80 wickets at 24.60 in 60 ODIs overall, and was a member of the team that lost the 1979 World Cup final against West Indies at Lord’s.The fact that Willis endured as long as he did made him something of a medical miracle, as he had to overcame surgery on both knees in 1975 before going on to claim 899 first-class wickets at 24.99 in 308 appearances, the majority of them in a 12-year career with Warwickshire.After retirement, Willis went on to forge a career in the media, and was most recently an acerbic and popular pundit on Sky Sports’ post-match show, The Verdict. His off-the-cuff criticisms of England’s players were frequently robust but delivered with an undertone of humour, such as in the wake of England’s 2015 Ashes victory, when Joe Root mimicked his style while wearing a mask in a live TV interview.Willis’ family said in a statement: “We are heartbroken to lose our beloved Bob, who was an incredible husband, father, brother and grandfather. He made a huge impact on everybody he knew and we will miss him terribly.”Tributes poured in in the wake of the news, with David Gower, Willis’s friend and former England team-mate, telling BBC Radio Five Live: “I toured with him as a captain and I took over the captaincy from him and then had him as what was called in those days as an assistant manager. He was a very loyal friend and a loyal supporter. Without going into too much unseemly detail, it was an era where you were allowed to have more fun than you are possibly today. Various tours Down Under were colourful, let’s put it that way.””Bob Willis was my first England captain and a legend of England cricket,” wrote the former England allrounder Derek Pringle, on Twitter. “Headingley 1981 was as much his triumph as Beefy Botham’s – RIP Big Bob…”The ECB, who last year named Willis in an all-time England XI, also paid tribute to “a legend of English cricket” and “a perceptive and respected voice at the microphone”, adding that “cricket has lost a dear friend”.He is survived by his wife Lauren, daughter Katie, brother David and sister Ann.