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Enzo Maresca tore into his Chelsea players following Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Qarabag. The Blues were expected to ease to victory in Azerbaijan in their early Champions League clash but were forced to share the spoils despite dominating for large periods. And the Italian pulled no punches as he criticised his side at both ends of the pitch following the midweek stalemate.

AFPChelsea come from behind to rescue a point

Estevao had put Chelsea ahead in the 16th minute, hitting the back of the net with a low, near post effort as he struck for the second European appearance running. The Blues were expected to push on to secure a crucial three points in their bid to make the next round of the Champions League.

However, Chelsea's lead lasted just 13 minutes as Leandro Andrade hauled Qarabag level on the half-hour mark. And Qarabag were ahead shortly before the break as Marko Jankovic tucked past Robert Sanchez from 12 yards after Jorrel Hato, who was at fault for Andrade's equaliser, handled the ball in the Chelsea box.

Alejandro Garnacho, who came on for the second half, netted Chelsea's second in the 53rd minute, but despite a dominant display the Blues were unable to add a third and secure an away victory. The 2-2 draw leaves Chelsea as one of seven teams mired in mid-table with seven points from the opening four games.

Advertisement'The big difference today for me was inside the box'

And Maresca pulled no punches at full time as he criticised Chelsea's defence and attack in a game they really should be winning. "No, I think I said before, the big difference today for me was inside the box," Maresca said at his press conference.

"The goal we conceded, they are silly goals for me. In their box, for the amount of times that we arrived, we have not been clinical enough. So this is the big difference for me."

And on Hato, who endured a performance to forget at centre-back, the Blues boss added: "I think Jorrel, like the team, started very good. We were winning the game, we were in control.

"Then we started to make some mistakes that we need to improve and we need to avoid and for sure in the future we're going to avoid that."

Getty Images SportPraise for Garnacho but concern over injured Lavia

Maresca opted for a triple change at the break as Enzo Fernandez, Liam Delap and Garnacho replaced Andrey Santos, Tyrique George and Jamie Gittens for the second half, while the Chelsea head coach was forced into an early sub as Moises Caicedo replace Romeo Lavia before Estevao's opener. Garnacho bagged his second Chelsea goal since his summer arrival from Manchester United to spare the Blues' blushes.

And on the decision to leave the former trio on the bench, Maresca said: "Again, when you start the game, the intention is always because you are sure that the ones that start the game, they are able to do the right things."

The former Leicester boss also reserved praise for Garnacho, who made Champions League history on Wednesday, adding: "Now, when you don't win, I can understand that it's always, but I think Garnacho, he has done well in the second half. We gave him the chance. He's slowly, slowly improving."

Lavia, who has endured rotten luck with injuries following his arrival from Southampton in 2023, came off after just eight minutes on his fourth start of the season. When asked how the Belgian is, Maresca said: "Yeah, we feel very ashamed especially for him because he's not able to be fit for a long, long period. We will see now as it's too early to understand what kind of injury. Hopefully it's not a big injury.

"No, I think it's a quad injury," he replied when asked if his withdrawal was due to a hamstring injury.

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Chelsea looking to bounce back against Wolves

While the result was disappointing, Chelsea have now lost only one of their last eight matches in all competitions, winning six times in that run. One of those was a 4-3 victory at Wolves in the Carabao Cup last month, a match in which Chelsea were three goals to the good at the break.

And the Blues welcome the manager-less West Midlands side to Stamford Bridge this weekend as they look to head into the international break on a high. Wolves sit rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table having collected just two points from the opening 10 games of the season.

A 3-0 loss at Fulham cost Vitor Pereira his job as Wolves head coach and after Gary O'Neil ruled himself out of the running to succeed the Portuguese boss, Rob Edwards and Erik ten Hag are the rumoured frontrunners to take over the Molineux hot-seat.

It’s been barely a month since the 27-year old made his international debut, but he has been around the T20 circuit for a while

Omkar Mankame24-Nov-2025Mystery spinner Usman Tariq secured Pakistan’s entry into the T20I tri-series final with a hat-trick against Zimbabwe in Rawalpindi. It’s been barely a month since the 27-year old made his international debut, but he has been around the T20 circuit for a while.Tariq made his T20 debut for Peshawar in the National T20 Cup in November 2023 and featured in the 2024 PSL but did not make an impact. A strong 2024-25 domestic season, where he picked up 22 wickets in 15 matches, revived his prospects.Tariq’s action is unmistakable: a normal run-up followed by an exaggerated pause at release, almost coming to a complete stop for up to two seconds before delivering side-arm, slinging offbreaks. It’s unconventional, deceptive, and central to his mystery.Related

• Usman Tariq reported for a suspect action for the second time in a year

• Babar 74, Tariq hat-trick take Pakistan into final

He has been reported for suspect action twice so far, first flagged during the 2024 PSL. He was cleared after testing at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore and continued bowling but was reported again in the next PSL. He passed the assessment again.Tariq played an important role in Quetta Gladiators’ run to the 2025 PSL final, taking ten wickets in five matches, including a three-for in Qualifier 1. In the CPL, he bagged 20 wickets in 10 games for champions Trinbago Knight Riders, finishing as the tournament’s second-highest wicket-taker.Tariq impressed on his T20I debut in Lahore by removing Reeza Hendricks and Dewald Brevis, helping Pakistan restrict South Africa to 139 for 9 in the series-clinching win. In his second outing, he finished with 4 for 18 – including that hat-trick – against Zimbabwe to cap a sparkling start to international cricket.

Quite how it has all come to this continues to be debated, but the fact of the matter is that Mohamed Salah could be nearing the end of his glorious spell at Liverpool.

It was just over six months ago that the Egyptian sat atop his throne, Premier League champion for the second time at Anfield and fresh from signing a bumper new deal to end months of speculation.

The main man under Jurgen Klopp, the ex-Chelsea winger appeared to go to an even higher level following Arne Slot’s arrival, ending 2024/25 with a ridiculous tally of 57 goals and assists in all competitions.

Like all good things, however, an end is now in sight, with the 33-year-old’s AFCON involvement, alongside the looming January window, sparking suggestions that he could have already turned out in Red for the final time.

It would not be a fitting way to bow out, yet rarely do even the brightest and best get the send-off nor the finale they deserve. Even the great Steven Gerrard had to fly the nest for MLS to see out his playing days.

Regardless of whether a departure does occur in January or over the summer, Salah appears to have made his long-term future untenable – now to find a suitable replacement…

Latest on Liverpool's search to replace Salah

Rumours are already swirling regarding Salah’s potential next move, with reports last week suggesting that Turkish giants Galatasaray are among the clubs to have made an offer to the ageing sensation.

The Reds are unlikely to receive anywhere close to the reported £200m bid that was lodged from Saudi Arabia two years ago, although there would surely be a hope to cash in for as much as possible, in order to reinvest those funds on a replacement.

There have been continued claims that Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo has been earmarked as one of the more high-profile options to help fill the void, while TEAMtalk are reporting that FSG could also look to the Bundesliga to find their next Anfield star.

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Indeed, as per the report, the Merseysiders are accelerating their interest in RB Leipzig teenager, Yan Diomande, having begun negotiations with the 19-year-old’s representatives.

While no bid has yet been placed for the £88m-rated wideman, the piece does note that Liverpool are engaged in almost ‘daily contact’ with his agent, ahead of making what would likely be a summer move.

That’s not to say that a January move is completely ruled out for the in-demand starlet – who is fielding interest from across Europe – with it yet to be seen whether the reigning Premier League champions will firm up their interest with a winter offer.

How Diomande compares to Semenyo & Salah

As stated above, a leading target to replace Salah is, of course, the aforementioned Semenyo, with the Ghanaian available for £65m due to the presence of a release clause in his Cherries contract.

Whether he would represent an alternative or a possible teammate for the 25-year-old remains to be seen, although Diomande is an equally as exciting talent who could reinvigorate Slot’s forward line.

Semenyo has been one of the Premier League’s leading figures this season with nine goals and assists to date, although Diomande has dazzled during his breakthrough year in the Bundesliga, chipping in with eight goal involvements himself for Leipzig.

That includes a stunning hat-trick during the weekend win over Eintracht Frankfurt, a performance that only served to reinforce just why the promising Ivorian is being watched so closely.

Fleet of foot and with pace to burn, the comparisons to Semenyo are also there to see, with The Athletic’s Seb Stafford-Bloor noting that Diomande is “physically similar” to the Bournemouth star, “but with all the same skill and touch”.

Diomande vs Salah – 25/26 League stats
Stat (*per game)	Diomande	Salah
Games	13	13
Starts	9	12
Goals	6	4
Assists	2	2
Big chances missed	2	6
Big chances created	2	5
Key passes*	1.0	2.2
Pass accuracy*	82%	75%
Successful dribbles*	2.8	0.8
Stats via Sofascore

The respected Bundesliga insider, writing on X back in November, did hint that the teen is “not ready yet” for a Premier League move, although Liverpool would be wise to get ahead in the race for his signature, even if it means waiting to strike next summer.

That said, there’s no reason why he couldn’t come in and hit the ground running in January, if a deal were to be struck, with the youngster currently comparing favourably to his fellow wingers across Europe’s top five leagues.

As per FBref, he ranks in the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90, while also ranking in the top 2% for progressive carries per 90, highlighting just what an elite dribbler and ball-carrier he is.

Semenyo’s own quality in that regard was evident on the opening day, as he ran the length of Anfield unopposed, before coolly converting in that mad-cap 4-2 win for Slot’s side.

The prospect of potentially adding both the ex-Bristol City man and Diomande into the fold in 2026 would be a truly exciting one, with two Semenyo-esque figures perhaps what is needed to provide an upgrade on the flanks.

Revealed: The Salah decision Richard Hughes has made at Liverpool today

Mo Salah has been omitted form the Liverpool squad this week.

3

By
FFC Staff

4 days ago

The final week of the MLB regular season promises to be a memorable one. While three teams have clinched divsion titles thus far and another five have clinched postseason berths, much has yet to be decided. The Guardians' incredible surge to the top of the American League Central—and the Tigers' collapse—has made a division race that was seemingly decided in August now up for grabs in September. The same can be said for the AL East race, where the Blue Jays' seemingly sturdy lead slipped through the club's fingers, and they are now tied with the Yankees atop the division with four games to play. Toronto owns the tiebreaker.

Plus, the races for the third wild-card spots in both leagues, in which as many as five teams are involved, figure to come down to the wire, potentially to the season's final day.

But much has also been decided already, and plenty of teams have already been eliminated from postseason contention. To keep you updated on the goings-on, here's a live list of the teams who officially won't be playing October baseball this year.

Every MLB Team Eliminated From the 2025 Playoffs So Far

Team

Date Eliminated

Colorado Rockies

August 24

Chicago White Sox

September 6

Washington Nationals

September 13

Minnesota Twins

September 13

Los Angeles Angels

September 14

Pittsburgh Pirates

September 15

Baltimore Orioles

September 16

Oakland Athletics

September 17

Tampa Bay Rays

September 19

Atlanta Braves

September 19

Kansas City Royals

September 23

Texas Rangers

September 23

San Francisco Giants

September 23

St. Louis Cardinals

September 24

Miami Marlins

September 25

Arizona Diamondbacks

September 26

Houston Astros

September 27

Who's clinched a playoff berth?

Team

Date Clinched

Milwaukee Brewers

September 13

Philadelphia Phillies

September 14

Chicago Cubs

September 17

Los Angeles Dodgers

September 19

Toronto Blue Jays

September 21

San Diego Padres

September 22

New York Yankees

September 23

Seattle Mariners

September 23

Boston Red Sox

September 26

Detroit Tigers

September 27

Cleveland Guardians

September 27

Who's still left in the race for MLB Playoffs? New York Mets

The Mets' second-half swoon has them in a race to the playoffs that will, after their victory over the Marlins on Saturday, come down to the season's final day. To avoid a tiebreaker that will result in their elimination, the Mets need to win and the club needs the Reds to lose.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds have seemingly dug their heels in and refused to fall out of the postseason chase, as they've played middling baseball since the All-Star break but have been aided by the lackluster play of the Mets. Cincinnati, owns a tiebreaker over the Mets, so it just needs to tie with New York, at the worst, to make the postseason.

Ryne Sandberg, a Hall of Fame second baseman and third baseman for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies, died Monday, per the Cubs. He was 65.

Sandberg was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer in 2024, and though he was briefly cancer-free later that year, the disease came back. He threw out the first pitch before Chicago's home opener as recently as April.

Born in Spokane, Wash., Sandberg was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies and played 13 games with them in 1981. He was traded to the Cubs in Jan. 1982 in a move the Phillies would come to sorely regret.

After two solid seasons as a regular, Sandberg became a superstar in 1984. He slashed .314/.367/.520 with 19 home runs and 84 RBIs, leading the National League in bWAR, runs and triples. With his help, Chicago stopped its infamous postseason drought at 39 years, winning the East Division title.

It was the first of 10 All-Star years with the Cubs, who he also helped make the playoffs in 1989. He led the league in runs on two other occasions, and added a 40-home run season in 1990.

Well-liked throughout the game and long a strident evangelist of baseball's fundamentals, Sandberg managed Philadelphia from 2013 to '15. He went 119-159 in three seasons.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Grêmio visita o São Luiz nesta quarta-feira (28), pela Recopa Gaúcha. A bola rola a partir das 19h30 (de Brasília), no Estádio 19 de Outubro, em Ijuí, com transmissão do SporTV e do Premiere.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

✅FICHA TÉCNICA
São Luiz x Grêmio
Final – Recopa Gaúcha

Data e horário: quarta-feira, 28 de fevereiro de 2024, às 19h30 (de Brasília)
Local: Estádio 19 de Outubro, em Ijuí (RS)
Onde assistir: SporTV e Premiere

⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES

SÃO LUIZ
Raul; João Vitor, Bruno Jesus, Thalheimer e Márcio Duarte; Lucas Hulk, Gabriel Davis, Dal Pian e Borasi; Sodré e Gabriel Pereira. Técnico: Alessandro Telles.

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GRÊMIO
Caíque; Fábio, Bruno Uvini, Gustavo Martins e Wesley; Ronald, Nathan, Galdino (Nathan Fernandes) e Rubens (Cristaldo); Besozzi (Pavon) e André Henrique. Técnico: Renato Portaluppi.

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Head coach defends planned break between Brisbane and Adelaide Tests with series on line

Matt Roller07-Dec-2025

Brendon McCullum shakes hands with his players•AFP/Getty Images

Brendon McCullum claimed that his England team were “over-prepared” for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane and defended their planned trip to the resort town of Noosa before travelling to Adelaide.England trained five times – once at Allan Border Field, and four times at the Gabba – before the second Test, opting against pink-ball match practice against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra. They were heavily beaten, losing by eight wickets after four energy-sapping days in the heat, and McCullum suggested that their decision to ramp up their training had backfired.”Leading into this Test match, I actually felt like we over-prepared, to be honest,” McCullum told Australian broadcaster Channel 7. “We had five intense training days. When you’re in the heat of the battle, as we all know, sometimes the most important thing is to feel a little bit fresh and make sure your top two inches [of your head] is completely sound.Related

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“I think the boys just need a few days off, and probably need to just change up a few of the training methods a little bit. I’m a horse-racing man, and you wouldn’t just keep doing the same thing with your horse, you’d send it around in figure-eights or over the little jumps, just to try and switch it on a bit. We’ll look at some alternative methods over the next few days.”England’s preparation has been heavily criticised throughout this tour, specifically their decisions to play a single warm-up match against the Lions squad at Lilac Hill, a club ground in Perth, and to turn down the opportunity to play the pink-ball PM’s XI fixture between Tests. Stuart Broad described their bowlers as “undercooked”, while Michael Vaughan said on Sunday: “No one can tell me that this England management has given this England team the best chance [to win the series].”The squad and support staff will travel to a coastal resort in Noosa – two hours’ drive up the Queensland coast – on Tuesday for a four-night “mid-series break” which McCullum said would provide them with an opportunity to reflect on the first two Tests: “[It] will be good to spend a bit casually and just let the dust settle on what’s been a pretty intense couple of weeks and start to plot and plan our way back into the series.”England will then train three times – rather than five – in Adelaide before the third Test starts on December 17. Ben Stokes, their captain, also defended the Noosa trip, arguing it would be “very, very important” for his players to stay fresh and insulate themselves from the pressures of the tour after an intense start to the series.”We’ve been here four weeks, and it’s been pretty full-on, on and off the field,” Stokes said. “As physical as this game is, a huge part of it is also the mental side of it. I know that. I’ve experienced that. I know what the game can do to you when things aren’t quite feeling right or going well.”Trust me when I say that it is so, so important that teams… [can] go away as a team and almost put the pressures of this aside for a couple of days, that doesn’t mean that everything just disappears, and we don’t speak about what’s going on. Those conversations are constantly happening.”This is a high-pressure environment. We chose to do this. We’re lucky enough to do this. It comes with the job, but it’s also very, very important that when you do get the opportunity that you are able to go away and refresh your mind because obviously in [Adelaide] we need to be not only physically good, but mentally very good as well.”McCullum and Stokes both highlighted England’s shortcomings with the new ball as a turning point in the game, with McCullum saying they had bowled “terribly” as Australia raced to 130 for 1 in the 21 overs before tea on the second day. “We were trying too hard was my assessment of it,” McCullum said.”We identified that we had a reasonable score with the bat in the first innings, and we knew that there was quite a pivotal moment in the game if we were able to strike. Sometimes, when you do try too hard, you miss your execution, you tighten up, and you’re not able to apply the pressure. We’re honest with ourselves: we bowled terribly in that period, and Australia were able to canter along at a very strong strike rate.”Stokes held himself and Brydon Carse accountable, saying: “It was myself and Brydon who let all that pressure off. We weren’t able to sustain what Jofra [Archer] and Gus [Atkinson] did… Me and Brydon know that we weren’t able to back up that first spell, and we weren’t able to deliver the consistency that Australia delivered this whole Test match.”McCullum also cited England’s fielding as a major issue, after they dropped five catches in the first innings: “It is hard enough taking 10 wickets against a good side like that, let alone needing to take 15. There was areas with the bat where we were deficient, there were areas with the ball where we were deficient, and there were areas in the field where we were deficient.”

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