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The summer transfer window officially opened for business earlier this month and Newcastle United have completed two incoming signings already.

Lewis Hall has joined on a permanent deal from Chelsea after his initial loan spell and Lloyd Kelly has agreed to join on a free transfer from Bournemouth, once his contract with the Cherries expires at the end of this month.

Eddie Howe and his team now have around two months left to complete any more business that they would like to do to bolster the squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Newcastle will not be competing in any European competitions next season and, as a result, may want to carry a smaller squad to concentrate on the Premier League.

Despite that, the Magpies must opt to replace centre-forward Callum Wilson if they decide to cash in on him before the end of the summer transfer window.

The club have already been linked with moves for Serhou Guirassy and Dominic Calvert-Lewin this month but they are now reportedly eyeing one of the stars of the 2024 Euros.

Newcastle eyeing up Euros sensation

According to Football Insider, the Magpies are considering a swoop to sign FC Metz centre-forward Georges Mikautadze to bolster their frontline.

The report claims that Newcastle, Borussia Dortmund, Marseille, Napoli, Lyon, and Monaco are among a clutch of clubs interested in snapping up the Georgia international this summer.

Metz only just signed the striker on a permanent deal after he had spent the second half of last term on loan from Dutch giants Ajax, but they are prepared to instantly cash in on him.

Football Insider reveals that the Ligue 2 outfit are willing to sell the impressive marksman for a fee of around £21m, after they were relegated from Ligue 1 at the end of last season.

Newcastle may need to move quickly to beat off competition from other teams, though, as Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on Monaco's pursuit of the forward.

The Italian journalist claims that the Ligue 1 side have agreed personal terms with the young star and have sent an offer in with the hope of agreeing a deal with his club, as they would like to wrap up a move before the end of the Euros this summer.

Howe and his staff must now swoop in to get a deal over the line before Monaco can sign him as he could come in as an upgrade on Wilson for the Magpies ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Callum Wilson's uncertain future at Newcastle

TEAMtalk recently reported that the club are 'keen' to sell Wilson as they are 'under pressure' to generate funds this summer for financial reasons.

The outlet claimed that teams from England, Germany, and Saudi Arabia are all interested in a possible deal to sign the England international.

It stated that they hope to rake in a 'decent' fee for his services, although it remains to be seen exactly what that means, and that Howe is prepared to allow him to leave.

TEAMtalk added that the Magpies have already had preliminary discussions with teams, including some from the Saudi Pro League, but nothing has been agreed as of yet.

Moving him on this summer could be a shrewd decision due to his contract situation and his unreliable fitness record during his time at St. James' Park.

He only has one year left to run on his current deal on Tyneside and this window could be their last chance to recoup some money for him, rather than allowing the striker to leave for nothing next year.

2020/21

4

18

2021/22

2

30

2022/23

2

9

2023/24

5

28

As you can see in the table above, Wilson has also missed 18 or more matches in all competitions in three of his four seasons at Newcastle since his move from Bournemouth in 2020.

The 32-year-old striker was absent with hamstring, calf, and chest injuries during the 2023/24 campaign, which caused him to miss 28 games, which limited the impact he could have on the pitch for Howe.

Given his age, consistent injury issues, and contract situation, this appears to be the perfect time for Newcastle to sell Wilson, and Mikautadze could come in as an upgrade on the former Cherries star next season.

Why Newcastle should sign Georges Mikautadze

Firstly, the 23-year-old marksman is currently flying at the European Championship in Germany with Georgia, which means that he would arrive at St. James' Park on a high.

The Euros sensation has scored three goals from 2.26 xG and created two 'big chances' for his teammates, to go along with 1.7 key passes per game, in just three appearances in the tournament so far.

His impressive start to the competition is not a flash in the pan for the Georgian ace, however, as he was also on fire in Ligue 1 for Metz this year, after the Magpies target had only played six Eredivisie games for Ajax during the first half of the campaign.

Appearances

20

20

xG

9.54

8.87

Goals

13

9

xG differential

+4.46

+0.13

Assists

4

1

Key passes per game

1.1

0.4

As you can see in the table above, Mikautadze outperformed Wilson in the final third with significantly better finishing and far more creativity for his teammates, as he scored over four more than expected based on xG.

The £21m-rated star also completed 2.1 dribbles per game in Ligue 1, compared to the Englishman's 0.7 in the Premier League, and this suggests that his ability to beat defenders in transition or to open up space in a low block could be very useful to Newcastle.

Mikautadze, who was once dubbed "deadly" by manager Laszlo Bolini, also fired in a staggering 23 goals in 35 starts in Ligue 2 during the 2022/23 campaign, which shows that the forward has consistently scored goals at an impressive rate over a significant period of time.

Newcastle make approach for £40m dream Botman partner

He used to play in the Premier League

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 28, 2024

The Georgia international appears to have the quality, as a finisher, creator, and dribbler, to be an upgrade on Wilson for Newcastle, whilst also having the potential to develop further at the age of 23, and that is why Howe must swoop to sign him this summer.

Real Madrid have been knocked back in their pursuit of William Saliba with Arsenal and the defender unwilling to part ways.

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• Arsenal turn away Madrid's approaches
• Saliba also wishes to stay at Arsenal
• Arsenal to take on Bournemouth

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Madrid have reportedly made the French defender their key priority to strengthen their defence next summer but may come away empty handed. Arsenal have no intention of allowing the 23-year-old to leave according to and there is no expectation that Saliba wants to leave north London any time soon. The defender signed a new deal at the club last year and has become one of the world's best defenders at the Gunners.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Saliba has formed a dominant centre-half pairing with Gabriel at the heart of the Arsenal defence and his performances have naturally attracted interest. Madrid are looking to strengthen their options at the back with Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba struggling with injury problems in recent seasons. If Madrid cannot sign Saliba, they may turn their attentions to Tottenham Hotspur's Christian Romero.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Saliba went on three loan spells before he made his full competitive debut for Arsenal against Crystal Palace in 2022. He returned to Saint-Etienne after joining the Gunners before loans at OGC Nice and Marseille before making his Premier League debut.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR SALIBA?

  Saliba and France will take on Belgium on Monday in the Nations League before the defender returns to north London. The Gunners take on Bournemouth next Saturday aiming to keep the pressure on Manchester City and Liverpool.

Trent Rockets complete straightforward win with unbeaten fifties from Malan and D’Arcy Short

George Dobell24-Jul-2021

Marchant de Lange ripped through Southern Brave•Getty Images

A brutal spell of fast bowling from Marchant de Lange set Trent Rockets on the path to an overwhelming victory over Southern Brave at Trent Bridge.de Lange, a late replacement as overseas player in the Rockets squad, claimed the tournament’s first five-for as reward for a spell of sustained and smart pace bowling to help the Rockets complete a nine-wicket victory with 18-balls to spare.Provided excellent support from his side’s spin bowlers – not least Joe Root and Samit Patel, who both conceded less than a run-a-ball – de Lange’s burst kept Brave to the lowest total so far recorded in the competition on an excellent pitch offering surprising pace and bounce. Indeed, de Lange, who had never played a competitive game at the ground, said he had been warned the surface would be a bit sluggish.There were a couple of uncomfortable moments early in the Rockets reply. Alex Hales was bowled by the first ball he faced, a lovely inswinging yorker from George Garton, and Dawid Malan sustained a sharp blow on the glove from a lifting ball from the distinctly slippery Tymal Mills.But with little pressure from the run-rate, Malan was able to take a measured approach to his innings. And in partnership with D’Arcy Short he added an unbroken 124 from 82 balls to take Rockets to victory over one of the pre-tournament favourites for the title.”De Lange is quite an aggressive bowler and he hit the deck pretty hard and used his yorker well towards the end,” Ross Whiteley, who top-scored for his side with 39, said. “He is a class act.”Losing a couple of wickets in the Powerplay is always tough. We tried to rebuild through the middle but kept losing wickets at crucial times and were probably 25 or 30 short.”Marchant of menace
If you don’t know what de Lange looks like, imagine a bear in man fancy dress. Maybe the teeth are a little less sharp; maybe the back a little less hairy. But he is, basically, an enormous, beast of a man who looks as if he could snap tree trunks, hurl boulders and scare the villagers into chasing him with pitchforks. Really, he could make Arnold Schwarzenegger look like a vole, want to wear long sleeves and commit to going to the gym far more often.Anyway, until a couple of weeks ago, de Lange was looking at spending this portion of the season playing for Somerset in the Royal London One-Day Cup. But with Wahab Riaz struggling to gain a visa, de Lange won a late call-up and has now made history – of sorts – by becoming the first person to take a five-for in the Hundred.And quite an impression he made, too. Complementing his sharp pace – he reached 94mph/151kph at one stage – with good control and an ability to implement the plans set ahead of the game, he claimed three important wickets in his first 10 balls to ensure the Brave innings could never really gain any momentum.After striking with his first ball – Delray Rawlins carving to cover – he went round the wicket to Colin de Grandhomme and, after a couple of short balls, bowled him round his legs with a full one as he moved across his stumps and looked to flick behind square. Devon Conway was then caught behind as he fished at one angled across him delivered with a cross-seam.Generally, even the quickest bowlers need variations in limited-overs cricket. But the pace of the deliveries which took those wickets – 92.4mph, 92mph and 93mph respectively – tells a pretty accurate story of his spell: it was brutally, relentlessly, wonderfully fast. Those 10 balls cost just eight runs.”The top wicket takers in the short formats are normally spinners and slower bowlers,” he said. “But I feel like there is a time and a place for express pace. I tried to keep it simple and just do the basics well and it was a pitch that helped me today.”I didn’t expect to be involved in the competition until a couple of weeks ago but I just try to take opportunities whenever they come along.”He came back later for more. After having Chris Jordan, who has sometimes struggled against the short ball, taken on the deep backward square fence with a well-directed 89mph bouncer, he then completed the format’s first five-for with a full, straight and fast one (91 mph) which bowled Garton. There was perhaps one slower ball in the entire 20.The left Root
Is Joe Root an allrounder these days? Probably. He opened the bowling in the last World T20 final, after all, and claimed two wickets, including that of Chris Gayle, in his first over. He’s recently taken a Test five-for (for just eight runs), too, and operated as England’s lone spinner in their most recent Tests.Certainly he made a valuable contribution to Trent Rockets’ victory with his bowling here. Darting the ball in at a sharp pace – around 58mph at times – he sometimes cramped the batters for room and sometimes asked them to stretch for the ball. What he didn’t allow was skipping down the pitch and hitting over long-off. Eighteen of his 20 deliveries were at Brave’s plethora of top-order left-handers, and in all he conceded just 17 runs with nine dot-balls. Three of those runs were from wides and the only boundary came from a misfield.Proving that he wasn’t reliant upon left-handers, though, Root claimed a wicket with 50% of the deliveries he bowled at right-handers. Sure, that was only two balls. But in bowling Liam Dawson with his final ball, Root completed an excellent contribution.Dawid Malan guided the chase•Getty Images

Love it when a Malan comes together
However well Malan does – and as the world’s top-rated T20 batter, he really has done very well – you feel he’s only one poor innings from the questions about his place in the England team resurfacing. He sometimes takes a little while to get going, you see. And in the fast-paced world of T20 – or 100-ball – cricket, there isn’t much time to smell the roses.His critics will, therefore, suggest this innings taught us little. They will point out that the run rate was relatively undemanding and he had the time to play himself in as is his preferred method. And it’s true, Rockets will rarely be required to score so few on so good a surface.But in marshalling this chase with calm precision, Malan showed one of his many skills. It’s not just that he has a good range of strokes; it’s that he has the temperament which seems to adapt to the demands of the occasion. And his desire to take responsibility for scoring the winning runs really isn’t such a bad quality for a batter.Here, at least, he played a calm and expert hand. Despite taking a painful blow to the hand from Mills – which we may yet hear more about in the coming days, as it looked worryingly painful – he was quick to come forward to anything over-pitched and drove quite beautifully. And when Garton and Chris Jordan dropped short, they were pulled imperiously or uppercut respectively for sixes. With him at the crease, there was never much doubt about this result.Crowd noise
You’re never more than about an hour from the latest missive – be it from the ECB or the broadcasters – informing you of record viewing figures at these games. Sometimes those figures are genuinely impressive; sometimes they are somewhat puzzling. The claim that Friday’s match at Edgbaston set a record for the highest attendance for a women’s domestic match outside London turned out to be inaccurate. It might, to be fair, have been the highest attendance at a professional women’s match outside London.But the attendance at the men’s matches has been less impressive. The Kia Oval was not full on Thursday, for example. And it very often is for T20 games. And while Edgbaston’s numbers on Friday were decent – at 12,137 they were below what they might be for a local derby but above what they might be for most other domestic games – the figure for this game of 12,783 was again only respectable. This is a ground on which T20 has tended to sell well for several years.Is that good enough? Maybe. But, judging by the chants and songs – at one stage, the crowd attempted to get their own “Sweet Caroline” going – the much fabled new audience isn’t quite as prevalent as you might have been told. And, contrary to what you might hear elsewhere, some kids have been seen previously at T20 Blast matches.These games are attracting at least respectable attendances. And they’re entertaining encounters. But they’re not quite the miracle cure some would have you believe.

Leeds United have now reportedly sent scouts to watch a standout European winger, who’s also attracted the interest of Manchester United.

Farke prepared for "top class" Liverpool

When the fixtures were released, this would been a week that many Leeds fans dreaded. By the end of this weekend, the Whites will have faced Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool in consecutive games in the most difficult run of games they’ve had so far this season. But what began as a nightmare may yet leave Leeds in dreamland.

Daniel Farke’s side were minutes away from securing a point from behind at the Etihad against Man City and then eased past Chelsea in shocking fashion on Wednesday. Now, they have the chance to compile the misery on a frail Liverpool side at Elland Road – making it six points from a possible nine.

It’s the greatest opportunity that Leeds will get to beat the Premier League champions, but Farke was quick to point out that Liverpool are still a “top class” side in his pre-match press conference.

Those in Yorkshire may have to get used to competing against the top six on and off the pitch, having also reportedly joined the race to sign Manchester United target Nilson Angulo.

Leeds join race to sign Nilson Angulo

According to TeamTalk, Leeds have now joined the race to sign Angulo after their scouts were spotted watching the Anderlecht winger in action. The Whites are joined by United, Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford in what is set to be a frantic Premier League battle.

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Dubbed one of Europe’s standout wingers by TeamTalk, the interest in Angulo should come as no surprise. The 22-year-old has taken his game to new levels in Belgium this season and looks destined for English football.

As scout Jacek Kulig pointed out, it was a “fantastic” start from Angulo this season and a start which has since seen him take his total to four goals and eight assists in all competitions.

It would be a major coup if Leeds managed to fend off competition from their rivals and sign the talented winger.

Leeds now prioritising £35m move to sign South American defender ahead of Juventus

Since the start of the Premier League over 30 years ago, there’s not been many better talents than Chelsea’s former star Eden Hazard.

The Belgian magician is truly a legend of the Blues, an absolute icon who brought so much joy, success, and entertainment.

Hazard played 352 matches for Chelsea, scoring 110 goals and providing 85 assists, which is simply an outstanding record for a winger.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a Chelsea transfer target who could just very well become the club’s best winger since the number ten.

Chelsea’s search for their next Hazard

As per a report from Fabrizio Romano last weekend, Chelsea are “keeping a close eye” on Crysencio Summerville.

The Blues and Liverpool have been monitoring his performances throughout the previous campaign, and talks are expected to begin in the near future.

There’s no debate that the winger has been Leeds United’s most instrumental player this season, and because of that, he’ll be playing in the Premier League again next season.

Previous reports have suggested it may take a fee of £30m to acquire the attacker this summer.

The Dutchman made 43 appearances in the Championship last season, where he proved that he has the potential to compete against the elite, with his stats truly speaking for themselves.

How Summerville compares to Eden Hazard

It’s fair to say that absolutely everything went through Summerville last season at Leeds, as he served as a continuous threat.

In the Championship, the number ten scored an incredible 19 goals while also providing nine assists, which highlights just how dangerous he is.

These statistics are even more impressive considering he’s a left-winger who’s known for his incredible speed and trickery rather than his goals.

However, Summerville has certainly shown that he could be Chelsea’s best winger since Hazard, with the duo possessing a similar fleet-footed and exciting style of play from the flanks.

Goals

19

16

Assists

9

15

Big chances created

17

18

Shots (per game)

3

2.5

Key passes (per game)

2.6

2.6

Touches (per game)

57.5

72.4

Successful dribbles (per game)

2.3

3.7

Just like Hazard, Summerville has the ability to completely change a game on his own due to his unpredictable style.

Of course, the clear similarity is that both wide men can score goals and create for those around them, which is why Summerville in particular has been dubbed “world-class” by journalist Jake Winderman despite his position in the second tier of English football.

Both players possess brilliant close control, which enables them to weave through players with ease, and at times, they’re genuinely unstoppable.

On top of that, their creativity isn’t capped at just their dribbling, as they can also cause chaos via their excellent vision and ability to create combinations in and around the box in tight spaces.

The fact that Summerville boasted similar stats to a prime Hazard shows just how insanely talented he is, and it gives an indication of how he’d influence the Blues.

Furthermore, the Leeds ace would be perfect for Enzo Maresca’s 4-3-3 setup, with the left-winger spot playing a huge role in the Italian's approach, as shown by Leicester City’s Stephy Mavididi picking up 18 goal contributions last season.

Overall, it’s quite clear that signing a player as talented as Summerville has to be made a priority this summer, and if he can continue to perform like he did last season, Chelsea may have their next Hazard.

Maresca must swiftly sell Chelsea star who earns more than Palmer

This “unlucky” Chelsea player may not find success in Maresca’s soon-to-be-employed system.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 4, 2024

St James’ Park proved to be a fortress once more for Newcastle United on Saturday evening when Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City travelled to Tyneside.

This season so far in the Premier League, the Magpies are yet to win away from home, with three draws and defeats depressingly next to their name. At home, though, it’s a much different story, with four league wins collected with confidence, which now includes a 2-1 triumph over the Citizens.

Harvey Barnes was the difference maker on the day with two well-taken efforts under pressure, with this being the first time Newcastle have got the better of their opponents from Manchester since a slim 1-0 success in the EFL Cup back in 2023.

On that day, it was Alexander Isak who would break the deadlock, and while the sting of his departure to Liverpool was certainly felt in the immediate aftermath of his exit, Eddie Howe’s Toon aren’t dwelling too much on him no longer being around now, with the 47-year-old boss no doubt pleased with the attacking display on show from Barnes and many others.

How Newcastle downed Manchester City

Howe was beaming from ear to ear at the full-time whistle, as he finally got a career win over Guardiola in league action.

He would also be over the moon for the aforementioned Barnes, with the 27-year-old winger repaying his manager’s faith in him when being handed a fifth Premier League start of the season, as his first effort was stylishly placed home, before the vital second goal was somehow bundled into the back of the net.

Nick Woltemade would have felt aggrieved that he couldn’t get on the scoresheet, though, with four efforts passing him by. Still, with four Premier League efforts next to his name this season, away from drawing blanks up against Gianluigi Donnarumma, he has filled the void left behind by Isak expertly.

Both Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes also stood out during the 2-1 victory, as Guimaraes assisted Barnes’ first breakaway strike, while his Italian teammate won six duels and three tackles as a combative counterpart.

Yet, there was one star who stood out throughout who could now be labelled boldly as Howe’s next Isak, even with Woltemade at his disposal, for how influential he’s become in such a short space of time.

Howe's new Isak-esque figure

Of course, while the £125m sale is now struggling to settle at Anfield, he was a consistent top performer on Tyneside when he was still donning the famous black and white stripes.

Indeed, a deadly 62 strikes were tallied up by the lethal Scandinavian during his 102-game stay at St James’ Park, with Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher even hailing him as the “best striker in the Premier League” off the back of such potent form.

He immediately hit the ground running in England, too, with two goals from his first three league appearances for the Toon, with Malick Thiaw also making the transition from European football to English shores look easy, making him a strong candidate to be considered Howe’s next most influential player, much like Isak was.

With an 86% pass accuracy averaged across his eight Premier League games to date, and a commanding 4.6 duels won on average, some have even hailed the German as a “top five centre-back in the league this season”, with Isak also in the same esteemed conversations as a top five forward in the division.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

36

Accurate passes

20/25 (80%)

Tackles won

1/1

Last man tackles

1

Interceptions

1

Clearances

7

Blocked shots

1

Ball recoveries

6

Total duels won

2/4

Thiaw has only enhanced his reputation for being an influential member of Howe’s first team with his commanding showing against Guardiola’s visitors, with 14-goal hero Erling Haaland completely negated by the former AC Milan defender, who restricted him to just 23 touches of the ball and two shots on target.

NUFCBlog hailed the performance as “outstanding” against “the best striker on the planet” as Thiaw even impressively stood his ground one-on-one with the frightening Norwegian early in the second half, before a last-ditch intervention saw a chance go rarely astray for the number nine.

On top of that moment of ice-cold maturity, Thiaw would also bow out from the 2-1 win with seven clearances and six ball recoveries amassed, as City found it very difficult all night long to break down the Toon’s resilient back line.

The hope will just be that Thiaw gets better with more time in the Premier League, like Isak, who transformed into a £125m-calibre beast.

Although this time around, Howe will also pray he doesn’t have to give up the 6-foot-4 defender to the likes of Liverpool or any other suitor, as Thiaw becomes the manager’s most crucial player.

Last season, that was reserved for Isak. This season, it’s reserved for their new towering centre-half.

9/10 Newcastle duo look even more important than Bruno G & Tonali

These two players stood out in Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Man City

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 23, 2025

The Mets are clinging to a one-game lead in the NL wild card chase right now as they, the Reds and the Diamondbacks all lost on Wednesday night. New York didn't put up much of a fight in their loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field as Chicago won 10-3 and Pete Crow-Armstrong scored from second on a wild pitch.

That's right. The same night a guy got thrown out at first from right field, another player basically stole home from second base.

The Cubs had a 6-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth when Crow-Armstrong came to the plate with two outs and a runner on third. PCA chopped one to third that was fielded cleanly by Mark Vientos, but his throw was in the grass and bounced into the stands. A run scored and Crow-Armstrong trotted to second on the error.

Two pitches later Mets reliever Clay Holmes threw one in the dirt. PCA ran to third, but noticed that no one was covering home so as he approached the bag he excellerated and sprinted for home.

If the Mets go on to miss the postseason, it won't be because of this play, but just being able to throw it in their late-season lowlight reel seems fitting.

More importantly, it's the perfect highlight to add to Crow-Armstrong's breakout season.

Elly De La Cruz's curiosity got the best of him during a Cincinnati Reds pitching change Monday night.

As Reds manager Terry Francona made the call to the bullpen during the fifth inning against the Washington Nationals, De La Cruz grabbed Francona's glasses to try them on for size. Francona's eye prescription appeared to be so strong that it nearly blinded De La Cruz as he put the specs on his face.

Francona let out a big laugh as De La Cruz winced and immediately handed the frames back.

The first-year Reds manager and star shortstop have managed to have some fun throughout their first season together. In June, Francona said he found a good way to get under the star's skin, telling him he'd make a really good designated hitter. Francona also hilariously mimicked De La Cruz's home-run celebration after a win last month, although he didn't do it exactly right.

There's never a dull moment between the two.

The Reds fell to the Nationals Monday night 10-8. De La Cruz scored three runs after he walked three times. The third-year star is slashing .281/.357/.486 with 18 home runs, 65 RBIs and 25 stolen bases this year.

MatériaMais Notícias

da bwin： Na última terça-feira (03), em um dos jogos mais eletrizantes da Série B, o Brusque venceu o Náutico por 4 a 3 e se manteve fora da zona de rebaixamento para a Série C do Campeonato Brasileiro.

RelacionadasFutebol InternacionalMelhor lateral-esquerdo do último Campeonato Finlandês, Murilo Henrique é anunciado pelo atual campeão do paísFutebol Internacional06/11/2021São PauloSem vencer jogos fora de casa desde agosto, São Paulo busca quebrar marca negativa contra o BahiaSão Paulo06/11/2021SantosDanilo Boza comemora bom momento e fala em permanecer no Santos em 2022Santos06/11/2021

da 888casino： A vitória diante da equipe pernambucana também foi essencial para dar mais confiança ao Quadricolor nas cinco rodadas finais, principalmente nas próximas duas, quando enfrentará o Confiança e o Cruzeiro, adversários diretos na luta pela permanência na Série B.

– A vitória veio em um momento em que precisávamos, jogando em casa, com apoio do nosso torcedor e também porque os nossos concorrentes estão somando pontos nessa reta final, então é muito importante seguir pontuando para sair dessa situação incômoda – disse Foguinho, antes de falar sobre os próximos dois jogos.

– São jogos importantes e que podem definir o campeonato, a equipe está focada em fazer o melhor possível nesses confrontos e ficar mais próximos da permanência na Série B – analisou o meio-campista do Brusque.

Contratado por empréstimo junto a Chapecoense no final de setembro, o meia entrou nos últimos três jogos e tem ganhado cada vez mais espaço no time do Bruscão. Campeão da Série B na última temporada, Foguinho sabe da importância das rodadas finais para a definição do torneio.

– A Série B é uma competição em que muitos times crescem nessa reta final, seja na busca pelo acesso ou para se manter na competição, aprendi isso no ano passado. Temos que ter um bom desempenho na reta decisiva para conseguirmos o objetivo do clube – concluiu.

Com 38 pontos, o Brusque é o 16º colocado, primeiro fora da zona, mas com o mesmo número de pontos que o Londrina, que é o 17º. Na próxima rodada o time catarinense enfrenta o Confiança, vice lanterna com 31 pontos.

Cristiano Ronaldo was left out from Al-Nassr's matchday squad for the trip to Istiklol in Wednesday's AFC Champions League Two encounter, with fans served a reminder that the Portuguese icon is unlikely to play much part in Asia's second-tier continental competition. In Ronaldo's absence, Joao Felix led the charge and starred in an emphatic 4-0 win, continuing Al-Nassr's brilliant start to the season.

Al-Nassr get the job done in Ronaldo's absence

Saudi Arabian heavyweights Al-Nassr travelled to Tajikistan on Wednesday to take on Istiklol at the Markazii Jumhuriyavii Stadium for an AFC Champions League Two encounter. The visitors came away with a convincing 4-0 win and did so without the services of club talisman Ronaldo, who was left out of the matchday squad. 

Head coach Jorge Jesus decided to field a heavily-rotated side for the game, resting the likes of Sadio Mane and Inigo Martinez. What's more, Kingsley Coman, like Ronaldo, was not in the matchday squad. However, that didn't put a spanner in Al-Nassr's works.

Felix, who has been in scintillating form of late, opened the scoring in the 12th minute, firing a perfect penalty past the hapless Istiklol goalkeeper Nikola Stosic. Mohamed Simakan, formerly of Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, doubled the lead just five minutes from the end of first half, ensuring the visitors took a commanding 2-0 lead into the break. 

For long stretches of the second half, Jesus’ men drifted through the game without ever hitting top speed. However, the introductions of Sadio Mane and Ayman Yahya piled further misery on to the hosts. The ex-Southampton, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich forward converted Felix's assist to put the game to bed in the 84th minute, and before full-time Saudi Arabia international Yahya put the cherry on top of a dazzling performance with a stoppage-time goal.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhy doesn't Ronaldo play in AFC Champions League Two?

Even though Ronaldo will turn 41 in a few months time, he continues to demand the absolute best from himself and his counterparts. After an underwhelming 2024-25 season, during which Al-Nassr finished third in the Saudi Pro League, they could only manage to earn a place in the AFC Champions League Two, which is a second-tier continental competition in Asia, behind the more famous and prestigious AFC Champions League. 

So far, Al-Nassr have played five group stage matches in the competition, winning all five. Prior to their trip to Istiklol in Tajikistan, they had already travelled to face FC Goa in India and Al-Zawraa in Iraq. Yet despite the flawless start, the all-time great has not been included in a single matchday squad in the AFC Champions League Two this season. With that in mind, it appears unlikely he will feature in the final group fixture against Al-Zawraa next month.

"I thought this was the best time to rest Cristiano Ronaldo," head coach Jesus said last month ahead of an AFC Champions League Two game. "He’s currently 40 years old, and we fear he might suffer injuries, that’s why I decided to exclude him.

"For matches outside Saudi Arabia, we decided to rest Ronaldo. We have to make choices and we’ve decided to leave him in Riyadh to prepare for the upcoming matches… We need to preserve his fitness."

Felix has become the new star of Al-Nassr

sAfter experiencing failure at Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, and AC Milan, former Benfica star boy Felix arrived at Al-Nassr with hopes of reigniting his once-promising football career. The 26-year-old could have hardly hoped for a better start. With 14 strikes in 15 games, he has rediscovered his goal-scoring hunger and has even found his team-mate Ronaldo trailing him in the scoring charts across all competitions.

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AFPWorld Cup win the ideal endgame for Ronaldo

In an illustrious career spanning more than two decades, Ronaldo has won it all. Yet his relentless hunger still sets him apart – making him invaluable not only in the opposition box, but also as a leader whose elite mentality elevates everyone around him.

However, the World Cup continues to elude him. Even though he has admitted that lifting the world's greatest trophy won't change his legacy one bit, it goes without saying that he is ultra-motivated to lay his hands on the global crown. It wouldn't get any better than if he could score his 1,000th professional goal while leading Portugal's cause next year.