Ex-Barcelona sporting director Javier Bordas has explained how the club rejected the chance to sign Kylian Mbappe back in 2017.
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Bordas convinced he could've signed MbappeBarca had money to spend following Neymar saleClub chose to pursue Dembele insteadWHAT HAPPENED?
In an appearance on Spanish TV show , Bordas — who worked under former presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Bartomeu in a position now occupied by Deco — insisted that if it had been up to him, Mbappe would have signed for Barca in 2017. At the time, the club had €222 million to spend after PSG's record signing of Neymar. But they chose to pursue Ousmane Dembele instead, a player who failed to fulfil his potential while with the Spanish giants.
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The Barcelona hierarchy's decision to opt for Dembele, signing a deal worth up to €147m for the French international, turned out to be a poor move. He never reached the heights expected and was shipped out to PSG last summer following his disappointing spell at Barca, while Mbappe has continued racking up goals in Ligue 1 and stunning on the international stage for France.
WHAT BORDAS SAID
"If I had been in charge, Mbappe would have played for Barca," said Bordas. "I moved for Mbappe. He could have come to Barca. We didn't specify a price, but he would have gone for €100 million. The coaches told us that they wanted Dembele because of the other players we had. There was the option to bring both of them."
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It certainly seems as though the Barcelona ship sailed a long time ago for Mbappe; today, Real Madrid continue to be the club most closely linked with the French star, who has reportedly already put pen to paper on a contract to take him to join Jude Bellingham and co. Transfer speculation surrounding the 25-year-old has been relentless over the past few seasons, and it appears Mbappe's big move will finally take place this summer.
Arsenal have enjoyed an encouraging start to the 2023/24 season, however there is plenty to be celebrated away from north London with reference to the future of the squad on show at the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta will know first-hand just how successful loan spells for young players can prevail to be, with William Saliba’s time on loan in Ligue 1 fundamental to his development to make him the player he is today.
As well as loans being valuable to the squad, the Gunners made a profitable decision to send academy product Folarin Balogun to Reims last season on a temporary basis, with the striker's 21 goals in Ligue 1 warranting his £35m sale to Monaco in the summer.
Now, Arsenal could be harvesting the next star to progress from Hale End whilst away from Colney, with Charlie Patino making a name for himself in South Wales on loan at Swansea City.
Charlie Patino’s career so far
After joining the scene at Hale End at the age of 11 from Luton Town, Patino has progressed through the ranks in north London over the years, earning two senior appearances for his efforts at youth level.
Described as an 'elegant central midfielder' on Arsenal’s official site, the 20-year-old looks to be in for an exciting future in senior football, based on his progression from the U18’s and U21’s to playing in the English second-tier on a regular basis.
For the U18s, the Englishman netted one goal and recorded four assists in 25 appearances, before linking up with the U21 in which he netted two and assisted once in 22 appearances, via Transfermarkt.
Club
Apps
Goals
Assists
Arsenal U18
25
1
4
Arsenal U21
22
2
1
Arsenal
2
1
0
Blackpool
37
3
4
Swansea City
12
1
4
Figures via Transfermarkt
As a result of his eye-capturing performances in the academy, Arteta handed Patino two appearances in the first team in the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, with his quarterfinal cameo in the latter competition making the headlines as he netted his first senior goal.
The signs were all there for the Watford-born starlet to unlock the doors ahead of him at the Emirates, signalled by the next steps the club took in harvesting his talents, sending him on loan to Blackpool in the summer 2022.
During his time at Bloomfield Road, the 2003-born technician was lauded as “outstanding” by his former manager Michael Appleton at the age of only 18, telling of the joy he gave to the Seasiders.
In 37 appearances for the Championship outfit in the 2022/23 season, Patino scored three goals and recorded four assists, showcasing his skill at senior level with ease to the delight of those back at home in north London.
While the Arsenal starlet departed Blackpool as a hero, his plaudits came from beyond the Tangerines’ sphere, with one of his former opponents and Fulham academy gem Georgios Okkas telling London World of the 20-year-old’s innate talent.
Blackpool midfielderCharlie Patino
As relayed by Arsenal Core, Okkas described Patino’s quality as “out of this world”, dubbing him “technically, wow” when discussing the best players he’s faced during his own budding career so far.
On his return, the Gunners triggered the option to extend the Hale End product’s contract to 2025, before offloading him on another loan in the second tier to enhance his performances further and guarantee him valuable minutes.
Charlie Patino’s stats this season
In the summer, Swansea became the proud new owners of Patino on a temporary basis, signing the midfielder on a season-long loan to add to their quality in central midfield.
Once praised to be a “maestro” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Englishman has made a blistering start to life in South Wales, having secured 12 Championship appearances so far, where he has netted one goal and claimed four assists.
With the Swans, the Arsenal scholar is the club’s top creator so far, having averaged 1.5 key passes per game in the Championship, as well as providing the most assists in the team, via WhoScored.
2
1.5
81%
1.1
4.1
As portrayed in the table above, the midfielder has enjoyed expressing his playmaking qualities in the Championship, with his favoured position being in the number eight role as a box-to-box type player.
The youngster covers a mass of areas on the pitch, as showcased in his heatmap below this term in the second flight, attributive to his tireless style and ability to travel distances to exploit his ability in the engine room.
Not only is the 20-year-old one of the Swans’ top performers, but he is also prevailing to be one of the shining lights in the Championship, with his average of 0.47 assists per 90 placing him at the top of the pile in comparison to other midfielders in the league, via FBref.
How Charlie Patino compares to Arsenal's stars
From his creative eye to his ability to carry the ball, Patino is in good stead to have a bright future at Arsenal and beyond, with his statistics this season so far showing that he is actually outperforming some of the best in north London at present.
Having secured four assists, the England U21 international has more assists in the league than any of the Gunners in the Premier League, as fellow Hale End graduate Bukayo Saka currently tops the charts with three so far.
The 20-year-old has more assists than both Gabriel Martinelli (2) and Martin Odegaard (1) combined, who are two of Arteta’s poster boys at the Emirates, suggesting just how much of a creative input the starlet could one day have at his boyhood club.
There’s a long way left to go this season, and a long way to go in Patino’s career, however the signs are already pointing at the youngster becoming one of the next big things to break out of the academy, with Odegaard among those who may need to watch out if his impressive rise continues in the coming years.
With Arteta already on side after handing him two senior appearances in the past, it will be interesting to follow the next stages of the Englishman’s journey, particularly if his stellar form in South Wales continues.
The 26-year old bowled only 10 balls on the morning of his Test debut and will not take the field for the rest of the day
Alagappan Muthu in Hyderabad12-Oct-20181:18
‘Shardul’s injury was a big setback for us’ – Umesh
India’s newest Test cricketer Shardul Thakur will not take the field for the rest of the day, after having walked off in the morning due to a pain in the groin region. Thakur, who could bowl only 1.4 overs on debut against West Indies in Hyderabad, has gone for scans and an update on his participation for the rest of the Test will be taken after being assessed by the team management.When Thakur’s front foot landed on the bowling crease as he delivered his 10th ball in Test cricket, it seemed to buckle and the pain was immediate. There was no followthrough, and even as he started hobbling on the spot, the physio Patrick Farhart ran out to assess the situation. It didn’t seem like any immediate treatment was done, though. For the most part, both men just spoke to each other before the captain Virat Kohli joined in, but soon Thakur began walking towards the dressing room.It was only half an hour ago that Thakur, 26, was being presented his first Test cap – the 294th Test cricketer for India – by coach Ravi Shastri and he was kissing the India crest, celebrating his rise to five-day cricket after a first-class career that began in November 2012. He had been brought in to the XI for Mohammed Shami, who according to Kohli was rested after playing six consecutive Tests.Thakur had to bail out midway through the Asia Cup in September as well, complaining of a right hip-groin soreness. Although he was back playing cricket 10 days later, in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, it seems that now he has aggravated the issue.
Joao Felix says he has done such a good job of convincing Bernardo Silva to join Barcelona that he will ask for a commission if the deal goes through.
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Barca linked with Bernardo Silva moveJoao Felix revealed discussions with starBelieves he's convinced him about transferWHAT HAPPENED?
Silva has long been linked with a move to the Camp Nou side and Portugal team-mate Felix recently revealed that the Manchester City star has repeatedly asked him about the team, adding that he wants the club to sign him.
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The 29-year-old has repeatedly been linked with a move away from City in recent transfer windows, with Benfica also said to be eager to bring him back to his homeland in the near future. Felix, though, has reiterated the attacking midfielder's interest in life in Barcelona.
WHAT JOAO FELIX SAID
"If Bernardo Silva comes, I'm going to ask for a commission,” he joked to . "Everything I have said is true and if he comes they will be delighted with him.
He added: "He is very careful with everything and he asked me about places to live, places to eat, about security… He asked me a little about everything and I said about tax issues because that's what came to mind."
Asked if he has convinced his compatriot to make the move, Felix added: "I think so, I think so. Well, but now I don't think it depends on him."
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BERNARDO SILVA?
Barca's financial struggles may make a potential move for the City player impossible this summer. In the meantime, though, he will hope to lead his team to the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup titles once again this season.
The tournament’s chief operating officer said it was not a question of “if” but “when”.
ESPNcricinfo staff28-Nov-2018There could be Women’s Caribbean Premier League on the cricket calendar in the near future with the tournament’s chief operating officer indicating it is not a question of “if” but “when”.Pete Russell was responding to questions raised by West Indies batsman Britney Cooper after her team was knocked out in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, when she claimed they could have done better if they could also play as many matches a year as some of the more fancied teams like Australia, England and India.”We need people in the CPL or corporate sponsors to back us and give us that push. We can’t do it all by ourselves. We need more. We need a mini-CPL,” she said.The 2018 edition was the first standalone Women’s T20 World Cup hosted by the ICC, attracting promising audience numbers across three venues in Guyana, St. Lucia and Antigua. There is opportunity to ride on that and Russell is keen to do so. In fact, last year, he said the CPL and Cricket West Indies had held “informal” talks about holding a franchise T20 tournament for women.”We have already discussed the feasibility of a women’s tournament with CWI or a women’s exhibition match, after the 2017 tournament, and have been discussing how we can make it work since then,” Russell told . “Any cricket tournament is a huge logistical challenge to arrange and there are a lot of questions that would need to be answered before we could commit to going ahead. But it is something that we are keen to have as part of the CPL programme, it is not question of ‘if’ it is a question of ‘when’.”Currently the CPL only has the rights to host the men’s tournament and to organise a women’s version, a separate license needs to be procured by CWI. That makes the board the final authority on this issue and it remains open to investing in women’s T20s, especially keeping in mind its popularity.West Indies women already have two domestic T20 tournaments in place – the CWI Regional Women’s Twenty20 Championship, and a franchise league in Trinidad and Tobago, called the Courts T20 Women’s Grand Slam Tournament, which had more than 10 regular members of the national side in action this July.It is also understood that the CPL had invited West Indies women to play an exhibition T20 ahead of the men’s Eliminator in September. However, there were logistical issues considering they were playing a bilateral series against South Africa at the time. It is for the same reason a mini Women’s CPL, alongside the men’s edition, is unlikely, at least in 2019. West Indies women will be involved in a bilateral series with Australia in August-September. In any case, it is learnt the CWI wants a standalone women’s T20 tournament along the lines of Big Bash League, which has proven to be a success in Australia.Russell is aware of the challenges in play but has no second thoughts about investing in women’s cricket. “We don’t see it as a risk, but we have shown over the last six years that we are willing to invest in cricket across the region. It is very early days in these discussions and we have a lot of hoops to jump through before this becomes a reality, but we have seen over the last few weeks just how fast the women’s game is growing and we would love to be a part of its ongoing success.”
The brevity of success in football is a puzzle that all teams are aware of, notably Liverpool, with efforts made year after year to effectively equip for the season during the summer, and then instil a philosophy fit for illustrious success across the campaign.
The Reds' seasonal demise last year punctuated this point, with Jurgen Klopp's dynasty teetering on the cusp of its culmination as dreadful form and a loss of life unravelled the years of hard work at Anfield.
There's optimism anew now and the Reds are back fighting for a place at the forefront of the Premier League, with Saturday's fixture of the utmost importance: a clash against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
For Pep Guardiola's side, silverware certainly hasn't been in short supply over recent years, with Manchester City winning 14 major honours in just seven seasons since the sagacious Spaniard's appointment; Klopp has won six major honours on Merseyside.
On Saturday, Liverpool have a glorious opportunity to leapfrog their rivals to first place by defeating them in their own backyard, with the stakes high in one of the global game's most compelling and eagerly-anticipated fixtures.
Liverpool team news vs Manchester City
Liverpool are boosted by the return of multiple first-team stars, with the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle allaying fears of respective issues and additionally revealing that the South American players are fit and raring to go for the trip to Manchester.
Andy Robertson is taking his recovery from a shoulder injury "week by week", with the Scotland captain not expected to return to match action for the foreseeable future.
Likewise, Spanish midfielders Stefan Bajcetic and Thiago Alcantara remain out and may well be shackled to the medical room until after the new year.
It is galvanising that so many players are in contention to start against the Sky Blues, but nothing surpasses the importance of having Virgil van Dijk in top form to stifle the threat of one of the greatest offensive squads in modern history.
Virgil van Dijk's season in numbers
The Athletic's James Pearce recently remarked that the Dutchman is "back to his brilliant best", having flattered to deceive as Liverpool toiled last year.
Liverpool signed Van Dijk from Southampton for a staggering £75m back in December 2017, with the 32-year-old since making 233 appearances for the club, scoring 19 goals, supplying 14 assists and winning the whole gamut of silverware under Klopp's wing.
Statistics (per game)
#
Apps
10
Goals
0
Assists
2
Clean sheets
3
Pass completion
92%
Key passes
0.6
Tackles
1.3
Interceptions
1.4
Ball recoveries
4.7
Clearances
5.3
Ground duels won
1.5 (75%)
Aerial duels won
5.1 (82%)
*Sourced via WhoScored
The club captain will be crucial in preventing the hosts from gaining a foothold, and the best way to do this is to negate the threat of Erling Haaland, who is a seemingly indomitable force in front of goal.
Erling Haaland's season in numbers
Some would argue that Haaland, aged 23, deserved to win the Ballon d'Or over Lionel Messi this year, having plundered 52 goals and nine assists from just 53 matches as his remarkable side soared toward an incredible treble.
This season, he has been as imperious as ever and has already scored 17 times from just 18 matches across all competitions – including 13 strikes from 12 matches in the Premier League.
As per FBref, the Norwegian machine ranks among the top 6% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 10% for assists and the top 11% for touches in the attacking box per 90, which is rather remarkable considering the amount of football that he has played.
Dubbed a "generational talent" by pundit Rory Smith, Haaland has been the ultimate centre-forward under Guardiola's guidance, an arrowhead with sharpness unseen on English soil, finishing off City's slick passing play with the deadliest of final touches.
Interestingly, he doesn't have a very good record against Liverpool, scoring twice from five matches but losing on four occasions, with his only victory coming in the Carabao Cup fourth round last December, where he scored as his side progressed.
Guardiola is a master strategist and he will know that to maximise his talisman's efficacy he must be channelled away from Van Dijk, whose masterful blend of qualities makes for a pretty good chance of diminishing the threat
As such, it's likely that he will be angled toward the other side of the central defence, and because of this, Joe Gomez must receive the nod ahead of Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate.
How Joe Gomez can stop Haaland tomorrow
Having been branded a "footballing nightmare" by journalist Uri Levy last season – very much at the epicentre of Liverpool's struggles – the £85k-per-week Gomez has been enjoying an almighty revival since the summer.
Frankly, bullying the £375k-per-week goalscoring monster into submission is not going to be an easy task, but the 26-year-old has been noted for his "brilliant" renaissance this term by the likes of reporter Neil Jones – an apt remark.
The dynamic defender ranks among the top 7% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 13% for tackles, the top 17% for interceptions and the top 1% for shot-creating actions per 90.
joe-gomez-liverpool
The final metric there is less important when discussing how he can disrupt Haaland's goal-grabbing flow, but it is indicative of his playmaking ability and ease in progressing the play, keeping it away from the danger area.
Gomez also found success in the Premier League last season against Haaland, with his performance against the 6 foot 3 force at Anfield last season more than catching the eye.
With a struggling Liverpool emerging 1-0 victors, Gomez's defensive display was imperative, not dribbled past once and winning possession ten times, negating Haaland's attacking weapons considerably.
They say that lightning doesn't strike twice, but the Englishman will feel that he can subdue Haaland alongside an in-form Van Dijk, offering pace, precision and composure to produce a statement victory for the Reds.
Sunderland's home and away record has been chalk and cheese in recent weeks.
Whilst the Black Cats are winless in five matches on their travels, at the Stadium of Light it's a completely different story with Tony Mowbray's side winning three of their last four matches.
After losing 2-0 at Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, they must now respond at home to strugglers Huddersfield Town, who haven't tasted victory in six matches.
Following that abject performance against the Pilgrims, Mowbray is expected to freshen up proceedings and rest some of his tired legs.
Here's how Sunderland could line up against Huddersfield tomorrow night, with two changes anticipated from the weekend defeat.
1 GK – Anthony Patterson
Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson.
With only youngster Nathan Bishop posing a challenge to his spot in the team, it would take something drastic for Anthony Patterson to be dropped. He's played in all 17 Championship fixtures this term and the 23-year-old has kept five clean sheets.
2 RB – Trai Hume
Trai Hume
Whilst Jack Clarke will take the plaudits for his devastating form, Trai Hume has quietly been one of Sunderland's best players this season. The "brilliant" youngster, as dubbed by defensive partner Daniel Ballard, has created a whopping four big chances from right-back this term while impressing with his ability to defend, garnering a duel success rate of 62%.
3 CB – Luke O'Nien
Although his side slipped to a disappointing 2-0 defeat on Saturday, O'Nien still stood out in the heart of defence, showcasing his ability as a ball-playing defender and a monster in the tackle. He accurately placed 90 of his 101 passes (89%), five of his ten attempted long balls and won both of his ground duels. Such performances will unlikely see him get dropped anytime soon.
4 CB – Daniel Ballard
Dom Ballard
Dan Ballard's presence as a colossal figure in Sunderland's back line continues to grow. The 24-year-old demonstrated his monstrous physical attributes against Plymouth, winning a whopping ten of his 12 aerial duels and four of his five tackles. The former Arsenal man is no stranger to such domineering performances, he's been bullying opposition attackers all season long.
5 LB – Niall Huggins
Niall Huggins
Huggins is a driving force down the left flank and the youngster has all the ingredients in his locker to become a top defender.
The 23-year-old, who has featured in 14 Championship matches this term, has won an impressive 64% of his duels, ranked in the top 7% against his position peers in the division for successful take-ons and top 8% for pass completion, underlining his sensational defensive and attacking attributes.
6 CDM – Pierre Ekwah
Sunderland midfielder Pierre Ekwah.
Pierre Ekwah is the glue that holds the midfield together. When surrounded by an array of technical stars – like Rodri is for Manchester City – you need someone who is going to run through brick walls for the team and fly into tackles. Ekwah has showcased his tremendous talent as a holding midfielder by recovering 5.4 balls and 1.8 tackles per game.
7 RM – Patrick Roberts
Sunderland forward Patrick Roberts.
Hailed as "magic" by Mowbray, Roberts' wand of a left foot is capable of conjuring up brilliance and while only one assist in 15 Championship games suggests he's lacking an end product, other parts of his game have flourished.
The one-time Celtic star ranks in the top 2% against his positional peers in the division for progressive carries, successful take-ons and touches in the attacking penalty box. If he continues delivering such a threat down the right flank, the goal contributions will follow.
8 CM – Dan Neil
A playmaker in advanced areas for Sunderland, Neil's exquisite passing range – once likened to Manchester United legend Michael Carrick – has been used to unlock defences all season long. With 8.67 progressive carries per 90, three big chances created and two assists, the 21-year-old offers so much creativity and that will be needed in abundance against Huddersfield's low block.
9 CM – Adil Aouchiche
With Jobe Bellingham in need of a rest after starting every Championship game this term, attacking midfielder Aouchiche – who was once dubbed a "wonderful talent" by Jacek Kulig – should be in line to make his first start this evening.
The £7k per-week starlet replaced Ekwah at half-time on Saturday as Mowbray attempted to go more attacking with the Frenchman sprinkling some quality onto proceedings, recording an impressive four key passes and five accurate long balls.
10 LM – Jack Clarke
Sunderland winger Jack Clarke.
An unstoppable force down the left flank, who possesses the pace, skill and guile to unlock defences, Clarke's name needs no introduction. Since the departure of Ross Stewart in the summer, he's become Sunderland's talisman with nine goals in 17 appearances and will cause destruction down Huddersfield's right flank if they afford him space and time.
Hurricanes survived a late cameo from Ben Cutting to start their campaign in style
The Report by Tristan Lavalette22-Dec-2018Thanks to a disciplined bowling effort, Hobart Hurricanes survived late heroics from Ben Cutting to start their campaign in style against winless Brisbane Heat in the first-ever BBL match at Metricon Stadium in Gold Coast. Earlier, D’Arcy Short smashed a 52-ball 67, laden with four fours and four sixes, to take Hurricanes to 159 for 6.In a rain-abbreviated 19 overs-a-side contest, last year’s runners-up overcame a flurry from Cutting, who smashed a 32-ball 58 to almost single-handedly deliver Heat’s first victory after their opening loss to Adelaide Strikers. But James Faulkner and Jofra Archer’s tight bowling in the last two overs – where four Heat wickets fell – made sure Short’s efforts didn’t go in vain.Chasing 160, Heat lost Brendon McCullum early to a run-out, and were 5 for 93 when Chris Lynn fell for 29, before Cutting counterattacked to ensure a tight finish.It was a disappointing result for Heat after offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman endorsed Lynn’s decision to bowl with early wickets of Matthew Wade and Alex Doolan, but Short’s heroics ensured Hurricanes recovered with a competitive total.Inclement weather strikes Gold Coast againA hailstorm lashed the ground just an hour before play and there were fears of a washout. Wise locals, however, predicted it would pass over and that proved accurate with the match starting only 15 minutes past schedule, as the ground’s lauded draining system ensured the outfield dried sufficiently.There was much excitement when it was announced Gold Coast would host elite cricket this season, but it has been a rain-marred initiation with the T20I between Australia and South Africa last month reduced to a 10 overs-a-side encounter.It has been a contrast to Gold Coast’s sunny connotations, but perhaps a more accurate snapshot of Queensland’s fickle pre-Christmas weather.Mysterious Mujeeb showcases his bag of tricks There has been much intrigue over 17-year-old offspinner Mujeeb, who has already played all three formats for Afghanistan and showcased his precocious talent in the Indian Premier League.In his BBL debut against Strikers, Mujeeb surprisingly dazzled with the bat but was wicketless with the ball. Against Hurricanes, Mujeeb quickly found the mark after coming into bowl in the second over and immediately troubled Wade with quick deliveries zipping off the pitch.He got his man in the fourth over with a carrom ball that cramped Wade to pick up his first BBL wicket. Mujeeb did not have to wait long for his second with a cracker of a delivery to snare Doolan in the sixth over.After being hit for a boundary, Mujeeb impressively struck back with a slower delivery to bamboozle Doolan with a wrong ‘un that crashed into the stumps. He finished with figures of 2 for 23 – including 13 dot balls – from 4 overs, and possessed the variety and control befitting a veteran.Big-hitting Short’s controlled aggression Much of Hurricanes’ success last season was attributed to Short, who was the deserved Player-of-the-Tournament with 572 runs to leapfrog into Australia’s limited-overs teams. He continued his BBL love affair with a knock that included trademark belligerence but in a notably more measured manner.On a sluggish pitch, Short was watchful early and endured the ignominy of being struck in the groin area by a sharp Josh Lalor delivery. Shortly after, he came alive by crunching a Lalor slower ball over mid-on for six, elegantly holding his shape, followed by smashing a boundary through the leg-side.His most visceral blow was a baseball-style club over mid-on and into the crowd off Mark Steketee to make the most of Powerplay by scoring 30 runs off 19 runs. Short took a liking to legspinner Mitchell Swepson with consecutive sixes in the 13th over but it was his controlled aggression that spoke of a more mature approach, which should please the national selectors.His brisk 59-run partnership with Ben McDermott dominated Hurricanes’ innings, with late hitting from George Bailey and Simon Milenko giving them a boost after Short’s dismissal in the 15th over.Cutting’s heroics in vainThere has been much hype over Heat’s firepower but once again the batting order failed to deliver. They endured a disastrous start when McCullum and Max Bryant were involved in a mix-up resulting in the former captain being run-out in the first ball of the second over.Bryant shrugged off the calamity by smashing 18 runs off the next five balls with an array of clean striking to underline his innate power. His brisk 15-ball 30 ended through a spectacular diving catch from Riley Meredith leaving the pressure on Lynn and Cutting.Lynn played against type in a determined bid to bat through the innings but was unable to get going against accurate Hurricanes bowling. He fell for a sedate 29 off 37 balls in the 14th over to effectively crash the home side’s hopes despite the best efforts of Cutting, who posted his first BBL half-century.
The Catalan coach has tortured Los Merengues and been left traumatised by them in a fascinating odyssey of matches spanning 16 years
“It’s Madrid, it’s special," remarked Pep Guardiola after Manchester City's pulsating 3-3 draw with Los Merengues last week. And he would know. The Catalan has faced Real Madrid 22 times as a coach, with City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, and many more as a player. He knows what it's like to win against Madrid and to lose to them. His sides have produced scintillating displays against the most glamorous club in European football, and his teams have also been thrashed and humiliated by them.
If it hadn't been for Guardiola, Madrid would have at least three more La Liga titles to their name. and potentially two extra Champion Leagues. And if it hadn't been for Madrid, the Catalan would be the undisputed best coach in the competition's history.
Guardiola grew up despising Madrid as an ardent Barcelona fan and then player, but there is also a deep sense of mutual respect between the coach and the 14-time European champions. "The king of the competition" is how Guardiola referred to Madrid when he learned City would be playing them for the third consecutive season after being drawn together in the quarter-finals. But is his side who currently wear the crown.
Madrid will be looking to dethrone City in Wednesday's second leg at the Etihad Stadium, which will be the latest chapter in an enthralling saga which has thrown up agonising eliminations, era-defining performances, breath-taking goals and someone getting poked in the eye. GOAL relives Guardiola's best ever matches against Real Madrid…
Getty Real Madrid 2-6 Barcelona, May 2009
This was the game when everyone stood up and took notice of Guardiola's powers as a coach. His Barca were already stunning onlookers in his debut season in charge and he had won his first Clasico at the Camp Nou. But Madrid were beginning to reel his side in under Juande Ramos, and a victory for Los Blancos at the Bernabeu would have put them right back in the title race.
Gonzalo Higuain gave Madrid the lead, but Barca came flying back at them, producing an utterly formidable performance. And it was all down to Guardiola's secret plan for Lionel Messi, who he fielded as a 'false nine' for the first time, with devastating consequences.
AdvertisementGetty Barcelona 5-0 Real Madrid, November 2010
Jose Mourinho was seen as the one man who could re-establish Madrid as the dominant force in Spain, especially after his Inter had knocked Barca out of the Champions League the previous season. But in his first Clasico as Blancos boss, the Portuguese's side were annihilated.
Xavi and Pedro got the ball rolling with early goals before David Villa struck twice and Jeffren completed the rout, leading to a gleeful Gerard Pique holding up his five fingers in celebration, one for every goal.
Getty Real Madrid 0-2 Barcelona, April 2011
It was one of the great press conference displays of all-time, followed by one of the greatest goals of all-time. Guardiola had been mocked by Mourinho earlier in the day in the aftermath of a bitter Copa del Rey final defeat just four days previously, and he marched into the press room at Santiago Bernabeu meaning business. He called Mourinho "the f*cking chief, the f*cking boss" when it came to dealing with the media, but said his side would do their talking on the pitch in the Champions League semi-final first leg.
They did exactly that. Mourinho devised an ultra-defensive tactical scheme with Pepe in midfield, which backfired when the Portuguese was sent off. Barca exploited the extra space and Messi broke the deadlock before scoring an extraordinary second, slaloming his way through the Madrid defence from the halfway line before scoring.
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Getty Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid, August 2011
Even considering the long-running history of rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid, tensions between the two clubs were at an all-time high when they met in the Spanish Super Cup just three months after their unforgettable series of four matches within a two-week period.
The first leg at the Bernabeu had ended 2-2, and the return match at Camp Nou was another epic. Cristiano Ronaldo cancelled out Andres Iniesta's opener and then Karim Benzema levelled after Messi had restored Barca's lead. But Messi, typically, had the final say, at least on the pitch.
The Argentine genius scored in the 88th minute to clinch the trophy for Barca, but the game is remembered far more for Mourinho poking Guardiola's assistant Tito Vilanova in the eye in a furious clash between the two benches.
UAE’s players criticised inadequate ground facilities at the Southend Stadium in Karachi, after a brief spell of rain wiped out their chances of a semi-final spot
Umar Farooq10-Dec-2018UAE’s players, participating in the Emerging Teams Cup, have criticised ground facilities in Karachi, after a rain-enforced exit wiped out their hopes of a semi-final spot. The players took to Twitter to express their frustration after the abandoned match against Hong Kong on Sunday, but the tweets were later deleted and the team management refused to comment.UAE had restricted Hong Kong to 87 for 4 in 31 overs at the Southend Stadium in Karachi, before a spell of rain that lasted for about half an hour interrupted play. However, the venue had inadequate tarpaulin covers to protect the pitch, and water leaked on to the square. Despite several hours of using sponges, the groundstaff failed to dry the pitch. As a result, the match was abandoned, with both teams sharing a point. Officials of the Pakistan Cricket Board, in charge of international and domestic operations, were also present at the ground. The Southend Stadium in Karachi has hosted one Test, in 1993, but doesn’t currently hold first-class status and is largely used for recreational cricket, warm-up matches or women’s games.A win would have boosted UAE’s chances of a semi-final spot. As it turned out, however, Bangladesh beat Pakistan to leapfrog UAE and qualified for the semi-finals, along with the hosts. UAE had beaten Bangladesh by 97 runs before losing to Pakistan by nine wickets, in their earlier league matches.UAE captain Rohan Mustafa was direct in his criticism, tweeting “Might the organiser don’t know the pain of when you get out of the tournament like that .. i am really sorry to say but we are out because of poor facility at the ground”Left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza, who had bowled seven economical overs before play was called off wrote: “We @EmiratesCricket sat in the Sun for more than 4 hours waiting for the pitch to get dry because of the club level covers at the so called “Test” venue @therealPCB. 20 mins of rain ruined our chances of going through to the semi final #unfair #noreserveday #poorfacility”UAE middle-order batsman, Rameez Shahzad, who was born in Lahore, also wrote on Twitter: “Never mind the security but there are more reasons to why international cricket has overlooked this part of the world when it comes to international cricket .. @ICC @icc_assoicates such a shame honestly #embarassing the way @therealPCB have dealt with it.”UAE coach Dougie Brown described the day was frustrating.”It is incredibly frustrating and we are all pretty flat at the moment,” Brown told . “It was a flat wicket and we had bowled magnificently. We were in a fantastic position, then it rained heavily for half an hour. When they took the covers off, the water had leaked all over the square. It was incredibly disappointing.”To know the whole outcome of this, having played really good cricket to beat Bangladesh convincingly a few days ago, beating them by [nearly] 100 runs, and had chances against Pakistan, is frustrating. The most annoying thing is we spent the whole day watching the pitch drying in magnificent sunshine.”Pakistan hosted all Group B matches of the Emerging Players Cup, which featured the home side, Bangladesh, UAE and Hong Kong. The Group A matches – featuring India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Oman – are being played in Colombo, which will also host the semi-finals on December 13 and the final on December 15.