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Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may get their ‘Last Dance’ after all, with Julian Gressel saying Inter Miami would “love a rematch” with Al-Nassr.

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CR7 sat out friendly game due to injuryArgentine icon introduced as late substituteRematch could take place at some stageWHAT HAPPENED?

The Herons suffered a humbling 6-0 defeat when lining up against the Saudi Pro League outfit as part of their pre-season programme in 2024. Tata Martino’s side are still getting themselves up to speed and looked well off the pace against a team that are in the middle of their domestic campaign.

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Messi was only given seven minutes off the bench during Inter Miami’s final game in the Middle East, while Ronaldo did not figure at all due to injury. They could, however, cross paths again at some point, with Gressel saying when asked if the shock result proves MLS is behind the Pro League at present: “I don’t think you can compare. We are very early on in the process, only in our third week together as a team after a long couple months off. So, you can’t really compare. I think we would love to have a rematch at some point. That’s the competitor in me, maybe in an official competition like a Club World Cup.”

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Inter Miami have suffered three defeats through four friendly games so far, and are yet to pick up a win, but Gressel is not reading too much into form at this stage. The USMNT star added: “Ultimately, when the time comes, when it counts for us, that’s when we want to be at our best and these games are valuable, even though they sting quite a bit. I think it’s actually good to have games like this to prepare for the season. These aren’t your regular preseason games I’ve played in the past where you play in your training gear at times against other MLS teams. These are real games and that that will bode well for us.”

He went on to say: “Obviously not the result we wanted, but obviously, a lot of lessons to take. There’s a lot for us to learn from, for us to grow. There’s a ton of stuff we can look at on film, but it starts with us having a good start to the game. You can’t be down 3-0 in 12 minutes into the game. Those are lessons you learn in pre-season.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI & INTER MIAMI?

Inter Miami have now travelled to the Middle East for meetings with a Hong Kong Select XI and Japanese outfit Vissel Kobe. They are due to get their 2024 MLS campaign up and running against Real Salt Lake on February 21.

Manchester City are now keen on signing a record-breaking striker, but they will have to do battle for his signature with some of Europe's top clubs, according to a report.

What's the latest Man City transfer news?

Man City will be in the market for a new left-back in the January transfer window, considering Sergio Gomez is their only natural option in that area of the pitch, and Football Insider has revealed they are now confident about signing Boca Juniors' Valentin Barco.

Although the Boca defender has a release clause of around £10m included in his contract, the Sky Blues may have to stump up a fee of £15m, as there is considerable interest in his signature, with Brighton & Hove Albion also being named as potential suitors.

Barco is not the only young left-back that City have been credited with an interest in, as it has been reported they are also keen on signing Chelsea's Ian Maatsen, amid the uncertainty surrounding the 21-year-old's future at Stamford Bridge.

The vast majority of the Citizens' transfer targets are under 21, having also been linked with a move for Brighton striker Evan Ferguson, and there have now been reports they could make a move for another young striker.

According to a report from CalcioMercato, Man City are now interested in signing 15-year-old AC Milan striker Francesco Camarda, who is attracting the attention of several top European clubs, as they are "convinced" he has a great future ahead of him.

The Milan starlet continues to break "record after record", recently netting a brace against Newcastle United on his debut in the UEFA Youth League, which meant he became the youngest Italian ever to score in the competition.

In light of the impression the youngster has made for AC Milan, there are a number of clubs vying for his signature, with Borussia Dortmund also being named as potential suitors, but there is an indication he may not be on the move anytime soon.

The Italian club are currently in the process of handing Camarda his first professional contract, and he "dreams" of making his debut for the Rossoneri in the Serie A.

Who is Francesco Camarda?

The Milan-born forward has started to make a name for himself at youth level, having scored one goal in three Primavera 1 games this season, while he recorded three goal contributions in his first-ever UEFA Youth League outing, bagging two goals and an assist.

The Italian has also made his breakthrough on the international scene, having found the back of the net three times in three appearances for the U17s, during which time he has also recorded one assist.

It is no wonder some of Europe's top clubs are queuing up for Camarda, as he clearly has a lot of potential, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig lauding him as an "unbelievable" talent just a few days ago.

However, the Milan academy graduate does not seem to have much interest in leaving his hometown club at the moment, so Man City should keep him shortlisted for the future.

What the numbers say about Old Trafford

S Rajesh10-Aug-2005

Shane Warne: ready to add to his tally of 17 wickets from two Tests at Old Trafford © Getty Images
At Edgbaston, Ricky Ponting’s decision to insert England after winning the toss might have been influenced by the recent trend at that venue – teams fielding first had won nine of the 14 previous Tests – but he is unlikely to make that mistake at Old Trafford should the coin roll his way on the morning of the third Test. In 69 Tests at Manchester since 1884, only eight times has the captain won the toss and opted to field first. Seven of those matches were drawn; the only decisive result in those games was in 1993, when Graham Gooch bravely put Australia in to bat and suffered the consequences, as England went down by 179 runs. Considering that no team has won a Test here after putting the opposition in to bat, and given all the pre-match talk about another turner at Manchester, the decision at the toss should be a no-brainer. Old Trafford also has a high propensity for drawn games – 33 out of 69 (48%) have ended in a stalemate. Of the remaining 36 Tests which did produce a result, 25 went in favour of the team batting first, another reason for the captain to do just that after winning the toss. England have a 21-14 win-loss record here, and while Australia’s is only a modest 7-7 against England, they have won the last three matches, and haven’t lost a Test here since 1981. (Click here for all England-Australia Tests at Old Trafford.) You’d expect the pitch to get far more difficult for batting as the game goes on, but that isn’t necessarily so, as the table below indicates. Since 1995, the average runs per wicket is highest in the third innings, while the fourth-innings figure is a respectable 32.7. (Click here for the Test records – highest and lowest totals, best batting and bowling performances etc – at this ground.)

1st innings2nd innings3rd innings4th innings

36.032.337.732.7 The track for Thursday’s match is expected to assist the spinners, but over the last ten years, fast bowlers have done pretty well here, as the table below suggests. The last time a spinner turned a match around here was in 2001, when Saqlain Mushtaq, aided by umpire David Shepherd’s generosity in ignoring no-balls, took four wickets as England slumped to 261 all out in their second innings.

Pace – wicketsAverageSpin – wicketsAverage

18632.695140.22 The most famous bowling performance at this ground is of course Jim Laker’s 19 for 90 against Australia in 1956, but in their current squad the Australians have one spinner who has been tormenting England for a while now. He answers to the name Shane Warne, and he has especially enjoyed the conditions at Old Trafford, taking 17 wickets in two Tests at less than 15 apiece. Only one short of reaching the 600-wicket milestone, chances are he’ll go well beyond that figure by the time this Test is done. Add a batting average of 35.50, and Australia have an outstanding allrounder in their midst, at least at this ground.

Warne at each venue
in EnglandTestsBowling averageBatting average

Old Trafford214.5935.50Trent Bridge

318.1418.33Lord’s419.588.75Edgbaston

421.7624.50The Oval323.3021.50Headingley

389.330.00 Among England’s current lot of players, only Michael Vaughan, Marcus Trescothick, Matthew Hoggard and Ashley Giles have played more than one Test at Old Trafford. The first three have done pretty well (click on the player names for Vaughan, Trescothick and Hoggard stats at this ground), but Giles’s nine wickets have cost him more than 38 apiece.

Chelsea captain Mille Bright continued her rehabilitation from injury as she sat out the Lionesses first game of the year.

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Bright continues rehab in mud and rainChelsea skipper missing since NovemberMisses Lionesses first fixture of 2024Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The defender has missed the Lionesses winter camp in sunny southern Spain and will be absent when her colleagues take on Austria in Andalusia on Friday evening. But Bright shared some news on social media of her working hard on her recovery in soggy Surrey.

AdvertisementWHAT MILLIE BRIGHT SAID

"Silently grafting, fun in the sun and mud today," posted Bright on her Instagram account alongside a photo of herself at Chelsea's training complex.

Instagram @mbrighty04

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Bright has been on the sidelines since suffering the recurrence of a knee injury in November. The skipper is not the only high-profile casualty for the Blues as star forward Sam Kerr suffered a season-ending ACL injury in January. Mia Fishel was recently struck down with the affliction on international duty too.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MILLIE BRIGHT?

An exact return date for Bright remains unknown but the 30-year-old will be hoping to be back in action for the business end of the season as Chelsea chase silverware in four different competitions with the Emma Hayes era drawing to a conclusion at Stamford Bridge.

Manchester United have finally seen Sir Jim Ratcliffe's move to acquire a 25 percent stake at Old Trafford approved by the Premier League and the FA.

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Ratcliffe agrees deal in DecemberPremier League approve it on TuesdayFA follow suit on WednesdayGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's minority takeover at the club was approved on Tuesday following an independent review, as the Manchester-born billionaire now looks set to acquire a 25 per cent stake in the team moving forward. The Football Association also approved the deal on Wednesday.

AdvertisementWHAT THE PREMIER LEAGUE SAID

A statement released by the Premier League read: "'Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s acquisition of 25 per cent of Manchester United FC, and further investment of $300 million in the club, has been approved by the Premier League Board following the completion of the Owners’ and Directors’ Test (OADT).

"The Board agreed to the change of the club's ownership structure last week, and this has now been officially ratified by an Independent Oversight Panel.

"The Premier League’s Owners’ Charter has also been signed. This is the first acquisition of Control to be reviewed and approved by a new Independent Oversight Panel following changes to the process which were agreed by Premier League clubs in March 2023.

"The Premier League now awaits confirmation of the transaction’s completion."

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Ratcliffe completed the initial deal to acquire the share of the club back in December and has now passed the Premier League's Directors' and Owners' test. The 71-year-old is set to gain complete control over footballing operations, despite only owning a minority share at Old Trafford. Completion of the deal is expected by the end of the week when Ratcliffe finalises his purchase of Class A shares.

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Getty WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

For now, United themselves will look to continue to impress on the pitch following their late winner against Aston Villa last weekend. Erik ten Hag's men are currently on a five-game unbeaten run across all competitions and face Luton Town in their next fixture.

Georgia Stanway has warned that the Lionesses risk being burned out this summer as they confront yet another busy period – even without the Olympics.

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Stanway hit out at England's busy summerWiegman echoed the same sentiment Players and manager unhappy with summer international windowsGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Despite failing to secure qualification for the Olympics on behalf of Team GB, the Lionesses are slated for international camps in June and July due to Euro 2025 qualifying commitments. This demanding schedule, coupled with potential Champions League qualifiers for some clubs in early September, means that many players will miss out on a much-needed break.

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Numerous members of the England squad have endured a gruelling sequence of tournaments, having participated in three consecutive competitions – the 2021 Olympics, Euro 2022, and last summer's World Cup. Additionally, some players were involved in youth tournaments prior to these major events.

WHAT STANWAY SAID

Stanway expressed her disappointment, stating, "When we didn't qualify for the Olympics we thought it was the perfect opportunity to have the summer off, maybe travel a bit further. We realise it's not quite as simple as that but the best thing we can do is work with countries and clubs to find the best solution.

"Hopefully the best solution is giving us a good enough time of rest but also the most important thing is we want to qualify for Euro 2025 – we will do anything to put ourselves in the best possible position to go to that tournament. It is a potential burnout but Football is our life. Everything we do is to be successful on the pitch."

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GettySARINA WIEGMAN AGREES WITH STANWAY

England manager Sarina Wiegman echoed Stanway's concerns, revealing that they have appealed to FIFA and UEFA to reconsider the international calendar. However, she conceded that significant changes may not be feasible until 2026.

"There's no tournament so that should be an opportunity to get some rest, but because of the window in June and the window in July how are you going to take some time off?' Wiegman said.

"Then after that, there is some time off, in England the WSL starts later, but then round one of the Champions League starts in early September, which takes away the summer from the players. That's what we need to take care of and we've asked FIFA and UEFA to look at that and change that in the future so players can have some rest. It's great that we have players that love football, but we have to take care of them too so we have to do something about the calendar.

"We can't change it so you're trying to do the best to take care of the players and at the same time perform to the highest level and take out the highest risks of getting injured, in collaboration with clubs. The clubs and we as the FA don't have any control over the calendar."

Aston Villa have “stalled” in talks to sign Sevilla defender Marcos Acuna, but a reliable journalist has revealed that a deal has not yet completely been ruled out.

What position does Marcos Acuna play?

Acuna is primarily a left-back who has plied his trade at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium since 2020 having moved there from Sporting CP, and last season, he was a standout star during his 21 La Liga starts under Jose Luis Mendilibar.

The Argentina international firmly established himself as the Spanish outfit’s overall second top-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 6.78, so despite still having another two years remaining on his contract, there’s a chance he could be on the move having caught the eye of Unai Emery in the Midlands.

According to reports, NSWE have already held contact with all parties regarding a swoop for the 31-year-old, with The Telegraph’s John Percy confirming that a deal is being worked on.

Football Insider later shared that the veteran had agreed personal terms over a move to the Premier League, and even though talks had continued, a switch might not be as advanced as initially imagined.

Are Aston Villa signing Marcos Acuna?

Taking to X, Rudy Galetti revealed that Aston Villa have been paused in their approach for Acuna by Sevilla who are now having second thoughts over letting him leave for the top-flight in England in a setback for Emery and Villa.

“Talks between #AstonVilla and #Sevilla for Marcos #Acuna is stalled in this moment. The [Spanish] club is not so convinced to let the [Argentina] player go: internal evaluations in progress to decide if stay in the negotiation or definitely close the door.”

Aston Villa having to halt their pursuit of Acuna will come as a setback to Emery, but with the defender having been hailed a “star man” by journalist Josh Bunting, the boss shouldn’t give up on his goal of reaching an agreement before the transfer deadline on September 1st.

The Zapala native, who is naturally left-footed, last season won 36 out of his 57 tackles made in La Liga which was the highest success rate throughout the whole of his squad, via FBRef, so loves to get stuck into challenges, but he’s also capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch.

Read The Latest Aston Villa Transfer News HERE…

Sevilla’s £47k-per-week earner clocked up seven goal contributions (four assists and three goals) across all competitions and whipped 147 crosses into the opposition’s box, again more than any of his fellow teammates, representing his desire to create chances in the final third.

Finally, Acuna, who has the versatility to operate in seven different positions over the grass, already knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the top level having secured seven trophies for both club and country since the start of his career, including the 2022 World Cup, so he would be able to match the winning mentality of the squad at Villa Park, but by the looks of things, a move to England isn't guaranteed at this moment in time.

Tasmania lost 6 for 17 in 11 overs to give South Australia a shot at a comeback in Hobart

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Mar-2018
ScorecardA huge batting collapse by Tasmania gave South Australia the chance to pull off a stunning comeback in their Sheffield Shield clash in Hobart.The Tigers began their second innings 166 runs in front after bowling out the Redbacks for 227 early on day three. Tom Rogers picked up the last wicket to finish with four for the innings.Tasmania cruised to 1 for 83 with Jordan Silk making a swift half-century. They looked poised to take the game beyond the Redbacks reach but they lost 6 for 17 in 11 frantic overs. Joe Mennie removed Silk before Daniel Worrall and Nick Winter ripped through the middle order. A late fightback from Simon Milenko pushed the lead to 331. Worrall finished with 4 for 17.The Redbacks moved to 1 for 49 at stumps, having only lost debutant Conor McInerney.

A weak batting display from the Indians left South Africa with a target of 211. They have the advantage, but history indicates that it might not be a cakewalk. Cricinfo looks at the stat highlights of the fourth day

George Binoy05-Jan-2007

Would you have bet on Sourav Ganguly scoring the most runs in the series for India? © AFP
331 – Is the highest target successfully chased at Cape Town; by Australia in 2002. However, the second-highest target chased is only 179, also by Australia in 1967.175 for 6 – The highest target South Africa have chased at Cape Town. However, they scored 335 in the fourth innings against New Zealand in 1962 and 224 against England in 1927 but lost both games.This is only Rahul Dravid’s third series (at least two Tests) in which he has failed to score a half-century. The previous two instances were in Australia in 1999-00 and against South Africa at home in 2000.214 – Sourav Ganguly, averaging 42.80, is the highest run-scorer for India in this series. Sachin Tendulkar is second highest with 199 at 33.16.15.1 overs – The amount of time Dravid and Tendulkar took to add 24 runs for the fourth wicket. The innings run-rate before Tendulkar and Dravid began their partnership was 2.84.4 – The number of innings out of five at Cape Town that Tendulkar has batted at No.5. It’s a remarkably high percentage considering he’s played only 20 of his 216 innings in that position.25.71 – Tendulkar’s strike-rate against debutant Paul Harris against whom he scored 9 off 35 balls. He didn’t score a run against ten balls from Shaun Pollock.69.7 – The number of overs South Africa took to dismiss India for 169. Munaf Patel was the last man out off the seventh legitimate ball of Dale Steyn’s over.16.00 – Pollock’s bowling average in this series. His haul of 13 wickets is second to Makhaya Ntini for South Africa. He’s also scored 150 runs at 37.50, the third highest tally and average for South Africa after Ashwell Prince and Graeme Smith.

Southampton's quest to bounce straight back up to the Premier League has got off to a flying start.

Under the stewardship of new manager Russell Martin, the Saints have scored ten goals and registered three wins from a possible four on the board.

Martin's possession-heavy style has worked a treat so far and to ensure their standards don't slip, the club have recently dipped into the loan market, acquiring Newcastle's Ryan Fraser, Everton's Mason Holgate and West Ham's Flynn Downes.

The quality Southampton have been able to add, particularly in the loan market, is a remarkable feat for a club in the second tier and this is demonstrated by the top-flight experience accumulated between the aforementioned trio.

What is the Southampton team news vs Sunderland?

When Southampton travel to the Stadium of Light to take on Sunderland this afternoon, Martin virtually has a fully fit squad to choose from, and that is a frightening prospect for the Black Cats.

While centre-back Jack Stephens is their only current casualty after suffering an injury last weekend, Holgate is a fine replacement, and he is likely to make his debut alongside Jan Bednarek.

Further forward, Downes could be handed his first start for the club, but he faces strong competition from central midfielders Carlos Alcaraz, Stuart Armstrong and Shea Charles.

The most exciting of the Saints inclusions could be the lightning-quick Fraser, who would offer an injection of urgency and experience to make way for 17-year-old starlet Samuel Amo-Ameyaw.

How good is Ryan Fraser?

Fraser's rapid rise to stardom began in 2012, joining Bournemouth at the start of their ascendancy up the football league pyramid, ending with a fairytale promotion to the Premier League in 2015.

The "electric" winger, as lauded by journalist Sean McCormick, would go on to spend eight years at the Cherries, appearing for the club on 208 occasions and registering 57 goal contributions.

His most impressive season came in 2018/19, registering an extraordinary seven goals and 14 assists in the top flight, alerting the likes of Arsenal to a potential transfer.

The following season saw his stock take a dramatic tumble as the Scotland international only managed five goal contributions in 28 appearances during the 2019/20 season.

Having joined Newcastle in the summer of 2020 on a free transfer, Fraser has been unable to replicate the highs of his time at Bournemouth, scoring only three goals in 59 appearances for the Magpies.

While his time in the North East hasn't worked out as he would have liked, moving back down south can see Fraser resurrect his career and become a key piece to Martin's promotion puzzle.

The 31-year-old has the telling attributes to become a difference-maker for this Saints side, utilising his electric pace and low centre of gravity to help unlock opposition defences.

Not only would his pace and dribbling provide Martin with an ace in his pack when trying to break down low blocks, but Fraser is also capable of matching, if not, bettering the statistical output of most wingers at Championship level.

During Fraser's most productive season in 2018/19, the 5 foot 4 ace produced monstrous numbers that saw him stand out when comparing his per 90 stats to his positional peers in the Premier League.

He ranked in the top 1% for assists (0.40), top 2% for crosses (7.70), top 3% for key passes (2.62), top 7% for progressive passes recorded (7.93) and top 15% for non-penalty goals (0.20), as per FBref.

If Fraser can roll back the years and start to produce a similar level of attacking output at Championship level, Martin will have a player on their hands who is capable of firing them to promotion. That begins by unleashing him against Sunderland today for his full debut, in a game that could see him get his career back on track.