Dani Ceballos has hinted at his potential exit from Real Madrid in this ongoing summer window.
Ceballos hints at exit this summerMidfielder was previously eager to staySpaniard has offers from Champions League teamsFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
After appearing in a cameo against Oviedo in Real's latest La Liga fixture, Ceballos posted a story on Instagram with the caption "Last dance" and a thank-you emoji. This suggests a potential shift in base for the 29-year-old, who has offers from Champions League outfits.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
With Xabi Alonso taking charge at Madrid, Ceballos seems to have fallen in the pecking order. He is the sixth midfielder on the list, alongside injured players like Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga. The manager has preferred Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde, along with Arda Guler, whom he has converted into a central role. This suggests it will be tough for Ceballos to get a place in the starting lineup. In the 3-0 win against Oviedo, he was subbed on to the pitch in the 86th minute, and against Osasuna, he joined the action in the 90th minute.
TELL ME MORE
Ceballos, despite having offers, wanted to stay at Real and fight for his place. He was aware that if he could convince Alonso for a place in the lineup, it would be smoother for him to convince Luis de la Fuente to offer him a place in the upcoming World Cup. However, as things stand, unless Ceballos moves to a different club and gets sufficient minutes, his dreams of featuring in the 2026 World Cup will remain in jeopardy. Madrid are not reluctant to keep him and will be open to offers between €15-20 million (£13m/$18m to £17m/$23m).
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CEBALLOS?
Ceballos' future has to be decided in the next few days as the window closes on August 31. He was previously linked to Betis, but there is no concrete development on it.
The former Karnataka bowler was a mainstay in his former team for nearly a decade before making a switch to Puducherry ahead of the current season
Saurabh Somani in Bengaluru19-Oct-2019″We have a very good team and definitely Karnataka is a very strong side.”It’s odd to hear those words from R Vinay Kumar, talking of his team playing Karnataka. It’s odder still when you realise he’s going to occupy the ‘away’ dressing room at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The anomaly is complete with J Arunkumar standing beside Vinay, as the ‘away’ coach against Karnataka at the Chinnaswamy.Before the current domestic season began, Puducherry pulled off a coup of sorts by not only hiring Arunkumar as coach, but also roping in Vinay as one of their three professional players. They wouldn’t have known then, that the combination that took Karnataka to an unprecedented double-treble – of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Ranji Trophy and Irani Cup – from 2013 to 2015, would end up facing their former team at the first available opportunity in the 2019-20 domestic season.Puducherry steamrolled their opposition in the Plate Group, earning a quarter-final spot against the Group A and B toppers, which turned out to be Karnataka. And now, the two men who were front and centre of Karnataka’s two most glorious years, will be plotting their downfall.”I never thought I was going to play against Karnataka,” Vinay said on the eve of their quarter-final. “But it’s cricket. We just need to play to win. I’m looking at it as one more game. Definitely there will be a lot of emotion involved, but when it comes to business, it’s business. I never thought that I would be playing so soon against them in an important game. It’s a bit similar to how in the IPL and KPL, my close friends could be in the opposite teams but we needed to win that game.”Karnataka are the heavyweights and the favourites, but in Puducherry, they have an opponent with tools uniquely fitted to cause a flutter of worry. Vinay has performed better at the Chinnaswamy than he has overall, and both he and Arunkumar know not just the ground, but the opponents, inside out. Vinay’s first-class bowling average at the Chinnaswamy is 21.46, against a career figure of 23.53. In List A matches, he averages 18.60 at an economy rate of 5.14. Those figures would read even better without the only ODI he’s played there, where he conceded 102 runs in nine overs for one wicket. His overall List A average and economy rate are 24.19 and 4.81. The last time Vinay played at the Chinnaswamy, he almost took Karnataka to victory over Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy 2018-19 semi-final, having put in his most inspired bowling performance of an otherwise sub-par bowling season, only for Cheteshwar Pujara to get a lucky break in their fourth-innings chase.”It’s a bit of an advantage because you know these players really well,” Arunkumar said. “(Devdutt) Padikkal even played for my team in the KPL. But the execution is very important. Usually, if you plan too much it doesn’t work.””I know about their weakness and they know about mine,” Vinay said, while Arunkumar joked about whether Vinay actually had any weaknesses.S Aravind, who is now the Karnataka bowling coach but bowled alongside Vinay for several years and worked under Arunkumar, said it was bittersweet facing old friends. “We have to look at them as opposition now. There’ll be a healthy competition,” Aravind smiled. “As friends, we are in touch, but during the game, we are in different units.”One of the aces up Karnataka’s sleeve is captain Manish Pandey. He has been in sublime touch through the tournament, and has looked like he belongs to a level above the one he’s currently competing in every time he has stepped out to bat. And both Vinay and Arunkumar know that they will need to neutralise Pandey.”He’s performed in every game. I’ve been watching his scores and he’s doing superbly,” Vinay said. “Being a captain and performing like that shows his calibre, and you can see the difference in the team – they’ve ended up top of the group.”Arunkumar focussed on the fact that it was a one-ball game for batsmen. “In the end, it just takes one ball, one mistake, or one brilliant catch,” he said. “Throughout all our league games, we’ve got all teams all out within 40 overs [Puducherry bowled their opponents out in all seven games they had a full bowling innings in, but three of the teams lasted beyond 40 overs]. It shows how commendable our bowling unit is. Our medium pace department is fantastic, and I think we have some of the best spinners in the country.”He (Pandey) is playing his natural game as captain, (but) there will be a bit of pressure now since it’s a quarter-final. Like I said, it’s just a matter of one ball.”Vinay will have potentially 60 of them with his new team, to overturn the fortunes of his old one.
Danny Rohl might well have initially injected life back into proceedings when first arriving on the scene at Sheffield Wednesday, but the Owls were dished out a harsh reality check courtesy of Huddersfield Town last match in terms of beating the Championship drop.
With the game finely poised at 0-0 as the second half dragged on, the Wednesday defence then buckled in a 12-minute horror show that saw the Terriers race into an emphatic 4-0 lead.
Rohl now has the almighty task of picking up his downtrodden troops for the game against Coventry City away on Tuesday night in the FA Cup, with the German manager scrambling in his head as to what starting lineup could pull off an unlikely victory against Mark Robins' men.
Djeidi Gassama could well be just one Owls player amongst many that is sacrificed for the trip to the Sky Blues, with this predicted lineup seeing Wednesday make five changes…
1 GK – James Beadle
Rohl won't want to completely destroy James Beadle's confidence after a disastrous display against Huddersfield, sticking by the Brighton loanee despite the young goalkeeper leaking four goals.
In the game just before this collapse on the road, Beadle had shown himself to be a competent shot-stopper – keeping a clean sheet as the Owls drew 0-0 with Watford, making two saves in the process.
Moreover, the Wednesday boss won't be too confident about starting Cameron Dawson over Beadle owing to Dawson's recent fragilities when played. In his last match before Beadle took the reins, the Sheffield-born keeper conceded four himself versus Southampton.
2 RB – Pol Valentin
Rohl will also cast his eye back to the Watford stalemate when sticking by Pol Valentin at right-back, the Spanish defender excelling against the Hornets after a stop-start life adjusting to South Yorkshire prior.
Only losing one duel in that draw, on top of completing all two of his dribbles, Valentin will want to just brush his display versus the Terriers under the carpet and push on to get back to his best tomorrow night.
3 CB – Michael Ihiewke
Coming into the side to replace Akin Famewo against Huddersfield, Michael Ihiewke had some moments of promise on a bleak day for the Owls at the John Smith's Stadium.
Making nine clearances in total, alongside winning three of his five duels, the former Rotherham United centre-back was arguably let down by the likes of Di'Shon Bernard and new Wednesday recruit Kristian Pedersen in the humbling defeat.
The experienced defender could well have even scored when the game was still 0-0, only for a headed attempt to be cleared off the line.
4 CB – Akin Famewo
Bernard will most likely be the first casualty from the horror show at Huddersfield, with Akin Famewo coming back into the side at the heart of defence to partner Ihiewke.
The former Manchester United man was at fault for the Terriers' misery compiling fourth goal of the game, a shocking back-pass leaving Beadle and Ihiewke in no man's land for Josh Koroma to then slot home.
Rohl will know he can rely on Famewo to come in and shore up the defence away from Bernard, with previous manager Xisco Munoz even labelling the 25-year-old as an "animal" at the back.
5 LB – Reece James
Bernard wasn't alone in having an afternoon to forget, with Kristian Pedersen way off the pace on his Owls debut in the 4-0 demolition job.
Sorba Thomas and Josh Koroma had field days coming up against the Owls back four and Pedersen, seen in Huddersfield's third goal of the game with a long ball over the top catching Pedersen cold before Thomas confidently tucked the chance away.
Pedersen might well need time to bed into the Owls group and get back up to sharpness, with Reece James coming in for the nervy Danish defender as a result.
6 CDM – Liam Palmer
Liam Palmer walked off the pitch with his held high on a personal level away from the shocking loss as a collective, the seasoned Wednesday number two enjoying his new role at defensive midfield.
Plying his trade as a right-back usually, Rohl's ingenious tweak to play Palmer as a holding midfielder has worked wonders for the 32-year-old.
Palmer attempted to give the Owls steel before the four-goal collapse occurred, winning six of his eight ground duels on top of launching himself into four tackles.
7 CDM – Mohamed Diaby
Mohamed Diaby could well be afforded a rare start in the Wednesday first-team away at Coventry tomorrow night, the imposing 27-year-old midfielder only starting one game all season long after joining on loan from Portimonense in the summer.
That could well change for the trip to the Sky Blues however, Diaby impressing in a short but sweet cameo against the Terriers when replacing a tiring Barry Bannan.
Managing to make one key pass from just eight minutes on the pitch, alongside winning 100% of his duels, Diaby could form a dogged partnership with Palmer in defensive midfield to help out a leaky Owls back four.
8 RM – Ian Poveda
Leeds forward Ian Poveda.
Rohl could really shake things up in attack for the game at Coventry tomorrow evening, dropping Owls top-scorer Anthony Musaba to give Leeds loanee Ian Poveda his debut.
Musaba was snatching at chances away at Huddersfield and cut a frustrated figure at the end, with Poveda – who was once described as "crazy" by Daniel Farke in terms of his showboating skills – coming in to potentially take the Sky Blues by surprise for his new side.
9 CAM – Barry Bannan
Bannan has predominantly played in a holding midfield role this campaign, but with Diaby potentially being handed a rare start, Rohl could shoehorn his exciting Scotsman into an attacking midfield spot for the away trip to Coventry.
Managing to still make four key passes from deep last game in a match that saw Huddersfield cruise to a win, Bannan's immense creative powers could be heightened even more by being pushed forward.
10 LM – Mallik Wilks
Sheffield Wednesday forward Mallik Wilks.
Musaba isn't the only casualty from down the channels, with Djeidi Gassama axed from the Owls lineup alongside Musaba after a torrid display versus the Terriers.
Losing possession a grand total of 20 times in the game, one of those instances coming when Huddersfield broke away for their decisive second goal, Gassama could be dropped for Mallik Wilks to come in tomorrow night.
The ex-Hull City attacker impressed as the lone centre-forward from off the bench last match – successfully completing two out of three dribble attempts – but the skilful 25-year-old is far more adept at causing havoc playing as a gung-ho winger.
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is still “dreaming” of a transfer that would reunite Lionel Messi with Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Argentine icon in MLSCR7 settled in Middle EastUnlikely to grace same teamGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Portuguese superstar Ronaldo made his way to the Middle East at Al-Nassr in 2023, shortly after being released by Premier League giants Manchester United as a free agent. Messi was given the opportunity to tread a similar path that summer when severing ties with Ligue 1 heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain.
AdvertisementWHAT GERRARD SAID
Messi opted against following the lead of eternal rival Ronaldo, with the Argentine instead linking up with ex-England captain David Beckham at MLS side Inter Miami. Gerrard, though, is clinging to the hope that Messi may yet be lured to Saudi Arabia. The current Al-Ettifaq boss has told : “It’s a dream for me to have Messi at Al-Ettifaq. He is an incredible player and would be a great asset for the club. I know it’s difficult for him to move to Saudi Arabia, but there’s nothing wrong with dreaming.”
Getty/GOALTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Former Liverpool skipper Gerrard, who moved to Dammam in July 2023, added on the long-running GOAT debate that continues to divide world football: “Both Cristiano and Messi are incredible players with incredible stories in football. Ronaldo is a great individual goal-scorer, while Messi is a more complete team player. I can’t really choose between them, they are both legends.”
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
WHAT NEXT?
Messi and Ronaldo have never played together at club level, with many of their battles taking place will filling spots on opposing sides of the Clasico divide at Barcelona and Real Madrid. Time is running out for them to be team-mates, with CR7 now 39 years of age and both men working on contracts that are due to expire in 2025 – although extensions to their remarkable playing careers are expected beyond that point.
The proposed plan involves a total of 22 matches, with a maximum of five overseas players in each XI
Nagraj Gollapudi13-Oct-2022The long-awaited women’s IPL is set to become a reality next year with the BCCI planning a five-team tournament for March 2023, immediately after the Women’s T20 World Cup ends in South Africa on February 26.The BCCI’s proposed plan involves a total of 22 matches, with each squad comprising 18 players with a maximum of six from overseas. No more than five overseas players can feature in a playing XI, with four from Full Member countries and one from an Associate nation.As per the plan, which the BCCI sent on Thursday to state associations and which has been seen by ESPNcricinfo, each team will play the others twice during the league phase (20 matches), with the league topper heading straight to the final. The second finalist will be decided via an Eliminator between the second and third-ranked teams from the league phase. The BCCI is yet to finalise the schedule of the WIPL, but it will be wrapped up before the men’s IPL begins, which is likely to be at the end of March.Whether the March window has been pencilled in for the long term remains to be seen, but the BCCI said in a paper on the WIPL that it has identified a “clear 25 days Women’s IPL window in the FTP cycle”. The inaugural WIPL is likely to clash with the inaugural season of the Women’s Pakistan Super League.”It will be a challenge to play the WIPL in the home and away format, because with five to six teams it is not possible to have a match every day,” the BCCI said in its paper on the WIPL, which was sent to the states as part of the wider agenda for the board’s annual general meeting scheduled in Mumbai on October 18. “It is suggested that the tournament can be played in caravan style, where after finishing ten matches at one venue, the next ten matches to be played at the next venue. Therefore, ten matches each to be played across two venues in the 2023 WIPL season, ten each in the next two venues in the 2024 season, and for the 2025 season ten matches in the remaining one venue and the remaining ten in one of the venues from 2023 season.”Where will the teams be from? Unlike the Women’s T20 challenge, the precursor to the WIPL, where the teams were assembled randomly, the BCCI will sell the five franchises. However, unlike the men’s IPL, where franchises bid for teams in a particular city, the BCCI has chalked out two plans for the WIPL. The first one comprises selling teams across six zones spanning the country. A set of cities in each zone has been shortlisted and comprises: Dharamsala/Jammu (North zone), Pune/Rajkot (West), Indore/Nagpur/Raipur (Central), Ranchi/Cuttack (East), Kochi/Visakhapatnam (South) and Guwahati (North-East).The second plan involves teams being sold but without a solid home base, with matches to be played at six shortlisted IPL venues: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai.The BCCI will present the WIPL plan at the AGM next week but a final decision will be taken by the IPL Governing Council chairman – who that is will be decided at the upcoming AGM – along with the BCCI office bearers.Exponential growth in participation – the reason behind WIPL Women’s cricket in India became a big talking point ever since they reached the final of the ODI World Cup in 2017 at Lord’s, where they lost to England in front of a full house. In 2018, the BCCI launched the Women’s T20 Challenge, but it was restricted to just one match. Over the next three years, it expanded to a three-team competition. Voices across women’s cricket, both in India and globally, were critical of BCCI’s reluctance to launch a women’s IPL at the time.The board and several state associations were originally concerned by the shallow player pool in women’s cricket, but those reservations have gradually receded now.”With the rise in popularity of women’s cricket in the country mainly due to prominent performances by the Indian Senior Cricket team on world stage by qualifying for semi-finals in 2018 T20 World Cup, finals in 2020 T20 World Cup, securing silver medal in recently held 2022 Commonwealth games in Birmingham, we intend to conduct the Women’s IPL on similar lines with the Indian Premier League,” the BCCI said in its paper on WIPL.The growth on the domestic front was massive with the paper listing “an overall increase of 111% in participation of players along various categories” in the eight-year period between 2014-22. A further breakdown listed the number increasing by 129% in the senior women’s category and a 92% increase in the Under-19 category.The WIPL – and the proposed WPSL – will join the FairBreak Invitational, the Women’s Hundred, WCPL and WBBL as T20 leagues that bolster the popularity and growth of women’s cricket globally. The WIPL paper also noted that the BCCI had studied both the WBBL and the Women’s Hundred models before finalising its plan.
It’s understood his vision did not align with that of head coach Justin Langer and team owner Sanjeev Goenka
Nagraj Gollapudi18-Sep-20256:17
‘Zaheer’s vision wasn’t bought by LSG leadership group’
Lucknow Super Giants’ team mentor Zaheer Khan has parted ways with the franchise after just one season. ESPNcricinfo has learned Zaheer informed LSG of his decision on Thursday.It is understood that the primary reason for Zaheer quitting is that his vision for the franchise did not align with that of head coach Justin Langer and team owner Sanjeev Goenka. While Zaheer’s relationship with captain Rishabh Pant remained strong, he was affected by the thought process that played a role in LSG sliding down the points table in the second half of IPL 2025.Zaheer had joined LSG in August 2024, filling the vacancy left by Gautam Gambhir’s exit after IPL 2023. Zaheer had been with Mumbai Indians from 2018 to 2022 and agreed to a two-year contract with LSG, taking charge of scouting, planning and strategy.Related
Zaheer: Looked like it was Punjab curator at our home game
Bharat Arun named LSG bowling coach
After making the playoffs in their first two IPL seasons in 2022 and 2023, LSG did not reach the knockouts in the last two seasons. In 2025, they finished seventh with six wins from 14 games. It was a season of contrasting halves: LSG had five wins in their first eight matches but only one in the last six. Of the eight games they played at their home ground, the Ekana Stadium, they won only two.LSG had made headlines at last year’s mega auction when they bought Pant for INR 27 crore (USD 3.2 million approx.), making him the most expensive player ever in the IPL. The team was built around him, but Zaheer put in place building blocks he felt were needed to grow stronger every season. Despite there being a lot of chatter about Pant opening the batting, Zaheer spoke to the wicketkeeper-batter early on and told him that the better strategy would be for Mitchell Marsh to open with Aiden Markram. That strategy, Zaheer impressed on both Pant and the leadership group, would reduce the burden on their best batter, Nicholas Pooran, who was the No. 3.The role clarity allowed the batters to play with freedom and perform consistently. Markram had never opened in the IPL before, while Marsh, despite having been in the IPL for more than a decade, had never made a major impact. The move worked: Marsh was the fifth highest run-getter in IPL 2025 with 627 runs at a strike rate of 163.70, Pooran made 524 runs at 196.25, and Markram 445 at 148.82.
Nottingham Forest are at the beginning of life under Ange Postecoglou, but results haven’t gone to plan since the Australian boss arrived at the City Ground.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s departure paved the way for Postecoglou to enter the hotseat in the East Midlands, though it is fair to say his tenure has yielded mixed reviews as he awaits a first victory in charge.
Back-to-back defeats against Arsenal and Swansea City were followed by consecutive draws against Burnley and Real Betis, before Forest endured a frustrating loss against Sunderland last weekend despite creating a host of chances.
Urging patience, Postecoglou shared frustration at his side not being able to dispose of the Black Cats, albeit he did acknowledge his side were more than a match for their opponents in terms of their performance.
He stated: “Frustrating. Disappointing. It’s another game we have allowed to get away from us, where really we should be very comfortably overcoming (Sunderland). I didn’t think there was anything in it (free-kick decision). Irrespective, even if the referee has made an absolute high howler, we can still deal with the free-kick better. What we did after that is more of a concern to me than the decision.”
While Nottingham Forest’s frustration at the officials was reflected by Neco Williams, they do have plenty to build on; it isn’t as if they’ve been blown away by their opposition in any of their last four matches, excluding their defeat at Arsenal.
Ange Postecoglou’s frustrating start
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Swansea City 3-2 Nottingham Forest
Burnley 1-1 Nottingham Forest
Real Betis 2-2 Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest 0-1 Sunderland
Either way, people will already begin to form judgements, with many still fresh from memories of Postecoglou’s rollercoaster season with Tottenham Hotspur last term, ending the year with the Europa League trophy and a 17th-placed Premier League finish.
Tim Howard launches scathing Postecoglou verdict
Speaking to Premier League Productions, former United States and Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard has hit out at Postecoglou, claiming his methods lack pragmatism even if they are easy on the eye.
He stated: “I’m so sick and tired of these coaches saying, ‘This is the way I play, and I’ll lose my job, but I’ll play this way.’ No, you have to be pragmatic. You have to dig in. Yes, they use the football well and yes, they play well. But did you see that (Sunderland) performance? They were willing to dig in, every single one of them. That’s how you get results, and it shows.”
Collymore believes Nottingham Forest star is "finally" living up to the hype
One Nottingham Forest star found himself at the centre of Stan Collymore’s praise.
ByTom Cunningham Sep 25, 2025
Truthfully, there are two contexts to view Nottingham Forest’s situation in. On one hand, they have been unlucky not to claim more from their first five matches under Postecoglou, but a soft underbelly has no place in a side trying to claim Premier League points.
The Australian is known for his firebrand style of football, so fans will have to be encouraged by the flashes of what they’ve seen – particularly in Seville – and simply buckle up and enjoy the ride.
Germany needed only to avoid defeat to guarantee their 2026 World Cup spot when they faced Slovakia at the Red Bull Arena on Monday night. Following a sub-par campaign, which included a 2-0 loss in Slovakia back in September, Die Mannschaft booked their trip stateside in fine fashion as Julian Nagelsmann's side slaughtered the Falcons, easing to a 6-0 victory.
AFPTell me more
Germany looked to settle early nerves and it was the home side who forged the first half-chance with just three minutes on the clock, with Florian Wirtz's cross headed over Serge Gnabry. Wirtz himself then fired over from inside the Slovakia box, before the dominant hosts found the breakthrough in the 18th minute as in-form Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade headed Germany.
Midway through the first half, and Germany were two goals to the good through Gnabry, latching onto a perfectly weighted Leon Goretzka pass. And the match as a contest was settled 10 minutes before the break as Leroy Sane scored his first and Germany's third – Wirtz played a superb ball over the high Slovakia defensive line for Sane. Wirtz and Sane linked up again for Germany's fourth as the former picked out the latter at the back post in a rampant opening 45 minutes.
The hosts added a fifth midway through the second half. Ridle Baku replaced captain Kimmich in the 64th minute and made no mistake from close range having been teed up by Gnabry to score his second international goal of his career. Dubravka did all he could to keep the scoreline somewhat respectable as he palmed away a low Goretzka drive in the 73rd minute. But he failed to keep out Assan Ouedraogo's deflected effort as the teenager became the second youngest scorer for the Germany national team a little over a minute after his second half introduction.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe MVP
Having struggled at club level and come in for criticism for a series of sub-par displays following his Liverpool move, Florian Wirtz showcased just why the Reds spent big to secure his services over the summer. Wirtz was a creative force in Leipzig as he tore the Slovakia backline to shreds, linking up superbly with Leroy Sane on the opposite flank. Liverpool fans will be hoping he can transfer this flying Germany form to club level when domestic duties return this weekend.
The big loser
The experienced head in the Slovakia backline, Milan Skriniar looked anything but. The 30-year-old won't want to remember Monday's showing in Leipzig in a hurry. Indeed, Skriniar was at fault for Leroy Sane's second and Germany's fourth in a pitiful performance from the former Inter and PSG man.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty Images SportMatch rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is pleased to 'put pressure' on their arch-rivals Real Madrid after a dominant win against Celta Vigo, featuring a strong yet explosive performance of Robert Lewandowski's hat-trick. However, Flick bemoans the "incredible" suspension of key Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who will miss the next fixture against Athletic Club after the international break.
Barcelona's character shines in Balaidos victory
Celebrating his 50th La Liga game in charge, Flick's side demonstrated a potent attacking display as they ran out 4-2 winners to cut the gap on league leaders Madrid to three points. The match saw three goals from Lewandowski and one more from Pedri for Barcelona, while Celta threatened with strikes from Iago Aspas and Jorgen Strand Larsen.
The win, which came with eight shots on target from 20 attempts, showcased Barcelona's attacking prowess, contrasting with Celta's four shots on target from six attempts. Despite conceding two goals, Barcelona's control in the second period was evident, maintaining 63% possession and achieving 95% pass accuracy.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportFlick's focus on continued pressure on Real Madrid
Speaking after the match, Flick said: "Yes, of course, I'm happy. I think we made more mistakes in the first half than in the second. In the first half we were very good with the ball, and in the second half the team knew how to control the game.
"In football, the previous match doesn't matter, you always have to look ahead to the next one, but it's good to put pressure on the team above us. The second half gives us confidence. I'm happy for the team."
The Barcelona coach highlighted the strategic significance of the result, especially heading into the international break. "Pushing pressure on the opponent is good, we did it and I’m happy. Winning before the international break is also very good. I feel happy. We had to look out for ourselves and we applied the pressure well today."
This result positions Barcelona on 28 points, three behind Real Madrid's 31, with both teams having played 12 matches.
The undeniable star of the evening was veteran striker Lewandowski, who netted a hat-trick to take his La Liga tally to seven goals. The Polish international, in his fifth start, demonstrated his enduring quality despite being 37 years old. Flick expressed confidence in Lewandowski's form, avoiding speculation about his future beyond the current season.
"It’s too early to talk about Lewandowski’s next season. I can say that after his injury, I saw a different Robert, positive, confident. It’s very important for us that he scored three goals," Flick commented, acknowledging the striker's strong return to form. This performance is a significant boost for Barcelona's title aspirations, providing the cutting edge in attack they need to challenge Real Madrid.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
De Jong suspension a blow for Barcelona
While celebrating the victory, Flick voiced regret over the suspension of key midfielder Frenkie de Jong. The Dutchman received two yellow cards during the match, resulting in a red card in the fifth minute of stoppage time, and will now miss Barcelona's next league fixture against Athletic Club. De Jong's absence will be keenly felt, given his crucial role.
"I think De Jong controlled the game and is very important for us," Flick noted. "He’s playing at an incredible level. It’s not good that he’ll miss the next game because he’s important for us, but we’ll have to manage it. When we return from the break, I hope to have Pedri, Raphinha, and Joan [Garcia] available. We’ll see."
De Jong’s influence on possession and pass accuracy is considerable, and his ability to dictate the tempo of games is vital for Barcelona. His suspension comes at a challenging time, especially with the team striving to maintain pressure on the league leaders.
A free agent who has already proven himself in the Premier League earlier in his career could now be willing to make the move to Everton.
Garner reveals Everton's change in mentality
The Blues have won three of their opening three league games this season, with the early signs suggesting that positive times lie ahead under David Moyes.
Midfielder James Garner has impressed in the opening weeks of the campaign, scoring in the 2-0 win at home to Brighton, and he has spoken about a shift in mentality that has taken place at Everton under their manager.
“He said to us on day one that he’s not come here to take over a team that’s fighting against relegation – he said it again on day one of pre-season. He sets high standards and we know where we want to be.
“We’ve got a few more faces in over the summer and with the quality we have in the squad now, we all agree with the manager – if you want to achieve big things, then you’ve got to set your standards and your goals high. I think you can see it in us. There is a mentality shift. We’re playing with more confidence, going into games thinking how we are going to take all three points, it’s not just surviving.
“We’ve done that in these first few games. Obviously, the first game [against Leeds] felt like a blip, I don’t think we played well, but we’ve responded and now the aim is to keep building momentum. We want to keep winning and keep that winning mentality – that was the message in the changing room amongst all of us after the Wolves game.”
While Everton’s improvements this season are clear, it is also important that further quality is added to the squad, and they have now been linked with a move for a free agent.
"Brilliant" free agent could be keen on joining Everton
Speaking to Goodison News, former Toffees scout Bryan King talked up the idea of Everton signing left-back Sergio Reguilon on a free transfer, who could be “willing” to move to Merseyside.
“He’s a free transfer, so it would certainly be an option to look at. They’re a bit stretched across the whole defence at the moment, with Branthwaite’s injury concerns. I would imagine that Reguilon would be more than willing to go and join a club like Everton. It seems like Everton are moving in a forward direction, instead of being in a relegation fight.”
Reguilon could be a shrewd signing for Everton, especially with Vitalii Mykolenko picking up an injury prior to the international break, with the 28-year-old an experienced player.
Forget Barry: Everton are brewing Beto replacement in 19-year-old "nuisance"
Everton have got exciting competition for places in their centre-forward ranks
ByJoe Nuttall Sep 11, 2025
The Spaniard actually scored against the Blues for Tottenham in a 5-0 win back in 2021/22, and he has 81 Premier League appearances to his name.
Reguilon was once hailed as “brilliant” by Noel Whelan, and he could bring a good mix of defensive solidity and attacking thrust to Everton’s team, with a return to English football potentially appealing to him as he searches for a new club.