Leeds United were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 campaign after three years at the top table of English football.

The Whites were promoted under Marcelo Bielsa in 2020 and stayed up under the Argentine boss and then Jesse Marsch. However, a combination of Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce failed to keep them up last term.

An instant return to the top-flight is now on the agenda for the Yorkshire-based outfit and German boss Daniel Farke has been brought in to secure it.

The impressive tactician won two Championship titles during his time with Norwich City earlier in his career and is now looking for a third promotion to the Premier League.

Points

94

97

Goals for

93

75

Goals against

57

36

Games won

27

29

Farke's Championship title-winning seasons with Norwich (via Sky Sports):

However, his squad was dealt a number of blows as the likes of Tyler Adams, Rodrigo, Max Wober, Robin Koch, Jack Harrison, Luis Sinisterra, and Marc Roca moved on either permanently or out on loan.

One decision that the German head coach made that may come back to haunt him, though, is the one to loan out talented young midfielder Sam Greenwood, who has outscored Wilfried Gnonto, Dan James, and Jaidon Anthony this season.

Why Leeds could lose Greenwood permanently

The Whites could lose the ex-Arsenal prospect on a permanent deal at the end of the 2023/24 campaign as they included a purchase option within his loan deal with Middlesbrough.

It was recently reported by The Athletic that Boro negotiated an option to sign Greenwood for £1.5m during next summer's transfer window if they decide the fit is right by that point.

This means that, essentially, Farke and Leeds have little say in what happens with the midfield technician next year as his current club have the chance to snap him up permanently if they want to.

If Middlesbrough do decide that they want to activate that £1.5m buyout clause and the Whites do not want to lose him then they would need to convince the player to turn down the opportunity to return to Teesside.

This could be a difficult task when you consider that Leeds were willing to sanction a possible permanent exit for him last summer and decided that he was not ready for their first-team.

Greenwood has been shown faith by Boro and may, therefore, prefer a switch to Michael Carrick's side over coming back to Elland Road if it comes down to it next summer.

Sam Greenwood's statistics this season

The 21-year-old whiz, who former Leeds ace Noel Whelan hailed for his "immense" ability, endured a slow start to life at Middlesbrough as his first four appearances for the club came as a substitute in the Championship.

However, he has since broken into the starting XI and has started each of their last four league matches, which has allowed him to showcase his quality out wide.

Greenwood has been deployed on the left of an attacking midfield trio behind the main centre-forward and has caught the eye with his recent attacking contributions.

The right-footed wizard has scored two goals in four starts, both of which came within the last three games, and the latest of those came in their 2-1 win over Norwich City on Tuesday night.

He produced a fantastic display against the Canaries earlier this week with a Sofascore rating of 7.7, which was the highest score of any player for either side.

The English dynamo scored the opening goal for Boro as he arrived in the right place at the right time to finish from close range after Norwich gave possession away on the opposite side of the pitch.

Greenwood also won seven of his 12 duels and completed all three of his attempted dribbles. These statistics show that the talented gem offered strength out of possession and helped to carry his team up the pitch with his dribbling quality.

To the latter point, the former Sunderland academy ace has completed 15 progressive carries in his last four matches for Boro and this shows that, alongside a goal threat, the Leeds loanee can provide value in transition.

Farke may now be looking at the gem's recent performances and wondering whether or not it was a mistake to part ways with the 21-year-old ace, particularly when he looks at how his current wing options have performed in front of goal.

Wilfried Gnonto's statistics this season

Gnonto has scored one goal in six Championship starts, with one further appearance off the bench, throughout the 2023/24 campaign so far.

The Italy international was brought back into the starting XI against Stoke on Wednesday night and failed to make the most of his opportunity to shine. He failed to provide a single shot on target, completed dribble, or chance created for his teammates in 70 minutes on the pitch.

Chances have not been particularly hard to come by for the 19-year-old whiz as he has already missed two 'big chances' and taken 1.6 shots per game, which suggests that his current return of one goal has been an underperformance.

Whereas, Greenwood has taken 1.3 shots per match and has not missed a single 'big chance' in front of goal to go along with his two league strikes.

Gnonto is not the only Leeds forward who has been outperformed in front of goal by the Boro star, though, as Anthony and James have also only scored one goal each in the league so far this season. The latter has, at least, provided four assists but the Bournemouth loanee is yet to register a single assist.

Meanwhile, Ian Poveda, Patrick Bamford, and Joe Gelhardt were all kept around to be part of the squad and have combined for zero goals and zero assists in 15 league appearances between them.

These statistics suggest that Leeds could have benefitted from keeping the 5 foot 11 dynamo as part of their squad to bolster their attacking options out wide.

The Whites have not had a steady stream of goals from those positions, outside of Crysencio Summerville's four strikes, and this was illustrated on Wednesday as Anthony and Gnonto started out wide and failed to make an impact in the final third as Farke's men lost 1-0 to Leeds.

Everton are a club that has been financially devastated in recent years, largely through the thoughtless leadership of Farhad Moshiri and his countless questionable decisions.

Although they tried to offset around £170m of their losses to the COVID-19 pandemic, which admittedly devastated the entire footballing world, it was not enough to prevent their relegation rivals from the 2021/22 season writing to the Premier League in a desperate last-gasp attempt to secure safety.

Although it turned into a failed venture, as Burnley and Leeds United have both since been relegation across separate campaigns, they have since penned a new letter alongside Leicester City to the Toffees’ prospective new owners warning them of their reignited intentions to sue, dependant on the result of an ongoing case.

Whilst that is a worry for another day, the task has now fallen onto Sean Dyche to once again navigate them clear of relegation, with a squad delicately assembled for a cut price and easily good enough to ensure their top-flight status remains.

Much of their higher earners have been desperately offloaded in recent years to trim down a heavily bloated outfit, whilst some still linger around. However, with the sheer volume of failed transfers made over the last decade has made it a tough task to accomplish with speed.

Who is Everton’s worst-ever signing?

Due to the frequency of their high-profile failures, it therefore makes it even harder to pin down a sole victor for the title of their worst-ever signing.

After all, it is depressing to note the sheer number of stars signed for huge fees who have left on a free. Gylfi Sigurdsson, Yerry Mina and Jean-Philippe Gbamin are just three examples of duds who offered no return.

Then, whilst the likes of Michael Keane and Andre Gomes still remain at Goodison Park, they provide little in the way of quality on the pitch. The latter hasn't even played yet this season to sum up his individual woes.

However, Ronald Koeman managed to achieve a patented blend of the two with Yannick Bolasie, who marked a huge acquisition poised to usher in a new era of free-spending under their Iranian owner.

With an endless bag of tricks, and enough pace and dynamism to uphold a front line on his own, understandably excitement was high as the former DR Congo international made his Merseyside move.

How many games did Yannick Bolasie play for Everton?

It was to be a truly ill-fated deal, with a promising start almost instantly cut short following an innocuous challenge from Anthony Martial.

The 34-year-old was left in a heap in front of his home crowd after just his 15 appearance in Royal Blue, with their worst fears set to be confirmed. It was an ACL injury, and one that would drastically alter the future of a once exciting career.

Bolasie would only manage a total of 32 outings for the Toffees, scoring a desperately disappointing two goals and assisting a further four. Writer Alex Keble would brand the winger as “really unlucky” following the surgery, and rightly so.

Then, speaking in 2021, the former Sporting CP loanee would outline his turmoil regarding such a torrid period: “I’ve always just wanted to play football. Hence why I’ve probably killed myself going out on these loans from Everton.

“Other players might have said: ‘Actually, I’m coming back from my injury and I’ve got a five-year contract. ‘I can sit here while I build myself up slowly.”

In the end, his desperation to return would fall short, and he eventually departed for Turkey; his last stint in football before enduring a recent unemployed period.

How much did Yannick Bolasie cost Everton?

Whilst the on-pitch failures of his doomed move to Everton were frustrating, the fiscal burden of the deal was what truly disappointed, as it arguably offered a precursor for what was to come.

After all, the £28m expended marked an astronomical fee, matching the then club-record fee spent to bring Romelu Lukaku to the club. The hope was that he might strike up an instant partnership with the Belgian, who remains their all-time top scorer in the Premier League, but that was obviously not to be.

In the end, Bolasie left for free, whilst the current AS Roma star recouped a sizable £75m to offset some of the more lucrative transfer duds they would oversee.

What was Yannick Bolasie’s salary at Everton?

Naturally, a lofty salary would come alongside such a huge transfer fee, given the 6 foot 2 speedster was expected to underpin an exciting new regime.

However, as was the case with that upfront figure, it unsurprisingly backfired terribly. That made his five-year contract and £75k-per-week salary somewhat daunting.

Although what he might have taken from the club was slightly offset by loan spells with Aston Villa, Anderlecht, Sporting CP and Middlesbrough, in total Bolasie would drain the club of a further £9.7m, bringing his total cost up to £37.7m.

To emphasise just how dreadful a deal this turned out to be, when comparing this figure with the number of games he ended up playing, Moshiri actually expended £1.17m for every appearance the 50-cap star made.

Did Yannick Bolasie deserve to earn £75k-per-week?

Realistically, Bolasie did not deserve to earn anything near the salary he amassed. But, the injuries that would plague the skilful maverick were far from his fault, and he was poised to shine at Goodison Park.

After all, the campaign before making the switch saw the Eagles enjoy an ace who scored five and assisted a further four in the league, dressing up such impressive figures with a play style to get supporters raving.

Yannick Bolasie's years at Everton	Value	% change
2021	€1.5m (£1.3m)	56% decrease
2020	€3.5m (£3m)	41% decrease
2019	€6m (£5.1m)	60% decrease
2018	€15m (£12.9m)	25% decrease
2017	€20m (£17.2m)	N/A
2016	€20m (£17.2m)	N/A
All stats via Transfermarkt

In the end, they saw such a prospect taken from them, and across his entire five years on Merseyside, he would not amass the same figures earned in just one final year at Selhurst Park.

How much did other Everton players earn?

Whilst that £75k-per-week earned did not make Bolasie their top earner, it was certainly not far off from those within the squad during the 2016/17 term, via Capology.

In fact, that title somehow went to Morgan Schneiderlin, who garnered a truly ridiculous £120k-per-week, even more than Lukaku’s £80k-per-week.

The former Palace winger instead sat in third, narrowly ahead of stars such as Kevin Mirallas, Ashley Williams and Leighton Baines, the latter of which is widely regarded as one of the club’s most legendary figures in recent memory.

Glasgow Rangers ended a turbulent few weeks by finally replacing Michael Beale as the Ibrox side announced Philippe Clement as their new manager.

The Belgian arrives with a solid reputation having won three league titles in his homeland managing Genk and Club Brugge, while his latest spell saw him spend 18 months at AS Monaco, before being sacked a few months ago.

The Gers need some new ideas, and they need them fast if they have any ambitions of catching Celtic at the top of the Premiership table.

Clement will need to use all his tactical nous to get a tune out of the current crop of players, especially as confidence has hit an all-time low after winning just nine of their opening 16 matches of the 2023/24 campaign.

Beale failed to showcase any ready style of play or tactical identity and his summer signings failed to really hit the ground running, despite spending big money on the likes of Sam Lammers and Cyriel Dessers.

Clement has worked with some of the brightest young talent in Europe during his spell at Monaco, including Axel Disasi, Aurelien Tchouameni and Benoit Badiashile and this could give some of the academy stars at the Light Blues the confidence boost they need.

Indeed, several youngsters were given a chance by interim manager Steven Davis, most notably Zak Lovelace, Ross McCausland and Bailey Rice and these players could be future stars if they carry on their excellent progress.

It is perhaps another teenager who the Belgian may be most interested in, however, as Leon King remains one of the brightest products to emerge from the Gers youth system in the previous few years.

How much did Leon King cost Rangers?

The 19-year-old cost the club nothing having worked his way through the youth ranks at the Ibrox side, and he signed his first professional contract at the age of 16 back in March 2020.

Then sporting director Ross Wilson lavished praise on the teen, saying: “I am delighted we have an agreement with Leon King.

“Leon has been a priority for us and we are excited about his potential. He has been demonstrating that potential both for Rangers and Scotland and we are excited about his future.”

Head of the academy Craig Mulholland even described King as “one of the UK’s most sought after young talents” once he signed his new deal, and it appeared as though the Gers had a stunning prospect.

How many appearances has Leon King made for Rangers?

Still only 16, King finally made his senior debut for the Gers as Steven Gerrard handed brought him on for James Tavernier with just 20 minutes to go against Falkirk in the League Cup back in November 2020.

His first Premiership appearances came during the end of the same season as the club cruised to their first league title in a decade and he finally made his first start against Dundee United towards the end of the season, while also even making the bench for the Europa League final and Scottish Cup final, claiming a winners medal in the latter competition.

Due to an injury crisis at the start of the 2022/23 season, King was given a chance to impress by Giovanni van Bronckhorst, and he featured 19 times until the winter break, gaining a wealth of experience in the process.

The youngster even ranked fourth for clearances per game (1.9) across the whole squad last term while also winning 58% of his total duels and averaging 48.4 touches per game, indicating that his physical presence was impressive, and he was always keen on getting on the ball.

Overall, King has made a grand total of 31 appearances for the Glasgow side and this should rise further this term.

These displays have seen his value skyrocket, and he has yet to turn 20.

How much is Leon King worth?

His impact in the first team last season led King to be valued as high as €4.2m (£3.6m) according to Football Transfers in March this year, and although this has dipped to a current valuation of €2.5m (£2.2m), it still represents a wonderful figure for someone so young.

Having emerged through the academy, thus being developed at the club, the Gers haven’t had to pay a fee for the defender, and he could well secure them a solid profit one day in the future.

Indeed, the centre-back has even been linked to clubs such as Manchester United and Newcastle United in the previous 12 months, with the two Premier League giants even sending scouts to watch him in action for the Light Blues.

This is a further indication of just how talented he is and that if he continues to be patient and work hard, he should soon get further opportunities under Clement, having failed to make an impression under Beale.

The £4k-per-week starlet was hailed by former Ibrox defender Alan Hutton before the start of the 2022/23 season, who said: “I think when I did watch him last season, he was like a big Rolls-Royce, very elegant on the ball. He came out, kept possession and looked very comfortable for someone of such a young age.

“With the likes of [Leon] Balogun leaving, Goldson signing a new contract, we know Souttar’s coming in, you need that competition for places to drive you on.

Leon King for Rangers

Games

2022/23

23

2021/22

6

2020/21

2

Stats via Transfermarkt

“So I’d like to see him try and break through, stamp his authority in this team, in his own way. I think he’s got all the potential and he ticks all the boxes for a modern-day centre-back.“

He has certainly faced plenty of competition this season and has yet to make a single first-team appearance so far, but this could all change under Clement.

The former Brugge manager has placed his trust in youth before and will surely do so again, especially with the sheer volume of talent he has to work with at Ibrox.

King has bided his time well this campaign and could well be rewarded sooner rather than later, especially with Clement’s penchant for developing young talent at his previous clubs.

كشف ديدييه ديشامب، المدير الفني لمنتخب فرنسا، عن تشكيل اللاعبين لمباراة إسبانيا، في منافسات بطولة كأس أمم أوروبا، يورو 2024.

ويواجه منتخب فرنسا نظيره الإسباني، في إطار منافسات الدور نصف النهائي بكأس أمم أوروبا في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة”، على ملعب “أليانز أرينا”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. رودري: لسنا خائفين من فرنسا.. وأحيانًا لا أستطيع ممارسة كرة القدم بسبب الإرهاق

وتأهل المنتخب الفرنسي إلى منافسات الدور نصف النهائي عقب فوزه على البرتغال بركلات الترجيح، وذلك بعد انتهاء الوقت الأصلي والإضافي سلبي النتيجة في مواجهات دور الـ8.

بينما تأهل المنتخب الإسباني إلى الدور ذاته عقب فوزه على ألمانيا بنتيجة 2/1.

يذكر أن الفائز من هذه المواجهة، سيلاقي الفائز من مباراة الغد بين إنجلترا وهولندا، في المباراة النهائية. تشكيل فرنسا أمام إسبانيا اليوم في يورو 2024

حراسة المرمى: مايك ماينان.

خط الدفاع: ثيو هيرنانديز، ويليام ساليبا، دايوت أوباميكانو، جوليس كوندي.

وسط الملعب: نجولو كانتي، أوريلين تشواميني، أدريان رابيو.

الهجوم: كولو مواني، عثمان ديمبلي، كيليان مبابي.

Manchester City are believed to be keen on bolstering a key area with a talented star; however, they will face rival competition from Arsenal, according to reports.

Man City transfer updates

The Citizens look to be showing no sign of slowing down in their quest to acquire new talent to strengthen the ranks under Pep Guardiola following the additions of Jeremy Doku, Mateo Kovacic, Josko Gvardiol and Matheus Nunes. Whether Manchester City choose to go down the path of acquiring youth or experience, Guardiola's talent identification radar is usually on point and the Spaniard has cultivated a reputation in conjunction with his scouting team of rarely making a poor investment.

According to Sports Zone via TEAMtalk, Paris Saint-Germain teenage sensation Warren Zaire-Emery is a target for Manchester City despite news that he is closing in on a new contract at the Parc des Princes. The report states that an agreement in principle has been reached over the 17-year-old extending his time in Paris; however, Manchester City could look to lodge a last-minute bid in an attempt to lure the midfielder to the Premier League.

Speaking of experience, Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has been offered to Manchester City and could re-unite with Citizens boss Guardiola on a free transfer next summer when his contract at the La Liga giants expires. Nevertheless, West Ham United, Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United could all rival Manchester City to sign the former German international, who is believed to be open to a dramatic switch to the English top-flight in the twilight of his distinguished career.

City seem to have their sights on more than one player at the minute and they could also be joined by other suitors in the race for a talented defender, according to a fresh report.

Man City keen on Marc Guehi

According to a transfer report from The Sun, Manchester City are keen on Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi and they could even lodge a bid for the England international in January despite the Eagles' insistence that he is not for sale at any price at present.

Crystal Palace would want a huge fee for the defender, possibly even a club record at Selhurst Park, who is also being lined up by Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and even his former club Chelsea, where he came through the academy system at Cobham.

Marc Guehi stats for Crystal Palace (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

95

Goals

3

Assists

1

Providing a physically imposing presence for Roy Hodgson's men, Guehi has excelled in 2023/24, making an average of 4.6 clearances, 1.3 tackles and 1.3 blocks per game in the Premier League this term (Guehi stats – WhoScored).

Capable of stepping out from the back, Guehi, who has previously been dubbed "composed" by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate, has also managed to successfully carry out ten shot-creating actions in the English top-flight, demonstrating his capacity to efficiently progress the ball from deep (Guehi statistics – FBRef).

The PCB announced the latest list of centrally-contracted players, who stand to gain up to 25% more as part of salary increases across the board, as well as a 20% rise in match fees

Danyal Rasool06-Aug-2018

Mickey Arthur addresses the Pakistan huddle•Getty Images

Pakistan’s international players are set for a significant earnings rise after a fresh three-year remuneration agreement saw salary increases between 25% and 30% for players across the central contract spectrum. The earnings ratio will apply to centrally-contracted players in each of the four traditional categories, A to D. Players’ match fees will also go up by 20%.In addition, a new category ‘E’ has also been introduced, which a PCB media release said was to “recognise performers on the domestic circuit as well as to encourage the continuing development of emerging cricketers from the junior cricket level”.The central contracts list

Category A: Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Amir
Category B: Fakhar Zaman, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Asad Shafiq, Mohammad Hafeez, Hasan Ali

Category C: Wahab Riaz, Shan Masood, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Nawaz, Usman Shinwari, Imad Wasim, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Abbas

Category D: Rumman Raees, Asif Ali, Usman Salahuddin, Hussain Talat, Rahat Ali
Category E: Bilal Asif, Saad Ali, Mir Hamza, Umaid Asif, Mohammad Rizwan, Sahibzada Farhan, Shaheen Shah Afridi
Big demotions: Mohammad Hafeez (A to B), Rahat Ali (C to D), Imad Wasim (B to C), Ahmed Shehzad (omitted)
Big promotions: Babar Azam (B to A), Faheem Ashraf (D to B), Fakhar Zaman (C to B), Shadab Khan, (C to B), Imam-ul-Haq (D to C)

The PCB also announced the list of 33 players who had been awarded central contracts – down from 35 last year. It sees very little change in terms of personnel from 2017’s list of the players with category A contracts. Babar Azam, who was in category B last year, has been promoted to the top bracket, while Mohammad Hafeez, who didn’t feature in any of Pakistan’s five ODIs against Zimbabwe despite being part of a much-rotated squad, drops down to category B. Azhar Ali, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed, Yasir Shah and Mohammad Amir retain their places as category A players.Most of Pakistan’s young crop of players, arguably pivotal to their resurgence in the shorter formats over the past year or so, find themselves in category B. Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan were both promoted from category C, while Faheem Ashraf jumped two places, getting into category B after being in the category D list last year. Hasan Ali retained his category B slot, with Asad Shafiq and Hafeez rounding off the category for 2018.Three players who were in category C the previous year were omitted from the centrally-contracted list of players altogether. The biggest casualty was Ahmed Shehzad, who is currently suspended for a doping violation and awaits a hearing. Sami Aslam, who found his Test place usurped by Imam-ul-Haq in Ireland and England earlier this year, is also out of a central contract. The same fate befell Sohail Khan, who has dropped significantly down the pecking order over the past year or so.Mohammad Rizwan, who was named in category D last year as Sarfraz’s deputy behind the stumps, drops down to the newly-introduced category E. He is the only wicketkeeper in the list of 33 players besides the captain. It serves to reinforce Pakistan’s lack of options in that department; Sarfraz has played every single Pakistan game in all formats since being rested for the limited-overs leg of Pakistan’s tour of Australia over 18 months ago.

Things are finally starting to look up for Sean Dyche and Everton, who picked up their first home win of the Premier League season against Bournemouth on Saturday. It was a superb display from the Toffees, as they dismantled their opponents, easing to a 3-0 victory.

The win over Bournemouth eased some panic, but Dyche appears to have a keen eye on the January transfer window, in which he may hope to secure some much-needed reinforcements. Among those additions could be one particular Championship star, with reports suggesting that Everton are set to make a serious move.

Latest Everton transfer news…

During the summer, whilst the Toffees were limited in their spending due to Financial Fair Play concerns, they still managed to welcome the likes of Youssef Chermiti, Jack Harrison, Beto and Arnaut Danjuma in an attempt to steer clear of relegation trouble.

Following the recent investment of 777 Partners, too, Dyche could be handed a significant boost in funds, allowing the manager to splash the cash. With that said, reliable reporter Alan Nixon has issued an Adam Wharton transfer update, relayed by Goodison News, stating that Everton are long-term fans of the midfielder, and are set to make a serious move for the player's services in the new year.

The Merseyside club are reportedly not alone in their interest, however, with Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace also in the race to secure the Blackburn Rovers midfielder's signature. And if Wharton's current club, who are in the bottom half of the Championship, aren't in the mix for promotion come January, they could be forced to bid farewell to their youngster, according to Nixon.

How good is Adam Wharton?

At just 19 years of age, Wharton is a permanent fixture in the Blackburn Rovers side, starting in nine of their 10 Championship games so far this season and providing one assist. It comes as little surprise that he has earned such high praise, as a result, with Nixon previously labelling the midfielder as "outstanding" reporting Everton's initial interest:

Statistically speaking, Wharton has caugt the eye many at the heart of Blackburn's midfield, with his place in the top percentile of key areas making him a standout in the Championship, as per FBref.

Player

Progressive Passes Per 90

Blocks Per 90

Interceptions Per 90

Adam Wharton

6.21

1.55

1.61

With that said, it's clear that if Everton can push on and secure Wharton's signature, then they may have themselves a player capable of impacting both their present and their future, but with potential competition from Newcastle and Brighton, both of who are currently in the Champions League and Europa League respectively, then a deal may be tricky.

MatériaMais Notícias

O vice-presidente Marcos Braz e o diretor de futebol Bruno Spindel estiveram reunidos com integrantes de várias torcidas organizadas do Flamengo na manhã desta sexta-feira, na Sede da Gávea. O mau momento do time e a queda na Copa do Brasil para o São Paulo, por 5 a 1 no placar agregado, foram os motivos da reunião e os pontos de cobrança sobre os dirigentes do clube.

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Marcos Braz e Bruno Spindel reunidos com membros de torcidas organizadas do Flamengo, nesta sexta, na Sede da Gávea. #lanceFLA https://t.co/OxrjYbdzp1

— Matheus Dantas (@matheusdantasfr) November 20, 2020

Na quinta-feira, os jogadores do Flamengo já foram “recepcionados” com protestos de torcedores na porta do CT do Ninho do Urubu. Além de cobrar Marcos Braz e Bruno Spindel, as organizadas manifestarão suas insatisfações por meio de faixas que estarão estendidas nas arquibancadas do Maracanã, palco da partida contra o Coritiba, pela 22ª rodada do Brasileirão, neste sábado.

Em carta assinada por seis organizadas (Torcida Jovem, Raça Rubro-Negra, Fla-Manguaça, Urubuzada, Império Rubro-Negro e Nação 12), as respectivas diretorias confirmaram a reunião com Braz e Spindel, ressaltando os seguintes pontos de cobrança, conforme escrito no documento:

“1) A extrema necessidade de uma conversa presencial com o elenco profissional, a fim de que possamos, em nome de todos rubro-negros, transmitir a insatisfação com os resultados apresentados;

2) A obrigação de, independentemente do resultado final, que os atletas manifestem uma postura compatível com aquilo que se espera de um funcionário do Clube de Regatas do Flamengo;

3) O peso da desclassificação na Copa do Brasil, tornando, assim, maior a responsabilidade nos campeonatos remanescentes.”

USMNT star Matt Turner offered his wife Ashley Herron tickets to a Nottingham Forest game as a prize in their baby delivery time “bet”.

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Goalkeeper now at the City GroundBecame a father back in September 2023Patience tested by his pregnant partnerWHAT HAPPENED?

The couple are among those to have allowed cameras into their lives as part of the ‘Married to the Game’ documentary series on Amazon Prime. They were covered at an exciting time in their lives, as they prepared to welcome daughter Everley into the world back in September 2023.

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Turner and his partner wanted to make that delivery interesting by speculating on the moment at which they would become parents. That discussion left United States international Turner, who joined Forest from Arsenal a matter of weeks earlier, a little puzzled.

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Turner said of his wife’s deliberation after making his own prediction: “There’s no quick decisions with this one. There’s no prize! You can’t even choose a time, have to look up number meanings now. It’s unbelievable. You see what I’m dealing with!”

Turner then went on to say, in a gesture that lacked any kind of romance: “If she is born at 3:33, I’ll get you tickets to the next Nottingham Forest game.” His former NFL cheerleader wife responded with a sarcastic, “wow!”

Aston Villa return to action in the UEFA Conference League this week, as Unai Emery’s side hope to push closer to confirming their progression into the next round.

In their first inclusion in European competition in 13 years, the Villans will be eager to get back to winning ways, after suffering their first Premier League defeat in six games against Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

On Thursday, Villa welcome AZ Alkmaar to Villa Park, with the opposition destined to feel somewhat reluctant to attend the fixture after being dealt a 4-1 defeat at home to Emery’s side in the last round of games in Group E.

It’s a must-win game for the Midlands club, who currently sit second in the group table narrowly behind Legia Warsaw but level on points, with AZ and Zrinjski also level on points to split the group with all to play for.

Despite the importance of the game, Emery is expected to make some changes with the Premier League clash with Fulham pending later in the week. Here’s the predicted lineup for their battle with AZ on Thursday…

1 GK – Emiliano Martinez

The recently crowned best goalkeeper of 2023, Emiliano Martinez, should start between the sticks for Villa on Thursday, despite second-choice keeper Robin Olsen getting the pick in the competition qualifiers earlier in the season.

Lauded by Emery as a shot-stopper that’s able to adapt to “each tactic we are trying to build”, the World Cup winner will almost certainly be the chosen number one against AZ.

2 RB – Matty Cash

Averaging 1.7 key passes per game in the Conference League this season, Matty Cash is one of Villa’s primary sources of creativity at right-back.

The Poland international is expected to get the mod over Calum Chambers on the right side of defence, as the Englishman continues to struggle to discover form.

3 CB – Diego Carlos

Brazilian defender Diego Carlos started the previous fixture against AZ in the Conference League, taking his appearance count to two in the tournament this term where he has averaged a stellar 7.5 ball recoveries per game.

After an injury-stricken start to life at Villa, the centre-back seems to be enjoying his football in the European journey, with his inclusion handing Emery the ability to rest his first-choice pairing of Ezri Konsa and Pau Torres.

4 CB – Clement Lenglet

Despite not starting a Premier League game yet this season for Villa, Barcelona loanee Clement Lenglet could complete the rotation in central defence and partner Carlos.

The 28-year-old has appeared in the Villans’ last three games in the group stages, showcasing his commanding presence at the back with an average of 1.7 tackles per game and a tidy pass completion rate of 94%.

5 LB – Alex Moreno

After an agonising start to the 2023/24 season, Alex Moreno could finally return to left-back as he heads towards making a full recovery from injury.

By having Moreno back in contention, Emery could hand Lucas Digne a well-earned rest after starting every game so far in both the Premier League and the Conference League proper this term.

6 CM – Douglas Luiz

One rotation that is not expected to be made, is the positioning of Douglas Luiz, who has been one of Villa’s most vital cogs in the squad so far this campaign.

It’s been a statement week for the 25-year-old after he received a call-up to the Brazilian national team and that could be capped off with a win against AZ on Thursday evening.

The midfielder has only started one game of the group stages so far, however has had to intervene to guide results to Villa’s favour, reinforcing his importance in maintaining the team’s structure in the engine room.

7 CM – Boubacar Kamara

With Luiz’s untouchable status comes his partner, Boubacar Kamara, who could be a notable difference-maker ahead of Thursday’s clash.

The Frenchman started in the previous battle against AZ, marshalling the midfield expertly with 71 touches, two tackles, one interception and a pass completion rate of 90%, via Sofascore.

8 CM – Youri Tielemans

Youri Tielemans was also on the scoresheet at the AFAS Stadion, breaking his personal deadlock following his arrival at Villa Park in the summer from Leicester City.

The Belgian could get the nod over Moussa Diaby in this instance, allowing Emery to grant his star player a rest and hand the 26-year-old the minutes he so desperately desires.

9 RW – Leon Bailey

Lauded as “sensational” earlier this season by journalist Josh Bunting, winger Leon Bailey could be handed another start against AZ after his heroics last time out against the Dutch side.

The Jamaican has had to battle for a place in the XI with Nicolo Zaniolo, whose underwhelming form of late could drive Bailey into his spot on Thursday.

In the 86 minutes he played against AZ in October, the 26-year-old scored, assisted and was a constant threat on the right flank for Villa to exploit to their advantage.

10 LW – John McGinn

Another top performer that AZ will be hoping not to see again is John McGinn, who displayed a real captain's performance in the previous group stage fixture.

Like Bailey, the Villa skipper scored and assisted against the Eredivisie side during the 4-1 victory, as well as making two tackles and two interceptions to impose his dominance in the middle channel.