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The board also introduced Mymensingh as the latest first-class team. It will replace Dhaka Metropolis

Mohammad Isam10-Aug-2025The BCB has brought in Alex Marshall, Julian Wood and Tony Hemming as the three new appointments after its meeting in Dhaka on Saturday. Wood will come in as a specialist batting coach for three months. He is a power-hitting specialist who recently worked with Sri Lanka Cricket.Marshall has been appointed as a consultant for the board’s anti-corruption department, for one year. Marshall was the ICC’s anti-corruption unit general manager until September last year. BCB’s media committee chair Iftekhar Rahman said they want Marshall to “enhance” the board’s anti-corruption unit.Rahman also said that the BCB has appointed the ICC’s integrity unit to oversee the BPL’s anti-corruption operations.The BCB’s anti-corruption unit is currently investigating corruption allegations from the BPL and Dhaka Premier League of the 2024-25 season.The BCB has also brought back Hemming, who recently resigned as the PCB’s head curator. Hemming had taken up the Pakistan role after being BCB’s curator from July 2023 to July 2024. Hemming’s appointment brought the question of whether Gamini Silva, the Shere Bangla National Stadium curator, will continue in his role. Rahman said that Gamini was given a one-year extension.”Tony Hemming has been appointed head of turf management for two years,” Rahman said. “All our international venues and curators will be under him. He will also undertake the process of training Bangladeshi curators. All the board directors had a lot of interest in bringing him back.”Hemming is one of the best curators in the world. Maybe he had a good experience with the BCB in the previous occasion, that’s why he agreed to come back. The turf management will run as Hemming will want. Time will tell if Gamini will stay or not. He has been given a 12-month extension.”Meanwhile, the BCB introduced Mymensingh as the latest first-class team. It will replace Dhaka Metropolis, which was introduced in 2011 to make it an even number of teams in the first-class competition.”Mymensingh is one of the country’s newest divisions,” Rahman said. “They will play in the NCL first-class tournament from the coming season. They will replace Dhaka Metropolis. Mymensingh will play all divisional tournaments though we can’t accommodate them in the upcoming NCL T20s as the schedule has been made. Mymensingh will play in the T20 tournament from the next edition.”

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl may still be wondering how his side were unable to see the game out for all three points after they found themselves 1-0 up against ten-man Braga on Thursday night.

The Light Blues are yet to win a match in the Europa League this season and they may not have a better opportunity than the one they had at Ibrox earlier this week.

Whilst Mohamed Diomande was sent off later in the match, the Gers allowed the Portuguese side to equalise whilst they had a man advantage, as Nasser Djiga’s wayward header caught James Tavernier out and allowed Gabriel Martinez to pounce.

The German head coach will be scratching his head and wondering what he could do to turn things around in Europe, as the Light Blues have lost four of their five matches, with two of those losses coming in his three games in the competition.

Attention, for now, will turn back to the Scottish Premiership as Rangers play host to Falkirk at Ibrox, after the reverse game at their stadium led to Russell Martin’s dismissal.

Rohl has won all four of his league games in charge of the club so far, but these league matches present an opportunity to try things out ahead of European games. For example, unleashing Oliver Antman in a new role.

Why Oliver Antman should be unleashed in a new role

You could hardly blame any supporters for getting a bit excited by the signing of the Finland international after he registered 17 assists in all competitions for Go Ahead Eagles in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.

On top of that, Antman delivered two assists on his debut for the Gers against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League, crossing for Djeidi Gassama and winning a penalty for Cyriel Dessers to score.

Since that impressive debut, though, the Finnish forward has produced no goals and one assist in 18 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has failed to deliver consistent quality in the final third.

Per Transfermarkt, all 11 of his starts have been on the right flank. With this in mind, it may be time for Rohl to unleash the 24-year-old attacker in a new role in his Rangers career.

RW

69

9 + 13

CM

22

1 + 0

LW

21

5 + 3

CF

18

5 + 0

AM

8

0 + 0

RM

8

1 + 5

As you can see in the table above, Antman has played in other positions throughout his career, on the left and through the middle, which means that the Light Blues can, realistically, use him in other areas of the pitch.

With this in mind, Rohl should unleash the Finland international in a flexible number ten position, which would allow him to drift out to the left or the right when the situation demands.

This would allow him to provide creativity on both flanks and centrally, which could help to support the two wingers whilst also providing the centre-forward, in theory, with more creativity.

In order to make this positional change for Antman against Falkirk, though, the German head coach will have to ditch one of his starters from the 1-1 draw with Braga on Thursday night.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With this in mind, Rohl should ruthlessly ditch Youssef Chermiti from the starting line-up after his dismal showing against Braga, which would allow Danilo or Bojan Miovski to lead the line up front, with the Finnish whiz in behind them in the number ten role.

Why Rangers should drop Youssef Chermiti

Rangers parted company with sporting director Kevin Thelwell at the start of the week, after just one transfer window at Ibrox, and his lasting legacy may be the signing of the Portuguese striker.

The former Gers chief sanctioned an £8m deal to sign the forward from Everton, which made Chermiti the club’s most expensive signing in 25 years, since Tore Andre Flo’s £12m move to Glasgow.

That staggering outlay was made in spite of the fact that the 21-year-old striker failed to score in two seasons at Everton after Thelwell signed him for the Toffees from Sporting.

So far, Chermiti has delivered one goal and one assist in 14 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants this season, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has not lived up to his price tag yet.

The former Everton attacker’s performance against Braga was the latest in an unfortunately long line of underwhelming displays from the £8m summer signing.

Minutes

89

Sofascore

5.9

Shots

3

Shots on target

0

Pass accuracy

52%

Key passes

0

Duels won

6/15

As you can see in the table above, the Portuguese centre-forward failed to offer quality on the ball, as he was particularly poor with his passes, and also lost the majority of his physical duels.

After the match, reporter Jonny McFarlane posted that Chermiti is “mind-blowingly bad” and that the striker “offers nothing”, whilst describing him as a “galling signing”.

As harsh as that is, it is hard to disagree with the sentiment because of how poor the £8m attacker’s performances have been for the Light Blues, with one goal in 14 matches far from enough for the money spent on him.

Of course, Chermiti is not at fault for the transfer fee that Thelwell agreed to pay for him. He is a young player who is clearly trying his best and competing for the Gers, as evidenced by his 15 duels on Thursday night, but the quality is not there, on current evidence.

That is why Rohl must ruthlessly ditch him from the starting line-up for this clash with Falkirk at Ibrox, because he has not shown enough on the pitch to suggest that he should be playing week-in-week-out as the main number nine.

Dropping Chermiti will then provide the manager with an opportunity to unleash Antman in this new role, because Danilo can move into a number nine position or also be dropped for Miovski to start.

"Rotten" Thelwell signing is Rangers' biggest waste of time since Dowell

This summer signing by Kevin Thelwell has been as bad as the deal to bring Kieran Dowell to Rangers.

ByDan Emery Nov 26, 2025

Jose Mourinho has revealed what was said during his post-match chat with Scott McTominay, with the Benfica boss getting one over on his former Manchester United charge in a Champions League clash with Napoli. Scotland international McTominay is now starring in Italy, with his old boss at Old Trafford using the 29-year-old as an example to the teenage hopefuls he is helping to bring through in Lisbon.

• Friends reunited: Mourinho worked with McTominay at Old Trafford

  Back in 2017, it was Mourinho who handed McTominay his senior bow for the Premier League heavyweights. He was introduced off the bench in a meeting with Arsenal in May of that year, before starting a final-day showdown with Crystal Palace.

  At just 20 years of age, McTominay became a regular in the 2017-18 campaign – taking in 23 appearances and becoming a full international. There were plenty of occasions in which the versatile midfielder was favoured over World Cup winner Paul Pogba – who had been signed by the Red Devils for a world-record £89 million ($119m) transfer fee in 2016.

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• Getty
  

  High praise & a gift: What Mourinho said to McTominay

  Mourinho was reunited with McTominay when seeing Benfica take on Napoli in elite European competition. They exchanged words afterwards, with the ‘Special One’ revealing that he was also handed a special gift.

  At his press conference, Mourinho told reporters when asked about the accessories that he had with him: “The bag is mine. It’s McTominay’s shirt. I gave him his debut. I benched Pogba and let him play. The least he could do was give me the shirt!”

  Mourinho went on to say of his chat with McTominay, which saw the Scot lauded for all that he has achieved since stepping out of a fabled youth system in Manchester: “I told him that the kids I put in today in the final minutes are my 'Next McTominay'. I've given many of them their debuts at Roma too. [Jose] Neto is 17, and I had to be the first to play him because he'll make history, trust me.”

  While Mourinho was feeling upbeat after seeing goals from Richard Rios and Leandro Barreiro earn Benfica an impressive 2-0 victory over Napoli, he added on McTominay’s mood: “He was sad because he lost. That’s Scott, that’s the nature of winning players. He chatted with me for five minutes, but he lost, and he was sad.

  “But he’s very happy in Naples. Winning the award for best foreign player is absolutely fantastic, it qualifies Scotland for the World Cup after so many years. He’s having a really, really good time. He gave Manchester United a real boost, and there’s a connection with him. When he’s 70, he’ll still remember me.”

• Notable scalp: Mourinho proud of Benfica's performance

  McTominay was recently named the Serie A Player of the Year for 2025, becoming the first Scot to win that prize. He savoured title glory with Napoli last season, posting a career-best return of 13 goals across all competitions.

  McTominay and Co are back in the hunt for another domestic crown this term, sitting level on points with AC Milan at the top of the table, and Mourinho said of seeing Benfica claim a notable scalp on home soil: “We deserved it, we played an extraordinary match. Some will say that Napoli weren't the team we know, but I disagree. Benfica did an extraordinary job, controlling the game at all times. For us, beating Napoli like this and still being alive in this competition is a great thing.”

  He went on to say: “We have six points. Benfica lost at home to Qarabag early on, otherwise we'd have nine and be one step away from qualifying. The schedule is incredibly tough, but losing that match put us on the edge right away. It was important to win today, otherwise the story would have ended.”

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  Mourinho is a two-time Champions League winner

  Benfica remain in contention for a Champions League play-off spot, which would extend their European adventure into the spring of 2026. Mourinho will be hoping to guide them down that path, having previously claimed the most prestigious of continental honours during his time with Porto and Inter.

She added that “reaching a couple of semi-finals in the [recent] past just gives us more confidence”

S Sudarshanan24-Oct-20252:11

The big question – Is Healy fit for South Africa clash?

South Africa were the second team to qualify for the semi-final of the Women’s World Cup 2025, and did so with two league games still to play. They have been on a remarkable run in ICC tournaments in recent years – reaching the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup in 2017 and 2022, and of the T20 World Cup in 2020 and 2023. They were also runners-up at the T20 World Cup last year.Batter Anneke Bosch felt that the recent experience of making the knockouts puts South Africa in good stead to make their maiden ODI World Cup final. They will play their last league game of the competition against Australia at the Holkar Stadium on Saturday. The winner will head to Navi Mumbai for the semi-final against India, while the losing team will face England in Guwahati in the first semi-final.”We’ve been really good at being consistent in big tournaments, and different players doing well at different stages of the tournament,” Bosch said. “It’s just something that works for us when we get to tournaments like these and motivates us to do well. Reaching a couple of semi-finals in the [recent] past just gives us more confidence.Related

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Wolvaardt's South Africa keep solving problems, one match at a time

“But now obviously we want to take it one step further because in the ODI World Cup, we haven’t [reached the final] before. So, it would mean a lot to us – and that’s what you compete for and what you’re here for – to make it to the final and, hopefully, lift the trophy. The fact that we have participated in a couple of semifinals now just helps us to deal with that pressure.”What has helped South Africa continue to perform well is a settled core. Twelve players in the current World Cup squad have been part of the T20 World Cup squads in 2023 and 2024. Bowlers Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Tumi Sekhukhune and Nonkululeko Mlaba have been consistent fixtures in the national side since the 2022 ODI World Cup.And it’s not just the senior women who have enjoyed success at World Cups. The men’s team reached the final of the T20 World Cup last year and the semi-final of the Champions Trophy earlier this year. The Under-19 women’s side were runners-up at their T20 World Cup earlier this year, while the men’s Under-19 team made the semi-finals in 2024.”It’s a combination of a lot of things,” Bosch said of the winning culture. “We are a massive sporting nation and we love to play for the country, and make the country and the people back at home proud. [A key factor is] our resilience and the way we come together as a country in big tournaments like these. We play for each other and we play for people back at home.”South Africa’s road to a first Women’s ODI World Cup title starts with a tough assignment against Australia in their final group-stage match. They have beaten Australia just once in 18 ODI meetings. With a solid core and the belief to go where they never have before, they’ll be aiming for a second ODI win against the defending champions.

Thomas Frank’s start to life at Tottenham Hotspur has certainly been an impressive one, as seen by his side’s current Premier League standing in 2025/26.

The Lilywhites currently sit third in England’s top-flight, after losing just two of the first nine outings – even keeping four clean sheets during such a period.

His men have been just as impressive at the opposite end of the field, as seen by their tally of 17 goals in the first nine matches, with Mohammed Kudus having a huge bearing on such a record.

The Ghanaian has made an immediate impact after his £55m switch from West Ham United, subsequently registering one goal and four assists in the league to date.

However, despite his impressive start to life in North London, he may have a long way to go until he makes the list of the Lilywhites’ best additions within the last decade.

Spurs’ best additions over the last decade

Over the last few years, Spurs have made numerous high-profile additions to help the first-team squad mount a challenge for a Premier League title challenge.

Cristian Romero was brought into the club on loan in the summer of 2021, but would move to North London on a permanent basis 12 months later for a reported £42.5m.

Such a deal may have seemed to be an expensive one, but three years on, it could go down as one of the Lilywhites’ best over the last few years, given his impact in North London.

The Argentine has brought a needed steel to the club’s backline, racking up a total of 133 appearances across all competitions – even being named as part of the current leadership group.

However, Heung-min Son will no doubt take top spot for Spurs’ best addition in the last decade, with the South Korean exceeding all expectations during his spell in the Premier League.

The hierarchy paid £22m for his signature from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2015, an absolute bargain given his total of 454 appearances in North London.

He would score on 173 occasions during his decade-long spell with the Lilywhites, with such a tally putting him fourth in the club’s all-time goalscoring charts.

From solo goals against Burnley and incredible long-range strikes against North London rivals Arsenal, he was capable of the spectacular and handing the fanbase moments to last a lifetime.

Son was even a part of the club’s Europa League-winning campaign in 2024/25, with such an achievement undoubtedly cementing his place as a Lilywhites icon.

The player who could be Frank’s answer to Son

After such success in Europe, Son decided to call time on his Spurs career, leaving in the recent transfer window to join MLS outfit LAFC in a deal worth a total of £20m.

The South Korean international left for a net loss of just £2m from the fee forked out for his signature – further highlighting the incredible business done by the Lilywhites hierarchy.

The decision meant that current boss Frank was unable to have the opportunity to work with the iconic forward, which has often left him without a settled left-winger.

Wilson Odobert, Brennan Johnson and Xavi Simons have all operated in such a position over the last few weeks – but none have managed to clinch the faith of the boss in the role.

However, that could change in the years ahead, with the club already having a superb young talent within their ranks in the form of teenager Hyeok-min Yang.

The 19-year-old joined the Lilywhites from Gangwon FC back in January, undoubtedly being brought into the club for the future years rather than the present.

It’s evident he already possesses bags of talent, with the youngster scoring 12 times in his 38 appearances for his homeland club, prior to his switch to England earlier this year.

However, in order to gain familiarity with the demands of English football, he’s been sent on various loans in the Championship – currently spending the 2025/26 campaign with Portsmouth.

Yang may only have featured in seven league outings to date, but he’s already made an immediate impact with Pompey, registering two goals and one assist in England’s second tier.

Hyeok-min Yang – Portsmouth stats (25/26)
Statistics (per 90)	Tally
Games played	7
Goals & assists	3
Pass accuracy	79%
Touches in opposition box	4.7
Fouls won	1.8
Recoveries made	5.3
Shots on target	1.1
Chances created	1.4
Stats via FotMob

His impressive form on the South Coast has led to Korean analyst Jason Lee stating that the teenager is just “like Son Heung-min” – huge praise indeed given his compatriot’s achievements in North London.

Yang’s underlying stats at Fratton Park further indicate how impressive he’s been in 2025/26, with the winger ranking in the top 18% of players for goals per 90.

Other tallies such as 1.8 fouls won and 4.7 touches in the opposition per 90, showcase the danger he poses to the backlines in the Championship, even despite being just 19.

There’s no denying that he has a long road ahead of him before he makes an impact in North London, but there’s no disputing that he could be a real asset to the club in years to come.

Should he get anywhere near the levels produced by his compatriot in the Premier League, Yang will be a force to be reckoned with and potentially help catapult Frank’s men to yet more silverware in the near future.

Frank's next Toney: Paratici leading Spurs move for "one of the best STs"

Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a January move to land a new talisman for Thomas Frank.

By
Ethan Lamb

Oct 28, 2025

She will remain in India and will support Mandhana whose wedding was postponed due to her father’s health issues

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Nov-2025

Jemimah Rodrigues played three games for Brisbane Heat this season•Getty Images

India batter Jemimah Rodrigues will miss the rest of the WBBL season, with her club Brisbane Heat agreeing to her request to remain in India.Rodrigues had returned home after playing three games for Heat, the last of which was against Hobart Hurricanes on November 15, as part of a pre-arranged commitment. She was set to be part of her India team-mate and close friend Smriti Mandhana’s wedding last weekend. But the event was postponed at the last minute because of a health issue with Mandhana’s father. Rodrigues will stay back in India to support Mandhana.”It has obviously been a challenging time for Jemi, so while it is unfortunate that she will take no further part in the WBBL, we were more than willing to agree to her request to remain in India,” Heat CEO Terry Svenson said in a statement. “The Heat club obviously wish her and Smriti Mandhana’s family all the best for the future.”Jemi told us she was disappointed not to be coming back and has passed on her appreciation to the club and the Heat fans for being so understanding of the circumstances. She has been in touch with the players and wished them all the best for the rest of their games.”Rodrigues, 25, scored 37 runs at an average of 12.33 and a strike rate of 102.77 in the three WBBL matches, after helping India Women clinch their maiden ODI World Cup title earlier this month.Heat, though, will be bolstered by the return of allrounder Grace Harris for the match against Sydney Sixers on November 28. Harris will replace seamer Lily Bassingthwaighte after she missed the last fixture as part of her workload management plan.Heat are searching for their first win this season, having lost all their six matches so far.

Manchester United are now seriously considering a move for a “lightning quick” Paris Saint-Germain star, with a surprise Marcus Rashford swap deal on the cards.

Rashford tearing it up on loan at Barcelona

Rashford has really managed to kick on since joining Barcelona on loan in the summer, amassing six goals and ten assists in all competitions, but it has recently emerged that the forward isn’t expected to make his stay at the Camp Nou permanent.

The Englishman is likely to have plenty of options to choose from next summer, however, with it being revealed Chelsea have held talks over a potential deal, while Tottenham Hotspur are determined to win the race for the 28-year-old’s signature and give him a leading role.

It is difficult to envisage a way back for the United academy graduate at Old Trafford, given his sour relationship with Ruben Amorim, and it has now been revealed the manager could get him off the books in a different way at the end of the season.

According to a report from Spain, Man United are now seriously considering signing PSG forward Bradley Barcola, and a surprise swap deal is possible, with Rashford potentially set to be sent in the opposite direction.

Barcola’s negotiations with the French club over a new contract have now stalled, which could open the door for a move to Old Trafford, although his current employers are very reluctant to sanction a departure.

With a market value of around €70m (£61m), a deal for the Frenchman would be on the expensive side, but there are indications he could be worth every penny…

"Lightning quick" Barcola impressing in Ligue 1 and Europe

Hailed as “lightning quick” by journalist Raj Chohan, the PSG star has put in some top performances in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League this season, regularly contributing with goals and assists.

Competition	Appearances	Goal contributions
Ligue 1	12	6
Champions League	5	2

The 23-year-old also played a major role in the French side winning the Champions League for the first time last season, chipping in with three goals and four assists in 17 appearances.

Man United appear to have recruited well in the summer, with new forward Matheus Cunha grabbing an assist in the 4-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out, while Bryan Mbeumo already has six Premier League goals to his name.

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1

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4 days ago

However, with the Red Devils looking to return to Europe next season, they may need more depth in attacking areas, and Barcola could be a brilliant addition to Amorim’s squad, so they should definitely try to negotiate a swap deal involving Rashford.

Aitana Bonmati is preparing to lead Spain into another major final but insists her historic third Ballon d’Or does not change who she is. The Barcelona Femini midfielder addressed talk of being labelled the Lionel Messi of women’s football, spoke about expectations ahead of the Nations League showdown with Germany, and reflected on how she handles success on and off the pitch.

• Spain’s leader keeps perspective ahead of another final

  Bonmati heads into the Nations League final as the heartbeat of both Barcelona and Spain, once again carrying her side into another major showdown. The reigning world champions face Germany over two legs, beginning in Stuttgart on Friday before returning to the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, where more than 70,000 fans are expected. The 27-year-old’s consistency has been extraordinary. From Euro 2016 to the 2023 World Cup, from multiple Champions League finals to a perfect season last year, Bonmati has risen to every occasion. Her performance against Germany in the Euro semi-final remains one of the defining moments of Spain’s modern era.

  Despite her meteoric rise, the Barca midfielder remains grounded. Asked how she feels returning to yet another decisive stage with Spain, she emphasised how the team cannot afford to take anything for granted. "It seems normal, but we're in another final. It can't be taken for granted. I'm so grateful for what's happening to me and what we're all experiencing. We've reached the finals in every championship we've played in. The road isn't easy, and we have to appreciate it. You win or you lose, but that's not all there is to it, because getting here is incredibly difficult."

  Bonmati was also asked about Spain’s mindset heading into the first leg against Germany, and she made their intentions clear and said: "It's clear: since we're here, we have to go all out and win. We want this Nations League title. It's true that it's an unusual final, because it's played over two legs. That's why the idea is to approach each leg as if it were a single match. If you try to play it safe, it could backfire."

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  Bonmatí shuts down Messi comparisons and reflects on Ballon d’Or night

  Although Bonmati has now won three consecutive Ballon d’Or Feminin awards, she continues to reject comparisons to Barcelona and Argentina icon. With her dominance at club and international level, the parallels are understandable but she insists she is following her own path.

  When asked by about comparisons to Messi, she responded calmly: "No, no. I don't compare myself to Messi; he's on another level. I'm following my own path. The Ballon d'Or awards don't change me. I'm still the same person, with the same personality. I still enjoy the same things that make me happy and I'm surrounded by the same people who make me feel like myself. Nothing changes me, and I think that's a very positive thing."

  Bonmati also lifted the curtain on what it was like attending the Chatelet Theatre ceremony in Paris, especially in such elite company. "This year, to be honest, I went in with very low expectations. I believe that the higher your expectations, the harder it can be if you don't win. It was a surprise. You look around and see the incredibly high level of competition. I understand that everyone experiences it in their own way. It's a very special day, surrounded by the best in football. I feel that the most important thing is to enjoy it. To experience it with your loved ones."

• A legacy already built with more still to come

  The Barca midfielder's achievements are redefining what consistency looks like at the highest level of women’s football. Her Champions League masterclasses, especially against Chelsea and Wolfsburg laid the foundation for her latest Ballon d’Or. Her landmark displays for La Roja, including the semi-final performance against Germany, only strengthened her case.

  She has now won three Ballons d’Or in a row, been Player of the Match in a World Cup final, dominated the Champions League with three titles, starred in multiple European campaigns, and collected 22 domestic trophies with Barcelona. Even if she walked away tomorrow, her place among the all-time greats would be secure.

  And yet, she still hasn’t reached what many consider a midfielder’s peak years. At 27, her evolution continues – playmaking, leadership, spatial intelligence, defensive discipline. With Spain and Barca still competing for every major title, her influence is only deepening.

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  What comes next for Bonmati and where Barca fit in?

  Spain’s immediate focus is the two-legged Nations League final, where Bonmati will once again be central to their tactical approach. After that, the long-term question inevitably returns: will she spend her entire career at Barcelona?

  The midfielder addressed that speculation with honesty, stressing both her loyalty and her openness to the future. "Right now, I have a contract with Barcelona, I've been here for 14 years, and it's a club I love, a club I feel connected to," she said. "But I'm not closing the door on anything. It all depends on how you feel personally, emotionally, and in terms of motivation. Never say never. I have a contract, and my intention isn't to leave."

It was far from a rip-roaring classic at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday evening between Chelsea and Spurs in the Premier League.

But, in the end, Enzo Maresca’s Blues wouldn’t care one bit, as a hard-fought 1-0 win was secured that sees the West Londoners jump into the top four positions temporarily.

Joao Pedro answered back to his critics with the winning strike in the tight clash, with the former Brighton and Hove Albion attacker now out of a ten-game streak of no goals, after placing a fierce first-half effort past a busy Guglielmo Vicario.

Pedro's redemption arc versus Spurs

In pre-season, Pedro looked every bit worth the £60m splashed out on his services in the summer, with goals galore coming his way in the Club World Cup.

However, in the bread and butter of the Premier League this season so far, Pedro has looked shaky, with only three strikes falling into his lap in the top-flight from ten games, before being handed a chance on a plate by a relentless Moises Caicedo against Thomas Frank’s hosts.

He thumped home the resulting chance that did come his way, with the up-and-down Brazilian stating at the full-time whistle when speaking to Sky Sports that he really “needed this goal” to get his personal season back on track.

Hopefully, more and more goals come Pedro’s way in the coming matches, as Chelsea aim to be nearer to runaway Premier League leaders Arsenal when another London-based rivalry is on the menu at the close of November.

While Pedro undoubtedly strengthened his grip on a first-team spot with this decisive winner, there is another Chelsea attacker – at this moment in time – who will sense they’re on uneven ground when it comes to their own concrete position in Maresca’s starting XI.

Chelsea star on borrowed time after Spurs

Alongside splashing the cash on some fresh recruits – such as their brand-new number 20 joining in the summer to up the entertainment levels in attack – Chelsea have also looked towards the next generation coming through in West London to steer the Blues to some captivating wins in recent weeks.

Indeed, both Marc Guiu and Estevao were recently on the scoresheet against Ajax, as the youthful attacking duo aim to be senior regulars down the line.

Guiu will feel knocked by Pedro looking revitalised away at Spurs, but Estevao will feel that he’s even more deserving of first-team minutes down the right flank shortly, when analysing how poor Pedro Neto’s below-par showing was on Saturday.

Minutes played

85

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

45

Shots

3

Accurate passes

20/25 (81%)

Accurate crosses

1/3

Successful dribbles

1/6

Possession lost

18x

Total duels won

2/11

Neto ended up being replaced by the much-talked-about Brazilian for the final moments, after a dire day at the office saw the former Wolverhampton Wanderers forward only complete one successful dribble from six attempts, while also only registering one accurate cross as a gung-ho option that often lacked the killer pass, to back up his rapid pace.

Moreover, when Neto wasn’t frustrating fans with an overhit cross or giving up the ball entirely – with possession given away a high 18 times – the £54m buy ended up just fading out of the contest entirely, with his tally of 45 touches even being beaten by Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez at the end, who amassed 51 himself on the way to clinching a clean sheet.

Thankfully, Neto’s dire afternoon didn’t cost his team the three points in the end but Maresca would surely fancy giving the likes of Estevao more chances in the first team soon over the hit-and-miss number seven, with the exhilarating 18-year-old already on to three goals and one assist for the season, despite his limited first-team starts.

Neto only has two goals next to his name, on the contrary, with Daniel Sturridge’s comments about Chelsea putting in an “absolutely brilliant” showing against Spurs for the most part still ringing true, even if the direct Portuguese attacker looks to now be on borrowed time in the first team picture.

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Fresh from the Asia Cup, he must now quickly recalibrate his game and instincts while leading India in his first ever home Test

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‘Nothing is pre-decided’ – Gill on Bumrah’s workload

In two successive games at the Asia Cup, Shubman Gill was bowled playing similar shots off similar deliveries from Oman’s Shah Faisal and Pakistan’s Faheem Ashraf. One was delivered by a left-armer and the other by a right-armer, one moved in the air and the other off the deck. Both moved into the batter from a fullish length, and both times, Gill tried to drive on the up and meet the ball well in front of his body.The goodness and badness of shots is context-dependent, and these were T20 games. Gill was perfectly entitled to try and drive these balls on the up.On Thursday, Gill will lead India in a Test match against West Indies in Ahmedabad. He’s likely to face a lot of balls of similar line, length and intended target to those wicket balls from Faisal and Ashraf. He’ll face them on a pitch that could have quite a bit of assistance for the fast bowlers.Related

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Typically, Gill might spend at least two weeks preparing to meet this sort of delivery — and other modes of Test-match attack — in a Test-match-appropriate manner. On Thursday, Gill will go into a Test match — his first home Test as India captain, no less — less than four full days after the conclusion of a T20 tournament.Gill is one of four players in India’s Test squad — Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav are the other three — who also played the Asia Cup. While all of them will have to make quick adjustments to their game, Gill, as a top-order batter, probably faces the toughest challenge of the four. Batting is an act of split-second reactions, and T20s and Test cricket typically call for entirely different reactions to the same set of stimuli.The phrase “shot selection”, which is often invoked while discussing these reactions, doesn’t really capture what batters do, because selection typically involves conscious thought. Batting is about thought only in the spaces between actions. When the ball is in play, it’s mostly about instinct, and it’s at times when instinct is almost entirely unclouded by thought that batters feel on top of their game.This is what makes switching between formats so tricky, because batters need time to be able to train their instincts in format-appropriate ways. On Thursday, Gill will begin the Ahmedabad Test having had only two practice sessions since arriving in India at the conclusion of the Asia Cup.”When you’re going from the shortest [format] to the longest is probably the hardest,” Gill said in his pre-Test-match press conference on Wednesday. “When you go from T20 to one-day and then Test [it] is probably easier than going [directly] from Test to T20 or T20 to Test.”2:10

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Gill suggested that format-switching, for batters, was “more mental than it is about technique”, and went on to expand on what this meant.”I just try to get in the zone,” he said. “That zone is just watching the ball well, for me, and to be able to decide, as a batsman, which areas am I going to defend and which areas am I going to attack. Just identifying those areas, and then the mental side comes in, just how much control and how much patience does one have to stick to that process.”This constant format-switching is just life for top-level batters now, but is it, really? T20 has moved so far from the other two formats over the last few years that most international teams seem to now be picking entirely different top orders in the shortest and longest formats, with ODIs providing a space for a little bit of overlap.For a long time, India had been the last top international team to feature multiple top-order batters across the three formats, but even they seemed to step into a new era of format separation after they won last year’s T20 World Cup, when Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced their retirement from T20Is.Gill spent most of the next year or so out of the T20I side, with India prioritising the two longer formats, but now, with next year’s T20 World Cup looming, he’s back playing all three international formats. For the moment he’s the only India top-order batter doing this, with Yashasvi Jaiswal the only other Test regular genuinely in the running for T20I selection.And Gill’s present situation isn’t just unique; it’s possibly even unprecedented.For the bulk of their careers, Rohit and Kohli — and Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul — played T20Is in an ODI kind of way in India line-ups that did likewise. When they switched formats, the gaps between the formats weren’t quite as big as they are now.Shubman Gill inspects the Ahmedabad pitch•Associated PressGill has become India’s all-format poster boy at a different time. It isn’t just that teams around the world are playing T20s in an accelerated, hypermodern way — this was true of the best teams even a decade ago — but that India are playing T20Is in this way, and showing everyone else the way in some respects. At this time, Gill will not just have to play all formats as an all-format player but play all formats in format-appropriate ways. And as Test captain and vice-captain in both white-ball formats, he’ll be expected to set an example for his team-mates.It won’t be easy, because hugely gifted predecessors have struggled to pull off this juggling act. It was probably no coincidence that Rahul’s most explosive years in the IPL coincided with his worst period in Test cricket, and that he made a successful Test comeback as an old-school opener at around the same time he began to bat in a risk-averse way in the IPL. Similarly, Rohit’s late-career embrace of a high-risk approach in white-ball cricket may have played some role in precipitating his late-career decline as a Test opener.India’s selectors and team management are probably not unaware of the pitfalls that could lie in Gill’s path, and have probably chalked out some sort of medium-term plan for managing his workload — perhaps by limiting his involvement in whichever white-ball format happens to be less of a priority at any given time, though that can’t be easy given his leadership roles.For now, Gill faces perhaps the toughest format-switch of them all, from shortest to longest, with a gap of less than four days between matches. He’s 26, a generational talent entering what are usually a top-order batter’s best years, and he’s India’s Test captain to boot. It’s a lot to handle, but who’s to say he can’t pull it off?