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Jogar fora de casa não tem sido um problema para o Botafogo no Campeonato Brasileiro em 2020. Aliás, a equipe comandada por Bruno Lazaroni ainda não perdeu longe do Rio de Janeiro na competição. Nesta quarta-feira, o Alvinegro terá um teste de fogo para tal sequência: duelo contra o Grêmio, às 19h15, na Arena, pela 16ª rodada. O jogo será transmitido em tempo real pelo site do L!.

O Botafogo, inclusive, conquistou a mesma quantidade de pontos tanto fora quanto dentro de casa – nove em ambos, totalizando 18. As três derrotas do Alvinegro no Brasileirão foram no Estádio Nilton Santos, para Internacional, Vasco e Bahia.

A equipe vem de uma vitória fora de casa. No último domingo, superou o Sport por 2 a 1 na Ilha do Retiro, com gols de Keisuke Honda e Caio Alexandre. Pela sequência de jogos longe do Rio de Janeiro, a delegação nem retornou à Cidade Maravilhosa: o elenco do Botafogo chegou em Porto Alegre na terça-feira direto de Recife.

Engana-se, contudo, quem pensa que esta sequência invicta do Botafogo é sinônimo de vitórias. O resultado contra o Sport foi o primeiro resultado positivo do Glorioso em tais condições. Antes, seis empates em seis partidas. O Alvinegro até passou perto de conquistar vitórias fora de casa contra Flamengo, Corinthians e Athletico Paranaense, mas levou gols nos minutos finais.

O duelo contra o Grêmio será um teste de fogo para a invencibilidade do Botafogo no Brasileirão. Mesmo o Imortal carregando uma campanha irregular na competição, o Alvinegro não tem boas lembranças da Arena e carrega um retrospecto negativo: em seis partidas no estádio, uma vitória e cinco derrotas.

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Liverpool's unique culture as a city known for its football, politics and production of world-famous musicians such as The Beatles would always drive famous names to Anfield. As one of the biggest clubs in the world, they've managed to attract some of the biggest A-listers, too, from Avengers stars to Hip Hop royalty and members of the Homeland cast as well; it seems like everyone who's anyone is a Red.

In general, the trend seems to be that where there is a celebrity, there is a secret Liverpool fan. And, with that said, we at Football FanCast delved deeper into the ten most famous Liverpool supporters, courtesy of the Liverpool Echo.

10

Adam Woodyatt

Known for his role as Ian Beale in BBC soap Eastenders, Adam Woodyatt has been a massive Liverpool fan since childhood. He told the Liverpool Echo that his love for the side began after he watched Bob Paisley's side beat Stoke 5-3 in 1976.

The soap icon got to show off his own football skills in 2007 when a team of Eastenders stars faced off against a TV all-stars team at MK Dons' stadium, although we don't think he'll be getting a call from Jurgen Klopp anytime soon.

9

John Bishop

One of the country's most prominent comedians and arguably the biggest Liverpool fan on this list, stand-up John Bishop, is often seen watching the game at Anfield. Bishop has been a lifelong fan of the club as he was born in the city.

He even hosted a show on LFC TV called John Bishop Meets… in which he would interview players at the club.

The 56-year-old was a vocal critic of the club's former owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, taking part in both a protest against their ownership and a celebrity-filled video criticising their running of the club.

There might be some more famous faces on this list, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a more passionate fan.

8

Millie Bobby Brown

Rising to stardom in recent years, Millie Bobby Brown – best known for her role as 'Eleven' in the Netflix show Stranger Things – is not unfamiliar to the famous red of Liverpool.

In fact, in an interview a couple of years ago, she asked people to stop associating her with the number eleven and that if they wanted to, they should instead go with the number eight as that was Gerrard's number, who she described as her "favourite soccer team player."

She told the club's website (via the Liverpool Echo) that it was her family and Gerrard that first caused her to fall in love with the team:

"My family have been big supporters and fans since I was very young.

"So I started to love them gradually and watching the games to kind of understand what everyone was doing, and my brother was a big part of that. He started telling me about Steven Gerrard when he was playing and I started falling in love. So it was a big moment in my life."

7

Mel C

Of all the Spice Girls, it feels fitting that it's Sporty Spice who supports one of the most successful clubs in English football history. Sporty Spice, or Melanie Chisholm, otherwise known as Mel C, found fame through being a member of the world-famous Spice Girls.

The group were a global sensation in the late 1990s and early 2000s, selling millions of records and attracting millions more fans.

Mel C has never hidden her love for the Reds, and she has been seen wearing the team's shirt several times while performing, most recently after the side won their sixth Champions League in 2019.

6

Damien Lewis

Another who makes his admiration for Liverpool no secret, Damien Lewis, watched on as the Reds lost the Champions League final in Kyiv in 2018 before watching them win the competition a year later in Madrid.

Lewis has had an incredibly successful acting career, first shooting to fame for his portrayal of US Army Major Richard Winters in the HBO smash hit Band of Brothers before continuing his record of starring in critically acclaimed television dramas with Homeland, for which he won a Golden Globe.

He also played Steve McQueen in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

5

Dr Dre

Now, we weren't kidding when we said Hip Hop royalty, as it doesn't get much bigger than Dr Dre. The founder of Aftermath Records and a member of NWA, Dre is responsible for some of the biggest acts in the genre's history. He found and promoted stars like Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, 50 Cent, and so many more.

Including NWA, the 58-year-old has sold around 24 million albums in his career, which is a crazy achievement on its own, but if we were to include all the albums he has produced as well, that number would be so much higher.

Dre became a Liverpool fan whilst on tour in 1988. He revealed to the club's Magazine in 2011, as per SportsMole, that he had been supporting the Reds for 20 years.

4

LeBron James

As one of the greatest basketball players of all time – arguably the greatest – LeBron James is one of the most famous people on the planet, and he just so happens to be a pretty big fan of Liverpool. Oh, and he even owns a stake in the club as well.

James has had an unbelievable career in the NBA, making his debut for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 season and going on to win four Championship titles: two with the Miami Heat, one with the Cavs and one with his current side, the LA Lakers.

He has been named the league MVP on four occasions in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013. What's even more impressive is that each year he won the championship, he was also named the MVP for those finals, demonstrating what a big game player he is.

Lebron bought a 2% stake in Liverpool back in 2011 for just £4m, reportedly reducing it to just 1% two years ago, which, with the club's current value, would still be worth an eye-watering £66m.

The 38-year-old has been seen wearing the club's merchandise on several occasions and visited Anfield in 2011, when he told the press that he was a big fan of the club.

We're sure the millions of pounds will probably help with that.

3

Daniel Craig

Known for his role as 007 for several years, the effortlessly cool Daniel Craig may play a character who works for the Secret Service, but his love for Liverpool certainly isn't tight-lipped.

The 55-year-old has had a brilliant career, starring in films such as Knives Out one and two, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and Defiance. Still, he will always be best remembered for his iconic and era-defining portrayal of Britain's suavest spy.

Craig's love of the Reds stems from his childhood growing up in the Wirral – after spending short spells living in both Chester and the city of Liverpool. He has been spotted attending games over the years and even met the team and legendary captain Steven Gerrard.

There can't be many cooler celebrities than James Bond, surely.

2

Brad Pitt

It only makes sense that one of the biggest football teams on the planet should have one of the biggest movie stars among their ranks, and that's exactly what they have with Brad Pitt.

The American superstar has starred in so many of Hollywood's greatest hits over the last three decades including, Fight Club, Seven, Troy, Inglorious Basterds, Once upon a Time in Hollywood and so many more.

The 59-year-old has been nominated for 78 awards in his career, winning 53 of them which is a shockingly high success rate, just showing his universal popularity.

His love for Liverpool was first revealed in an interview he gave for his 2011 film Moneyball in which he was asked if he had a favourite football team, to which he replied:

"I have some friends who are very close to Liverpool, so if I went another way I might be disowned."

1

Samuel L Jackson

Famous for his roles in the Marvel and Star Wars franchises, as well as saying certain words that need bleeping a few too many times – usually in Quentin Tarantino films – Samuel L. Jackson fell in love with Liverpool whilst filming The 51st State.

He's also clearly happy to let the world know who he supports, as he's been seen wearing Liverpool shirts and hats multiple times in the past, and when the club clinched the title three years ago, he made sure to let the world know about his excitement through his Twitter account.

While some might argue that Brad Pitt is the more famous of these two American actors, we think it's much harder to claim that he's cooler.

And there we have it.

We did say that they had some A-listers. Liverpool’s set of famous fans could likely rival any football club on the planet!

Life without Harry Kane has begun brightly at Tottenham Hotspur, with new boss Ange Postecoglou enjoying an unbeaten start to life in the Premier League to help ease the loss of the talismanic striker.

Trying to move on from their undoubted reliance on the 30-year-old will be no small feat, however, with the club's record scorer having repeatedly been the go-to man for the Lilywhites over the last decade or so, prior to his recent £100m move to Bayern Munich.

Two years on from itching for a switch to rivals Manchester City, the England skipper finally got his wish of a high-profile departure by linking up with former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel in Germany, with that exit coming off the back of a 30-goal season in England's top-flight.

While it is still early days in his time at the Allianz Arena, the experienced marksman has made a smooth transition to date with three goals and one assist from just three Bundesliga outings, offering a further reminder of his qualities.

As for Spurs, a hat-trick for Heung-min Son last time out has ensured that Postecoglou has stumbled across an innovative solution in the number nine berth, although with no out-and-out senior striker coming through the door over the summer, the north Londoners may need to look elsewhere to find a suitable Kane replacement…

Who will replace Kane at Tottenham?

There may still be lingering hope among some that last year's £60m signing, Richarlison, can come good and prove to be the main man in attack at N17, although the former Everton enigma has thus failed to fire with only one league goal for the club to date.

Leicester City

20

20

Everton

17

16

Arsenal

19

14

Southampton

20

12

West Ham

22

11

Crystal Palace

20

11

Stats via Transfermarkt

With it yet to be seen if and when teenage summer signing Alejo Veliz will be offered a chance to impress following his arrival from Argentina, Postecoglou may then wish to look to the academy set-up in order to find a suitable successor to Kane.

One such talent that has been mooted as a possible heir to the Bayern man is 18-year-old, Jamie Donley, with the Northern Ireland-born, England youth international notably scoring 26 goals in just 40 games at U18 level for the club.

A fine start to the new season has seen the promising talent score once and rack up a stellar haul of six assists in just four appearances, albeit while having operated as something of a second striker or attacking midfielder thus far.

If Donley is to find a new home in a creative berth, Postecoglou's striking void could then instead be filled by fellow youngster, Will Lankshear, with the 18-year-old having also caught the eye over the last 12 months or so.

Who is Will Lankshear?

The teenage starlet has been on the books at Hotspur Way since signing from Sheffield United back in August 2022, with the Lilywhites forking out a reported fee of around £2m in order to edge top-flight rivals Brentford to his signature.

That intense interest in the emerging gem had come just a year on from being released by Tottenham's bitter rivals Arsenal, with the man he could look to replace – Kane – having also been foolishly let go by the Gunners in his early academy days.

Much like Spurs' former talisman, it looks as if young Lankshear may leave those at the Emirates ruing their decision to let him go, with Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas writing at the time of his move to N17 that the young Englishman 'is widely considered among the best – if not the best – striker for his age group in England'.

Also hailed as "highly-rated" by Thomas on Twitter, the promising poacher made an instant impression in his new surroundings, notably scoring a hat-trick against West Ham United at Premier League U18 level last season.

With four goals in just five appearances in that competition at the start of 2022/23, it had proven a truly rampant start to life at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the striker, as he even made his non-competitive first-team debut under Antonio Conte back in December.

Any hopes of building on that senior bow were cruelly curtailed as a knee injury brought his season to a premature end, although it already looks as if the £400-per-week talent is ready to make up for lost time if his early season form is anything to go by.

What does the future hold for Will Lankshear?

Now back fit and firing it may not be too long before Lankshear – who saw his deal extended until 2026 back in May – is properly catching the attention of Postecoglou and his staff, having already scored three goals in just four appearances so far this term.

Speaking following his "phenomenal" beginning at the club last season, Spurs expert John Wenham heaped praise on the new addition, describing him as looking "like a complete out-and-out finisher".

For all Kane's playmaking gifts, it is fair to say that the London-born ace is also truly ruthless and potent weapon when it matters most in front of goal – as his 278 Tottenham goals would illustrate – with the hope being that Lankshear can follow in his footsteps and make the step up sooner rather than later.

As per Wenham, club staff are said to have been "blown away by his finishing levels and his size", with the club having pulled off a "real coup" by snapping him up from the Blades last summer.

Wenham has also noted how impressed he has been by Lankshear's physical prowess as he is "an absolute unit for his age, massive, powerful", indicating that making a step up to the first-team may not represent too much of a daunting prospect.

Although the recent triumph over Burnley showcased that Postecoglou's side can flourish with a more fluid option like Son through the middle, having a focal point like Lankshear who can offer a clinical, golden touch in front of goal would simply be a dream.

With the summer window now at an end, if the former Celtic boss is hoping to find a successor to Kane in the near future, he should certainly be looking the way of the youth ranks before too long.

Jamie Overton, the Somerset fast bowler, is expected to miss up to a month of cricket having been diagnosed with a minor muscle tear. Overton felt pain while bowling for Somerset’s 2nd XI last week and, while he hoped the injury was nothing serious, was sent for a scan which revealed the injury in his side.The news is a blow not just to Overton, but Somerset and potentially England. The England management have made no secret of their desire to add some pace to their Test attack and Overton, who impressed England coach Trevor Bayliss during a fiery spell at Edgbaston a couple of years ago, was one name mentioned as a possible solution.A succession of injuries has frustrated Overton’s progress, however, and he is now understood to be taking time to settle to an altered action which is designed to reduce stress on his back. Whether it has been helpful to have a speed gun on him in the nets as he recovers is debatable.Meanwhile it has emerged that Warwickshire have made a 28-day approach for Leicestershire’s fast-bowling allrounder Zak Chappell. Chappell, another of those who might, in time, add some pace to the England attack, was left out of Leicestershire’s side for the first Championship match of the season due to a groin injury, but is playing for the club’s 2nd XI as a specialist batsman. The Warwickshire bowling coach, Graeme Welch, previously worked with Chappell during his spell in the same role at Leicestershire.Underlining the England management’s difficulty in finding suitable fast bowlers for the Test side, only three of the eight seamers – Jamie Porter, Reece Topley, Toby Roland-Jones, Jamie Overton, George Scrimshaw, Chappell, Tom Barber and Paul Walter – who attended the ECB’s pace programme training camp in Spain just before Christmas took part in the opening round of Championship matches. Of those, Roland-Jones was forced to stop bowling after experiencing back pain (Porter, Walter were the others),Saqib Mahmood, the highly rated Lancashire seamer, has also been out of action with what the club have described as “a minor abdominal strain”.

تحدث محمد مكي، المدير الفني لفريق الكرة الأول بنادي حرس الحدود عن الفوز الذي حققه على نظيره الترسانة في مباراة اليوم بدورة الترقي.

وحقق فريق حرس الحدود الفوز على الترسانة بريمونتادا مثيرة بهدفين مقابل هدف.

طالع.. فيديو | حرس الحدود يقلب الطاولة على الترسانة ويقترب من حسم الصعود للدوري الممتاز

وقال مكي في تصريحات تلفزيونية بفضائية “أون تايم سبورتس 2”: “متبقي مباراة صعبة بعد خمسة أيام، ابارك لفريقي على تحقيق المكسب”.

وأضاف: “نلعب تحت ضغط كبير جدًا طوال الموسم، خضنا عدد مباريات أقوى وأصعب”.

وأردف: “عقلنا غير قادر على الاستيعاب أو التفكير، انهكنا بشكل كبير، كنت أعلم أننا سنحسم اللقاء في آخره”.

وأتم: “أتمنى أن نحقق الفوز في المباراة المقبلة ونعود للدوري الممتاز والتأهل يكون من نصيبنا، أشكر اللاعبين لأنهم تعبوا طوال الموسم”.

ويملك فريق حرس الحدود 10 نقاط متصدرًا جدول الترتيب، فيما سيواجه سبورتنج صاحب الـ8 نقاط في الجولة السادسة والأخيرة.

وتقام دورة الترقي من 4 فرق، وهي حرس الحدود (صاحب المركز الثالث بمجموعة الصعود في الدرجة الثانية) والترسانة وسبورتنج ومنتخب السويس الصاعدين من الدرجة الثالثة، لحسم ثالث الفرق الصاعدة للدوري الممتاز “النيل” الموسم المقبل.

Darren Lehmann has announced that the Johannesburg Test will be his last as Australia coach, as the ball-tampering scandal that occurred in the Cape Town Test continues to take its toll on Australian cricket

Daniel Brettig29-Mar-2018Steven Smith’s anguished arrival was the final straw. A day after vowing to stay on and drive cultural renewal, Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann bowed to the inevitable on Thursday and chose to resign at the conclusion of the Wanderers Test match after five years at the helm of the national team, saying the former captain’s tears had convinced him it was the only course of action.His public announcement, a matter of minutes after he told an already shell-shocked Test squad, was followed by a surreal training session, where the touring party engaged mainly in football and fielding drills while the Wanderers public address system belted out classic Australian songs such as How to Make Gravy by Paul Kelly, Into My Arms by Nick Cave, Reckless by Australian Crawl, Don’t Dream It’s Over by Crowded House and Wide Open Road by The Triffids.Lehmann confessed to not being able to sleep since Saturday night following the team’s exposure for ball tampering. While maintaining his lack of knowledge of the plot between David Warner and Cameron Bancroft, with the approval of Smith, Lehmann conceded it was impossible for him to stay on as coach while the team and Cricket Australia continued to be under attack. The home Test series sponsor Magellan cancelled its deal on Thursday, while longtime broadcast partner Channel Nine looked the other way in signing a new five-year deal with Australian tennis.Sutherland says he will stay on

James Sutherland has said that he will not step down as Cricket Australia’s chief executive in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal that has already resulted in bans for Steven Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft and the resignation of the coach Darren Lehmann.
“I’m absolutely committed to my job, my employment and tenure is a matter for the board of Cricket Australia but I’m not resigning, in fact what has happened over the last few days has only strengthened my resolve to ensure that Australian cricket and the Australian cricket team gets back on track, and back in a place where it has not only the full respect but the pride of the Australian community,” Sutherland said in Johannesburg shortly after Lehmann had made his announcement.
“It’s been a difficult week, but most difficult for those three players who have returned to Australia. They are obviously in a very difficult and sad place, and between CA and the ACA, we will offer all of those players all the support we can, all the welfare services within and outside our system. We will make sure we support the players and their families as best we can.”

“It’s been happening for a few days, and you think you can keep going, but the amount of abuse or whatever word you want to use just takes its toll, everyone has their views out there, but they made a mistake, and we need to get the game back on track,” Lehmann said. “And speaking to my family they’ve had enough of traveling 300 days a year and not being home at all to see your family, so that’s also a big reason, the main reason. Spend some time with them, see the kids and maybe go and watch my son play cricket, and be there for my daughters.”I’ve been speaking with the hierarchy the last couple of days, and this morning, no sleep last night again, no-one’s slept, that’s the biggest challenge fronting up tomorrow. I don’t think I’ve slept since Saturday to be perfectly honest, couple hours here and there, playing around in your head, and what’s right, and let the game move forward.”After seeing events in the media today with Steve Smith and Cameron Bancroft, the feeling is that Australian cricket needs to move forward and this is the right thing to do. I really felt for Steve as I saw him crying in front of the media and all of the players are really hurting. As I’ve stated before I had no prior knowledge of the incident and do not condone what happened at all, but good people can make mistakes.”2:02

Lehmann’s long history of confrontations

After watching Smith and Bancroft speak emotionally in Australia, Lehmann said he hoped his decision would help the team and game to move on from a hellish five days. “It’s been unbelievable. Watching those two young men face the media and I’m sure David will be the same, it’s been unbelievable,” he said.”Hopefully the game gets back to the game of cricket, it is a game to be loved and enjoyed. I’ve had a great time coaching in my career and coaching the Australian team is a real high. So for me looking forward to having some time off and what’s the next step from there. I’d love to stay involved in the game because I love it so much. My family and I have copped a lot of abuse over the last week and it’s taken its toll on them.”As many of you sitting in this room will know, life on the road means a lot of time away from our loved ones and after speaking with my family at length over the last few days, it’s the right time to step away. I’m ultimately responsible for the culture of the team and I’ve been thinking about my position for a while, despite telling media yesterday that I’m not resigning, after viewing Steve and Cameron’s hurting, it’s only fair that I make this decision. This will allow Cricket Australia to complete a full review into the culture of the team and allow them to implement changes to regain the trust of the Australian public. This is the right thing for Australian cricket.”Asked what his proudest moment as coach had been, having won the Ashes twice at home and also the 2015 World Cup, Lehmann pointed to the way the team dealt with the death of Phillip Hughes in November 2014. “I would say the way we dealt with Phillip Hughes,” he said. “We’re only playing a game, that’s all we’re playing, we lost a great young man and the way we tried to deal with that is probably my proudest moment as coach. You win games, you lose games, that for me would be the most pleasing one.”Lehmann agreed it would be extremely difficult for the team to find the mental strength to perform at a high level over the next five days. “I thought this was tough, but speaking to the players and saying goodbye, telling them the news, that’s the toughest thing I’ve ever had to do,” he said. “It’s about fronting up for your country and playing good cricket over the next five days.”Like all Australians, we are extremely disappointed and as a team we know we’ve let so many people down, and for that we’re truly sorry. The players involved have been handed down very serious sanctions, and they know they must face the consequences. They’ve made a grave mistake but they are not bad people. I hope the team rebuilds from this and the Australian public find it in their hearts to forgive these young men and get behind the XI who are going to take the field tomorrow.”It’s been an unbelievable series marred by some incidents, but it’s great playing against South Africa, two rival countries that really play the game of cricket really hard and it’s been an exciting Test series. So our challenge is to get back to level the series, and that’d be a big challenge but the boys will be doing everything they possibly can.”That effort started with the Australian playlist over the Wanderers speakers. These are extraordinary times.

Division Two Championship cricket tends to rush along at a frantic pace, but Middlesex must have found such a white-knuckle ride at headquarters an unusual experience

Alex Winter14-Apr-2018
ScorecardTwenty-six wickets in a day on a wicket greener than most could remember at Lord’s: welcome, Middlesex, to Division Two of the County Championship.This is how the cricket is played in the lower tier – on result pitches where teams are prepared to lose for the chance of victory. It served Nottinghamshire well last season, Northamptonshire too, whose nine wins trumped Nott’s tally and still wasn’t good enough for promotion. Middlesex are looking to prove Division Two is an alien land and after a whirlwind day they are now set to begin a season of recovery with victory.But a helpful pitch still requires bowlers of skill and craft and Tim Murtagh has been providing those credentials for 18 years. Here, he passed 700 first-class wickets when he clipped Josh Cobb’s off bail, taking 4 for 27 as Middlesex humiliated Northants in 21.2 overs of their first-innings. But it was another example of how Middlesex look out of place in the second tier that dominated the day.An impressive XI can be compiled of Middlesex players not available for this match but the depth of talent Middlesex posses is perhaps the biggest difference between themselves and other Division Two counties.Such is their depth that at the beginning of 2017, James Harris – who arrived from Glamorgan under much fanfare in 2013 – was allowed to join Kent on loan: a four-match sojourn that yielded 19 wickets at 21. He was back by the middle of the year and has begun 2018 with what should turn out to be a match-winning performance.After Middlesex began the day 136 for 4, they quickly lost both Paul Stirling and John Simpson who had shared a fifty-partnership on the first afternoon. Harris provided a punchy unbeaten 46 with the tail to steer his side to 214 and a score that appeared overpar. A thought confirmed as Harris replaced Toby Roland-Jones at the Pavilion End. His first three deliveries barely made the cut strip outside the off stump but the third came back down the slope to remove Richard Levi’s off stump and Harris was underway. He needed only 32 balls to take 5 for 9.James Harris celebrates a wicket•Getty ImagesHarris and Murtagh reduced Northants to 41 for 8 and in danger of falling short of their lowest total against Middlesex of 58. That Brett Hutton, having taken 5 for 54 on his Northants debut earlier in the day, saved the visitors from such ignominy was no consolation as a 143-run first-innings deficit was conceded.With only two days of outdoor practise behind them in pre-season because of the appalling weather, Northants could claim mitigating circumstances. A pre-season tour of Barbados weakened the argument – however different the conditions. There was also little to excuse a series of missed chances – the most crucial John Simpson being dropped on three in the first-innings that would have seen Middlesex 67 for 5 and Harris spilt on 10.Middlesex conceded that to play conservatively was inviting trouble. As such, Max Holden unleashed a series of viscous cut strokes to the Mound Stand to rattle Middlesex to 54 for 1 in their second innings with a run-a-ball 33. But trying to force Doug Bracewell through cover, he edged behind and the game began to turn.Bracewell had changed to the Nursery End and oversaw a collapse of 4 for 3 in 23 balls to bring Northants back into the game. And at 112 for 9, the lead 255, they held some hope. But Murtagh swung his way to 31 in just 20 balls – including a six into the Tavern Stand – and Tom Helm, buoyed by his partner’s hitting, discovered his own taste for putting bat to ball with three further boundaries.The 10th wicket pair added 47 in 32 balls and with the target set at 303 and the pitch unlikely to ease, Middlesex should begin life back in Division Two with victory on day three

Aston Villa have found their stride under Unai Emery, as the Villans continue their form from the 2022/23 campaign into the 2023/24 season in the bid to progress further from the successes of last term.

The former Arsenal boss took charge of Villa almost a year ago in October 2022, changing their trajectory from a struggling relegation-threatened side lacking inspiration, to a squad fuelled with ambition and competing in Europe.

While there is still a long way to go in this campaign and in Emery’s plans for the Midlands club, the Spaniard looks on course to take Villa to highs that haven’t been reached in years at Villa Park, in what is an exciting time for the current squad.

Raising player performance has been a key element to the four-time Europa League winners, with some overlooked squad members becoming star members of the 51-year-old’s side, with the resurgence of John McGinn and Tyrone Mings most notable.

Every club has their blockbuster names and their formidable squad numbers beneath them, with Villa following suit over the years as many players fell in the shadows of the spotlight to Jack Grealish.

Without the work of others in the squads at Villa over the years, Emery wouldn’t be in the position he is now, however some could argue that the Spaniard could be in even better stead if he had the help of one offloaded squad member of the past.

When did Aston Villa sign Trezeguet?

Signed in 2019, winger Trezeguet arrived in the Midlands as a fairly unknown player, joining Dean Smith’s side from Turkish outfit Kasimpasa.

The Villans paid a fee of £8.5m for the Egyptian forward, who had scored nine goals and recorded nine assists in the Super Lig the season prior to his move to England, telling of the threat he could administer in the final third.

Smith described his new acquisition as the “direct” wide player he’d been seeking, explaining that he was a winger that “causes problems” and “scores goals”.

There were some questions over the solidity of the signing, considering that the Villans had just been promoted back to the Premier League from the Championship, as reinforced by journalist Gregg Evans.

Speaking on the 1874 Villa podcast, the Athletic correspondent explained how he first saw Trezeguet as a player that “wasn’t cut out for the Premier League”, an opinion that changed as his game developed at Villa Park.

How many goals did Trezeguet score at Aston Villa?

Like many others, Evans’ views on the Egyptian altered, as he told the 1874 podcast, describing the forward's turnaround as “incredible” as he became a part of the furniture during difficult times at the club.

In his first campaign, the £8.5m signing was drawn into Villa’s battle for survival, as Smith’s side ended the 2019/20 season in 17th with form that highlighted the jump in standard between the second and first tier.

Trezeguet ended his debut term as the Villans’ second-highest scorer in the Premier League, netting six and assisting two in 34 appearances, with only Grealish outscoring him with eight goals.

The strong first impression in the final third, and his desire to work for the team saw the Egyptian settle well into life at Villa Park, however it all came crashing down in his second term, as his form dipped off and injury struck.

The winger netted two goals in the league in the 2020/21 campaign, making his role in the squad more rotational than crucial as he slipped down the pecking order.

In the winter of 2020, Trezeguet missed over 50 days of action due to sustaining a head injury, which was only the beginning of his injury battles that season, as in April 2021, he was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a blow to the knee.

During a fixture against Liverpool, the Egyptian suffered ligament damage to his knee which required surgery.

As a result, the winger was away from activity for a recorded 238 days, returning to the bench in December 2021 before being sent out on loan to rediscover his form and fitness.

Ultimately, his injury marked the end of his time in the Midlands as he was sold after returning from his loan spell at Basaksehir, ending his time at Villa Park having scored nine goals and registered five assists in 64 appearances.

How much did Aston Villa sell Trezeguet for?

In the summer of 2022, Villa sold Trezeguet for a fee of just £3m to Turkish outfit Trabzonspor, ending his three year association with the Midlands club.

While the price he was sold at was a fraction of the £8.5m fee the Villans spent to welcome him to the side, it prevailed to be a good deal for both player and club, as he was given a chance to thrive in Turkey once more while being sold above his market value.

At the time of his sale, Football Transfers documented Trezeguet’s expected transfer value (xTV) at just €2.5 (£2.1m), suggesting that Villa did well to receive £3m for his services from Trabzonspor.

What is Trezeguet doing now?

The 29-year-old remains in the Super Lig today, and continues to showcase his ability for Trabzonspor, as highlighted by his form during his debut campaign.

In the 2022/23 season, while Villa were progressing under Emery, Trezeguet was outperforming the Villans’ talisman, Ollie Watkins.

Throughout the campaign, the former Villans winger scored 13 goals and registered ten assists in all competitions, ending the term with 23 direct goal contributions to cement himself as a key player for his new club.

In England, Watkins secured his highest Premier League goal tally by netting 15, however in all competitions, the Englishman contributed to fewer goals than the 29-year-old, recording 16 goals and six assists in 2022/23.

Watkins vs Trezeguet – 2022/23 league campaigns

Ollie Watkins

Mahmoud Trezeguet

Appearances

37

28

Goals

15

11

Shots on target per game

1.3

1.3

Big chances missed

20

8

Key passes per game

0.8

1.4

Figures via Sofascore

Ending the season with 22 goal contributions, the striker provided one contribution less than the £3m wide player, relaying the sanctuary that the Egyptian has once again found in Turkey.

While Villa fans would much rather have Watkins in their squad, the majority will be happy to see Trezeguet performing so well for Trabzonspor after his injury that ended his career in the Midlands.

From a questionable acquisition under Smith, to a forward with more goal contributions than Watkins, Trezeguet will be remembered at Villa for his strong first season and resilience to start again after his surgery.

The Champions League is the pinnacle of club competition in football. Every young player dreams of one day being able to compete amongst the biggest names in the sport and getting their hands on the famous trophy.

Over the years, we have seen Europe’s elite go head-to-head and treat fans to some of the most exhilarating contests.

With that said, let’s take a look at 10 of the most unforgettable matches in the history of the Champions League since its rebrand in the 1992/93 season.

10 Bayern Munich 8-2 Barcelona (2019/20)

Starting the list strongly is Bayern Munich’s stunning 8-2 victory over Spanish giants Barcelona.

The game took place in August 2020 inside an empty stadium following the return to football after the pandemic halted all competition earlier that year, and it was perhaps for the best that Barcelona fans were not present, in hindsight.

After just seven minutes, the scene had already been set when both sides had found the back of the net – albeit only with an own goal from Bayern defender David Alaba levelling the scores after Thomas Muller’s opener.

It was Bayern who would capitalise on the energetic start, though, and they found themselves going into the half-time interval with a 4-1 lead.

Hope was briefly restored for the Catalan side when Luis Suarez grabbed a goal back shortly before the hour mark, but Bayern would quickly respond by putting the game to bed. A late brace from Philippe Coutinho only added insult to injury, as the Brazilian midfielder was on loan to the Bundesliga side from Barcelona at the time.

Barcelona manager Quique Setien would be sacked just days later, while Bayern would go on to win the competition for the sixth time later that month.

9 Manchester City 4-3 Tottenham Hotspur (2018/19)

The 2018/19 quarter-final between Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur will forever be remembered for its incredible drama, particularly surrounding VAR, which was being debuted in that campaign.

An emphatic opening 20 minutes saw Tottenham trailing 3-2 on the night, though they had the advantage due to the away goals rule. Sergio Aguero gave City an aggregate lead just before the hour mark, but the drama was far from over.

A controversial goal from Spurs striker Fernando Llorente saw the north London side regain their lead, with a VAR check inspecting whether an arm was used to direct the ball into the goal going in the visitors’ favour.

Raheem Sterling then had the ball in the back of the net in the final minutes of injury time, but the goal was sensationally denied by VAR due to an offside earlier in the move, sending Spurs through to the semi-finals for the first time in the club’s history.

8 Borussia Dortmund 3-2 Malaga (2012/13)

Malaga’s unforgettable run in the 2012/13 Champions League season still to this day marks their only appearance in the competition, and they were only minutes away from reaching the semi-finals.

When Eliseu gave the Spanish side a shock 2-1 lead in the final minutes of the second leg, Dortmund needed to score at least twice, or they would be eliminated on away goals.

Marco Reus offered a glimpse of hope when he pulled one back in injury time, but it was defender Felipe Santana who stole the headlines when he won it for Dortmund in the final seconds of the game, despite Malaga’s calls for an offside.

Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund side would be narrowly beaten in the final by league rivals Bayern Munich that year, while Malaga have since been relegated as low as the third tier of Spanish football.

7 Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona (2018/19)

When a Barcelona side featuring the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez gave Barcelona a 3-0 lead in the first leg of this 2018/19 semi-final, not even the most optimistic of Liverpool fans would have given them a chance at progressing through to the final – though the impossible was made possible.

The odds were heavily against Liverpool, and the absences of Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino only added to their pre-match woes.

However, braces from Divock Origi and Gini Wijnaldum helped Liverpool pull off a huge upset to send Jurgen Klopp’s side through to the final, where they beat Premier League rivals Tottenham to become European champions for a sixth time.

6 Barcelona 6-1 Paris Saint-Germain (2016/17)

In terms of the round of 16, there haven’t been many comebacks more incredible than Barcelona’s feat against PSG in the 2016/17 season.

After being stunned in a 4-0 loss in Paris, Luis Enrique’s side had effectively been written off by everyone in the footballing world.

Despite improbably finding themselves 3-0 up and appearing on their way to making the comeback without much trouble, the tie was seemingly concluded when Edinson Cavani scored a crucial away goal, meaning Barcelona needed another three goals in less than half an hour.

In typical Champions League fashion, Neymar scored a quick brace beyond the 88th minute, before defender Sergi Roberto completed the sensational comeback in the 95th minute of the game.

5 Chelsea 2-2 Barcelona (2011/12)

When a Chelsea side led by inexperienced interim coach Roberto Di Matteo earned a 1-0 win over reigning champions Barcelona, many still expected them to be blown away at Camp Nou.

A first-half red card to captain John Terry followed by a quick Barcelona double only made it seem more difficult to see Chelsea turning the game around, but fate was on their side that night.

Brazilian midfielder Ramires restored Chelsea’s advantage on away goals with an incredible chipped effort on the stroke of half-time, before Lionel Messi saw his penalty effort rebound off the crossbar after the break.

Despite being under severe pressure for the majority of the second half, 10-man Chelsea held their own against one of the most talented sides football has ever seen, and an injury-time breakaway saw Fernando Torres take the ball past Victor Valdes and famously send them through to the final.

4 Real Madrid 3-1 Manchester City (2021/22)

The semi-final fixture between Real Madrid and Manchester City in the 2021/22 campaign was one of the most action-packed encounters the competition has seen in recent years.

An incredible end-to-end first leg saw the English side come out on top with a 4-3 lead, and when Riyad Mahrez opened the scoring in the second leg with just over 15 minutes left to play, it seemingly put the game to bed.

Heading into injury time, Madrid needed to score twice just to bring the game to extra-time – which is when the unthinkable happened.

Rodrygo scored an unbelievable brace in less than two minutes, and from that moment onwards it was only ever going to result in victory for the Spanish side.

Karim Benzema converted a penalty in extra-time to complete one of the most dramatic semi-final comebacks the Champions League has ever seen, before going on to lift the trophy for the 14th time against Liverpool in the final.

3 Real Madrid 4-1 Atletico Madrid (2013/14)

Another extraordinary Real Madrid comeback enters in third place, this time being in the Champions League final against fierce local rivals Atletico Madrid in 2014.

Having fallen behind to a Diego Godin header in the first half, Real Madrid had thrown everything at Thibaut Courtois’ goal, but to no avail. That was, of course, until the 93rd minute of the game in what was essentially going to be the last opportunity to bring the game beyond the full-time whistle.

Sergio Ramos found himself on the end of Luka Modric’s corner and nodded the ball past Courtois to bring life back into his side. They were able to run away with the result by scoring three quick goals in the final minutes of extra-time and finally getting their hands on “La Decima”.

2 Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan (2004/05)

It’s the age-old debate amongst football fans regarding which Champions League final was better – 2004/05 or 1998/99.

In second place is Liverpool’s famous win over AC Milan. After conceding inside the first minute and then finding themselves 3-0 down at half-time to one of the most talented sides in the world, it was hard to see any other outcome than an AC Milan victory.

However, after 15 minutes of the second half, Liverpool had miraculously levelled the game, leaving it up for grabs for either side to take home the trophy.

Neither side could be separated before or after extra-time, meaning a penalty shootout would decide the winner.

Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek wrote his name in club folklore after saving the decisive penalty to hand the Anfield side the trophy for the fifth time in their history.

1 Manchester United 2-1 Bayern Munich (1998/99)

While there isn’t much between the two finals in terms of thrill and excitement, what was at stake in the 1998/99 final and how it was won is what gives it the edge to be named the greatest Champions League game of all time.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side knew that a win over Bayern Munich would secure the domestic treble – a feat which had never been accomplished by an English side before then. However, an early goal from Munich’s Mario Basler looked to be the difference between the two sides, as the lead remained intact as the game was heading into stoppage time.

That was until the 91st minute of the game when Teddy Sheringham got on the end of Ryan Giggs’ effort and placed it past Oliver Kahn to level the scores and almost surely send the game to extra-time – but United weren’t finished.

Less than two minutes later, United had won another corner, and the rest is history. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer found himself free at the far post to direct the ball into the roof of the net, and in a matter of minutes, Manchester United had gone from down and out to becoming the first-ever English side to complete the treble in the most dramatic fashion.

MatériaMais Notícias

Ao entrar em campo aos 15 minutos do segundo tempo da derrota do Santos por 3 a 1 para o Fluminense, neste domingo (25), no Maracanã, o atacante Ângelo Gabriel se tornou o segundo jogador mais novo a atuar profissionalmente pelo Peixe.

Com 15 anos, 10 meses e quatro dias, o atlet,a que completará 16 anos no dia 21 de dezembro, ultrapassou nada mais, nada menos do que o Rei Pelé, protagonista de diversas homenagens neste fim de semana pelos seus 80 anos completados na última sexta-feira (23). O Atleta do Século fez a sua estreia pelo Alvinegro no dia 7 de setembro de 1956, com 15 anos, 10 meses e 15 dias. Ou seja, ele tinha 11 dias a mais de vida que Ângelo.

Ângelo só não foi mais precoce que Coutinho na lista histórica do Peixe. O Gênio da Área debutou pelo Santos com 14 anos, 11 meses e seis dias, em 1958.

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Semana intensa

Foi uma semana especial para Ângelo Gabriel. No último sábado (17), após a vitória santista por 2 a 1 sobre o Coritiba, no estádio Couto Pereira, pela 17ª rodada do Brasileirão, o técnico Cuca disse em entrevista coletiva virtual que subiria dois jogadores da base. Durante a semana, o garoto foi um dos escolhidos para a promoção, assinou pré-contrato profissional na sexta-feira (23) e estreou neste domingo (25).

– O que me fez trazer o Ângelo foram os jogos que a gente viu dele, os treinamentos e as informações que a gente tem. O que me fez colocar o Ângelo no jogo foi a necessidade que a gente tinha de um jogador de velocidade pelo lado, uma vez que o Marinho estava mais por dentro – justificou Cuca sobre a escolha de colocar o Menino da Vila em campo contra o Flu, em coletiva após a partida.

– Lógico que ele vai render muito mais na carreira dele. Foi uma primeira vez, e essa primeira vez tende a ser bem melhor na segunda, terceira, pela experiência que ele vai ganhar – complementou o treinador.

Ângelo vestirá a camisa 27 do Peixe. Além dele, o também atacante Brayan Kruger, de 18 anos, também foi promovido, relacionado contra o Flu, mas não entrou em campo.