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Southampton will hope the intense pressures of the Championship playoffs don't end up getting the better of them when push comes to shove, with just one regular game left of the second-tier season before all the drama gets underway.

Russell Martin will want a response from his Saints group away at Leeds United this coming weekend, who they could even face off against at Wembley in a playoff final down the line, having been lacklustre throughout the 1-0 loss they suffered to Stoke City last match.

Regardless of whether or not promotion is sealed come the end of May or Martin's men have to make do with another season below the top-flight, there will be plenty of activity in and out of St. Mary's this summer which could include one forgotten flop potentially leaving for good.

Armel Bella-Kotchap's transfer to Southampton

Joining for £10m in the summer of 2022, alongside fellow expensive signings in the form of Kamaldeen Sulemana and Romeo Lavia, it's fair to say Armel Bella-Kotchap hasn't ever lived up to the hype that surrounded him when joining two years ago.

Bella-Kotchap had only made 26 appearances in total for the Saints before he was pushed out on loan to PSV Eindhoven this campaign, where injuries have unfortunately plagued his up-and-down spell in the Netherlands with just six matches notched up.

Still, regardless of his ineffective spell in the Eredivisie to date, the Saints will look to sell on the underwhelming centre-back for a healthy profit this coming transfer window if reports are correct.

Fabrizio Romano has stated that the Saints are looking for a figure in the £17m ballpark to get rid of their forgotten 22-year-old, even with his career not going to plan on loan with PSV or when he was still trying to make an impression on the Southampton masses.

Any potential suitor coming in for Bella-Kotchap will take a risk on the 6 foot 3 defender knowing what he could be capable of shining again if handed another chance, with former Saints boss Ralph Hassenhuttl describing the Germany U21 international as a "monster" when he first signed on the dotted line in England after starring in Germany with VFL Bochum.

Southampton will just want to accelerate a permanent move away for Bella-Kotchap very soon if they can get anywhere near that reported £17m price tag, knowing that the new bumped-up valuation is three times more than what star man Adam Armstrong is worth in Martin's ranks.

Southampton's highest valued players in 2024

According to Football Transfers, Armstrong – despite bagging 20 goals this season as Southampton's top-scorer – has a far lower valuation of £5.4m compared to Bella-Kotchap.

With this new £17m price-tag next to his name, Bella-Kotchap actually becomes the highest valued asset in the Saints camp despite struggling to ever settle on the South Coast – beating Gavin Bazunu to the top of the list just, with the injury-stricken goalkeeper worth £300k less at £16.7m.

1. Gavin Bazunu

£16.7m

2. Taylor Harwood-Bellis

£10.6m

3. Shea Charles

£10.4m

4. Sekou Mara

£9.6m

5. Kamaldeen Sulemana

£9.2m

The ex-Bochum defender is also worth more than the young quartet below Bazunu when scanning the table above, making the Saints a potentially reasonable profit even if his time in England hasn't gone to plan whatsoever.

Armstrong's value could well go through the roof if the former Blackburn Rovers man does add to his glittering 20-goal total in the playoff matches to come, however, with Bella-Kotchap just watching on from the Netherlands as his parent club battles away to try and make an instant return to the Premier League.

There might well be some temptation on Southampton's end to give Bella-Kotchap another shot at redemption, but with the potential to make £7m profit on a dud who could struggle anyway back in the top-flight, the Saints would be foolish not to cash in.

Southampton teen could be their perfect replacement if Che Adams leaves

Southampton could get over Che Adams leaving easier by unleashing this young starlet.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 16, 2024

The fast bowler speaks about his ambitions, landmarks and a particular turning point

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Aug-20201:57

‘I never think about how many Tests I’ve played – 97, 98 or 99’ – Sharma

Ishant Sharma has played more Tests for India than any pace bowler bar Kapil Dev, and looks set to join him in the 100-Tests club if India’s tour of Australia, scheduled towards the end of the year, takes place. However, Sharma has played only 80 ODIs, the last of which came in January 2016. He hasn’t given up on the 50-overs format though, and is still eyeing a spot in a World Cup squad, having never played in the tournament before.”Obviously, I would love to play in a World Cup,” he said in an interview with ESPNcricinfo, talking to Deep Dasgupta in an episode of

أوضحت صحيفة “سبورت” الكتالونية موقف جناح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي برشلونة، لامين يامال، من التواجد في مباراة بريست ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويستعد برشلونة لمواجهة قارية أمام بريست الذي لم يخسر في دوري أبطال أوروبا يوم الثلاثاء في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة”.

لكن أداء برشلونة مقلق كثيرًا في الآونة الأخيرة تحت قيادة المدرب، هانز فليك، فهو لم يفز في آخر مباراتين ببطولة الدوري الإسباني حيث خسر أمام ريال سوسيداد وتعادل مع سيلتا فيجو.

وهناك عامل مشترك في المباراتين وهو غياب الجناح، لامين يامال، الذي يحاول التعافي من إصابته في كاحل القدم من قبل التوقف الدولي الماضي.

اقرأ أيضًا.. بايرن ميونخ يتلقى ضرية موجعة قبل مواجهة باريس سان جيرمان في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وبحسب الصحيفة أن فليك لا يريد المخاطرة بعودة مبكرة للاعب حتى لا يتفاقم الوضع لأن الأولوية هي للموسم بأكمله وليس لمباراة بعينها رغم أن لقاء بريست قد يكون مهمًا للتأهل من أول 8 مراكز في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ولكن موقف يامال لم يحسم بعد وحتى وإن كان اللاعب في قائمة المباراة، فلن يبدأ ولن يشارك إلى إذا تعقدت الأمور لأن الهدف هو جاهزيته أمام لاس بالماس يوم السبت المقبل في الدوري الإسباني.

رغم أن غياب يامال من الواضح أنه مؤثر بدرجة كبيرة ولا يظهر برشلونة بالمستوى المطلوب كلما أصيب يظهر الفارق الواضح.

Anwar Ali called up as replacement at Quetta Gladiators

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Feb-2020Umar Akmal has been suspended by the PCB with immediate effect under Article 4.7.1 of its anti-corruption code, disallowing him from taking part in any cricket-related activity under the board’s purview “pending the investigation being carried out by PCB’s Anti-Corruption Unit”.A PCB statement announced the development, but didn’t reveal anything about the nature of the offence or the duration of the suspension.First up, though, it will mean that Akmal will not be a part of Quetta Gladiators’ title defence at the PSL, which starts on Thursday against Islamabad United.In his place, Quetta have turned to 32-year-old allrounder Anwar Ali, who links up with the team as a Silver Category player. Ali, who turned out in 22 ODIs and 16 T20Is for Pakistan between 2008 and 2016, was a part of the Quetta squad in all the previous editions of the PSL, and has 191 runs and 23 wickets in 32 appearances.Akmal, 29, was in the news most recently for his alleged misbehaviour with a staff member after a failed fitness test at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore, which the PCB later put down to a “misunderstanding” following an inquiry. The two-day investigation looked into the incident in which Akmal, during the skin-fold test, was believed to have exposed himself in front of the trainer and asked: “Where is the fat?”Akmal faced no sanction, only a reminder of his responsibilities, with a PCB statement saying that he had “offered his regrets” to the PCB for his action, and was in turn reprimanded and “reminded him of his responsibilities as a senior cricketer”.

Andre Russell blew away Chattogram Challengers at the final hurdle, dragging Rajshahi Royals to the BPL final after a thrilling two-wicket win in the second qualifier. The match ended when Russell slammed Asela Gunaratne’s no-ball for a six over midwicket, the seventh of his 21-ball unbeaten half-century.Russell, who said ahead of the tournament that he preferred the BPL to the Big Bash League, delivered right when it mattered, winning it with four balls and only two wickets to spare. That the margin was so close indicated how the match wasn’t really shaping up to go Rajshahi’s way until the West Indian’s intervention.Malik leaves too much for RussellWith his side in need of quick runs, Shoaib Malik’s 14 off 22 balls was a strange little innings. He was first playing a supportive role to Irfan Sukkur, who was striking the ball fairly well during his stay, but even when he made 45 off 42 balls with the six fours, Malik had to take control of the situation. Instead, he continued to mistime the ball, and ended up caught top-edging a sweep off Ziaur Rahman, leaving Russell to make the bulk of the remaining 85 runs to win, off just 40 balls.But no chase is too much for RussellThe match turned in the 17th over when Rayad Emrit, despite his two wickets in the over, went for 20 runs. Rubel Hossain pinned down Russell in the following over with four dot balls, but Russell still struck a six off the last ball.Then came the big over when young Mehedi Hasan Rana, so impressive in the league phase and leading into this over, went for 23 runs. Russell slammed two sixes and a four, before tail-ender Abu Jayed edged one more four to leave eight off the last over. Crucially, Russell would be on strike.Russell seals the dealGunaratne bowled wide of the crease from around the wicket to cramp Russell, but after two decent attempts, he bowled a wide ball, and then mistakenly got one in his slot. Russell slammed it out of the ground, and the umpire signaled a no-ball, as the Rajshahi players belatedly ran to the pitch to greet their captain for the magnanimous effort.Mehedi twists, turns and hitsBut the match wasn’t going that badly for Mehedi, or Chattogram. After Afif Hossain holed out in the deep square-leg boundary, Liton Das became the marked man. But he didn’t last long either, as Mehedi ran him out with an athletic swoop.After Liton inside edged one on to his pads, he called for the run with the ball not too far from the pitch itself. Rana got quickly to the ball, turned and threw down the stumps at the non-striker’s end with Liton well short of the crease. It is likely that Liton didn’t expect Rana to do the tougher job of affecting the direct hit on the turn, but it was an excellent effort from the young pace bowler.Gayle sets the paceA single fifty in his last 17 innings may have worried T20 promoters around the world but Chris Gayle put some of it to rest with a blazing half-century. He struck five sixes and six fours in his 24-ball 60, giving Chattogram the perfect start. There was the usual Gayle flicks and hoicks, which brought the half-filled stadium alive, as well as the deft touches, and at times a quick single. All part of the Gayle package.Chattogram dip mid inningsWith Gayle at the crease, Chattogram flew into the nineties in the 10th over, but the moment Afif snuck one through his slog, Chattogram had to recalibrate their approach. That, however, couldn’t happen with Mohammad Nawaz removing Mahmudullah and Nurul Hasan in the following over, before Liton took a brilliant catch at short midwicket to get rid of Chadwick Walton.But this was a long time ago in the game. Russell’s power made sure all these efforts from Chattogram fell well short when it really mattered.

Jose Mourinho slammed UEFA after Fenerbahce narrowly avoided a huge Champions League upset – thanks to a stellar display from Edin Dzeko.

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Fenerbahce beat Lugano 4-3 Dzeko netted a 21-minute hat-trick Mourinho fuming at UEFA after narrow win WHAT HAPPENED?

The Portuguese manager came close to being humiliated on his competitive debut with the Turkish giants, but former Manchester City striker Dzeko scored a 21-minute hat-trick to drag his side to a 4-3 win over Swiss side Lugano in a Champions League qualifier on Tuesday. After edging out the hosts, Mourinho fumed at UEFA as he was unhappy that the match was played on a synthetic pitch, instead of standard grass, at Stockholm Arena.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT MOURINHO SAID

Mourinho criticized the governing body for allowing such pitches in top-tier competitions as he said: "We tried not to make excuses before the match, but playing quality football on a synthetic pitch is a challenge. The ball doesn’t move as it should, players struggle to dribble, and the game's pace slows significantly. I can’t fathom why UEFA permits Champions League matches on synthetic surfaces. It’s also perplexing why a good team like Lugano would choose to play on such a pitch. It wasn’t ideal for the game."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

While Dzeko's performance in attack provided a significant boost, Mourinho was notably worried about his team's defensive frailties. Fenerbahce conceded three goals, including one from a set piece and another from what Mourinho deemed an "easy shot". He also criticized Lugano’s third goal, accusing the Swiss team of unsportsmanlike behaviour for not returning the ball as expected.

“A seven-goal game is thrilling for the fans, but from a coaching perspective, conceding three goals is problematic," he said.

"I didn't like conceding a goal from a set piece, the second goal was an easy shot and the third was not fair play, they should have given us the ball and they didn't."

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gettyWHAT NEXT?

Only half of the job is done, as Fenerbahce must successfully navigate the Swiss challenge in the second leg scheduled for July 30 at Sukru Saracoglu Stadium.

“I’m looking forward to a full stadium next Tuesday. Let’s give Lugano a warm reception. They’ll enjoy the atmosphere, no doubt,” said Mourinho with a hint of sarcasm.

Should they prevail against Lugano, they will still face the third qualifying round and the play-off round to earn a spot in the Champions League group stage.

MatériaMais Notícias

Adriano Imperador está namorando novamente. No último domingo, o ex-atacante publicou pela primeira vez em seu perfil no Instagram a reunião com a família de Laísa Lemos, novo amor do ídolo rubro-negro.
+ Confira a classificação dos grupos da Libertadores

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-Amor de família sempre – escreveu Adriano, ao lados dos familiares de Laísa, com quem esteve no final de semana passado.

Na última semana, Adriano esteve entre os assuntos mais comentados das redes sociais após entrevista ao portal “The Players Tribune”, onde o jogador abriu seu coração sobre sua carreira, falecimento do pai e simpatia com bebidas.

Manchester City’s 115-charge Financial Fair Play (FFP) case could “drag on for another two seasons”, according to Everton’s former CEO Keith Wyness.

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• Premier League giants charged in 2023
• Case is still waiting to be heard
• Blues have opened their own legal case

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Premier League champions were charged with financial mismanagement in 2023 following a lengthy investigation, with those misdemeanours dating back to 2009. Their case is due to be heard before the end of the year, but a final ruling may be some way off.

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  City have opened up their own legal case against the Premier League, when it comes to Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules, which is complicating matters further. With so much to get through, and nobody wanting to back down, a long-running saga appears set to rumble on for a while.

• WHAT WYNESS SAID

  Ex-Everton chief Wyness – who now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – shares that opinion and has told of a complicated process: “There are two cases – the Man City legal challenge, and the 115 charges. With appeals, this could drag on for another two seasons. This is a very tricky situation to solve, and there has to be some way that this can be got through. People just don’t want it to drag on, they don’t need that. It affects the Premier League brand considerably. Sir Jim Ratcliffe has got to think about his points about the top six having more say. Here is one of the top six potentially damaging the whole Premier League more than anything else. If they want that responsibility, they’ve got to show responsibility and not gallivant around shouting about a European Super League. Right now, these clubs are completely absent from any leadership position.”

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• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  There has been plenty of speculation regarding the punishments that could be handed out to City. Some have claimed that the Blues could be demoted from the Premier League, while there has also been talk of big points deductions or heavy fines.

Say one thing for Jurgen Klopp, say he's a man of the people. More specifically, he's got an innate ability to make every member of his Liverpool squad feel important, valuable, and this was reflected through the trust in his youth members in the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea.

Despite the odds, a threadbare Liverpool team bested Chelsea's billion-point ensemble to lift the first slice of silverware this season.

First-placed in the Premier League and arguably favourites to win the Europa League, the Merseysiders must now turn their attention toward the FA Cup, with Championship promotion hopefuls Southampton looking to take advantage of the Anfield side's lack of options and cause a major cup upset on Wednesday evening.

Liverpool team news

Ryan Gravenberch is the latest in a long line of injured first-teamers to fall, having been stretchered off on Sunday following a contentious tackle from Moises Caicedo, with Klopp since confirming that the Dutchman appears to have suffered ligament damage to some degree.

He joins Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic, Diogo Jota and Joel Matip in a bloated medical room.

More promisingly, however, Dominik Szoboszlai, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah are all expected back imminently, though it's uncertain whether the stars will be risked in the FA Cup.

Wataru Endo also left Wembley in protective gear at the weekend but the Japan international doesn't appear to have done serious damage.

Klopp must unleash Jayden Danns & James McConnell

Salah has not started a domestic game since New Year's Day and with a Premier League clash away to Nottingham Forest awaiting on Saturday, Klopp might be wise to be prudent regarding his team selection on Wednesday.

Chalkboard

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

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For this reason, Jayden Danns must be handed his first senior start after a stunning introduction to life on the major stage last week, playing a big part in Elliott's late goal against Luton before impressing off the bench in the Carabao Cup final.

The 18-year-old is fleet-footed and combative, with a blooming athleticism that only furthers his case for a prominent role in Klopp's team over the coming months, having also been hailed for his "unplayable" efforts by U23 scout Antonio Mango.

Endo's likely absence in the holding midfield role is a blow but it's not detrimental, with Alexis Mac Allister more than capable of slotting in at No. 6, although with Gravenberch injured a youngster will be needed to partner Harvey Elliott in the centre of the park.

Liverpool's bench vs Chelsea

Player

Age

Joe Gomez

26

Bobby Clark

19

Kostas Tsimikas

27

James McConnell

19

Jayden Danns

18

Jarell Quansah

21

Adrian

37

Trey Nyoni

16

Lewis Koumas

18

Bobby Clark did himself justice against Chelsea but it is actually James McConnell who must receive the nod against Russell Martin's Saints, with the 19-year-old's multi-functional ability in midfield exactly what is needed to ensure the Reds advance to the quarter-finals.

Playing over 30 minutes after being subbed on for Mac Allister ahead of extra time, McConnell surpassed expectations, taking 47 touches, completing 87% of his passes, making three key passes, winning two tackles, one interception and making two clearances, as per Sofascore.

An age-belying display of control in the engine room, McConnell started as Liverpool defeated Norwich City in the previous FA Cup round and will surely now be handed his second starting appearance.

Klopp's legacy at Anfield will be heralded for many reasons, but for all the silverware and gorgeous football, the restoration of the Kirkby academy is quite possibly his greatest feat, and that story will continue tomorrow.

Spain boss Luis de la Fuente threw up a bizarre reason why he thinks midfielder Fabian Ruiz is underappreciated.

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Spain beat Croatia 3-0Ruiz put in a masterclass performanceScored and assisted to win MoM awardWHAT HAPPENED?

La Roja spectacularly commenced their Euro 2024 campaign, securing a 3-0 victory over Croatia in Berlin. Goals from Alvaro Morata, Ruiz, and Dani Carvajal ensured a dominant start for the three-time European champions in Group B. One of the standout performers of the match was Paris Saint-Germain's Ruiz. Not only did he score a remarkable goal but also set up Morata with a brilliant through ball for the opening goal.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT LUIS DE LA FUENTE SAID

Despite Ruiz's stellar performance, De la Fuente made headlines with his peculiar remark emphasizing his belief that the player's contributions are often overlooked due to his name.

"If his name wasn't Fabian, you would be talking about him non-stop," he told reporters. "He has everything and has known how to do everything well at all times."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Nonetheless, Ruiz was ecstatic after picking up his Man of the Match award.

"Happy for the great game we all played," he began. "We knew it would be very difficult, and we suffered until the end, but happy to have got the win against a tough team with great players."

Reflecting on his assist to Morata, Ruiz mentioned: "[Morata] always tells me to look for him with those balls in behind, I am used to his runs. I saw the space and his control and finish were great. [For my goal], Pedri gave me a great pass. When I controlled it, Luka covered me, and when I tried to shoot with my right, [Marcelo] Brozovic came so I had to go left. I saw a gap between the legs and luckily it went in. So happy to have scored at a Euros, for my country Spain."

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(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT FOR SPAIN?

Spain are set to face Italy on June 20 in their second group-stage match. This clash promises to be a thrilling encounter, given the historical rivalry and the stakes involved. Spain will then wrap up their group-stage campaign against Albania on June 24, where they hope to solidify their position at the top of the group.