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With promotion sealed, Sunderland have now been handed another boost by reports that one of their summer targets is now open to completing a move to the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland secure promotion back to Premier League

In one tense, nervous affair, the beauty and the heartbreak of the playoffs was on show for all to see at Wembley. Sheffield United were left in shock, but Sunderland were left delirious when Tommy Watson coolly placed home from range to hand the Black Cats promotion at the death. Coming from behind, Regis Le Bris’ side took Sunderland back to the Premier League for the first time in eight years.

Le Bris had his say on an unforgettable moment, telling reporters after his side’s triumph: “It feels fantastic to have lived this moment with our fans. I am really proud of the work we have done this season.

“The players, the staff, and the people in the building have been really connected and believed that it was possible. In the end, the emotion and the feeling are really impressive.

“We are always focused on the present, and the path – the journey – is something we live together. It had its ups and downs, so we are always focused on the next step. In the next few days, we will realise what we have achieved together.”

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ByKelan Sarson May 29, 2025

Now that they’re in the top flight, Sunderland undoubtedly have a tough task on their hands. None of the last six promoted sides have survived at the first time of asking in the Premier League, meaning that the Black Cats are up against a growing trend next season. What would certainly help their push for safety, however, is the arrival of someone who knows exactly how to win in England’s top tier.

Henderson now "open" to Sunderland return

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Jordan Henderson is now open to completing a move to Sunderland this summer with those at the Stadium of Light also keen to make a deal happen as, according to talkSPORT, they ‘believe he would add valuable experience to their young team’.

The Ajax midfielder is seemingly on his way out of the Netherlands after 18 months this summer and could enjoy a full circle moment by heading back to where it all started.

The England international should, on paper, take hold of the opportunity to enjoy a fairytale ending to his career with both hands. Since leaving Liverpool for Saudi Arabia’s Al Ettifaq in a move that came with plenty of criticism, Henderson’s reputation has arguably been on a downward spiral, however, during his time at Ajax, he has managed to break back into the England setup under Thomas Tuchel.

Games

79

Goals

5

Assists

10

Minutes played

6,067

There’s no denying his experience no matter what some think of his recent decisions, though. Henderson has won it all as a captain in English football and could be worth every penny of his £75,000-a-week base salary if Sunderland make their move this summer.

Dubbed “selfless” by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard in 2019, Henderson could receive the chance to complete the most fitting move to end his career in the Premier League courtesy of Sunderland.

Chelsea have now submitted a £47m offer for a “world-class” goalkeeper, and talks are expected to move quickly in the coming weeks, according to a report.

Maresca and Chelsea's goalkeeper problem

After a poor showing in the 2-1 UEFA Conference League defeat against Legia Warsaw, the Blues have responded with back-to-back victories, most recently picking up a 1-0 victory against Everton at Stamford Bridge, securing their third Premier League clean sheet of the month.

Robert Sanchez has returned to the starting XI in the Premier League, and the recent defensive showings have been much-improved, but the mistakes the Spaniard made earlier in the campaign are likely to be in the back of Enzo Maresca’s mind.

Sanchez has made five errors leading to goal in the Premier League, the joint-highest number of any player in the division, meaning there have been widespread suggestions that Maresca could look to bring in a replacement in the summer.

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AC Milan’s Mike Maignan is one goalkeeper of interest, with the west Londoners making contact over a potential deal earlier this month, while they are also in the race for Angers shot-stopper Yahia Fofana, who has been recommended by Didier Drogba.

However, it appears as though a different goalkeeper could be one of Chelsea’s key targets, with a report from Spain revealing they have now submitted a €55m (£47m) offer for Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel.

Kobel’s performances for Dortmund have attracted the attention of a number of European clubs, but the Blues are the most interested party, and talks over the deal are expected to move quickly over the next few weeks.

The 27-year-old has made it clear he wants to play for an elite club, which means a move to Stamford Bridge could be of great appeal, should they manage to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

"World-class" Kobel could be Sanchez upgrade

The 6 foot 5 colossus is clearly very highly regarded by his current employers, with Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl lauding him as “world-class”, while he also impressed scout Ben Mattinson in the semi-finals of the 2024 Champions League.

The Swiss shot-stopper’s top-level experience is likely to be appealing to Chelsea, while he has also received plaudits for his ability in possession of the ball, which could be crucial, given Maresca’s passing style of play.

While the Blues have started to pick up more clean sheets recently, Sanchez’s howlers earlier in the campaign indicate it is the right decision to bring in a new goalkeeper this summer, and it is exciting news that the move for Kobel is now gaining traction.

If this season has proven anything, it’s that Arsenal desperately need attacking reinforcements.

With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus out injured and Mikel Merino in midfield, Mikel Arteta had just a single senior attacking player on his bench last night: Raheem Sterling.

This lack of options became increasingly apparent as the game went on, as for all his efforts, Leandro Trossard was painfully ineffective down the middle.

It’s not been a great campaign for the Belgian international this season, which makes recent reports linking the club to a potential hardly surprising.

Arsenal transfer news

Plenty of wingers have been touted for moves to Arsenal in recent weeks, so before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some, like Nico Williams.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The Athletic Bilbao star has been a long-term target for the Gunners and, thanks to a release clause in his current contract, would be available for around £50m this summer.

A far more expensive option, however, could be AC Milan’s incredibly talented Rafael Leão.

The Portuguese international could be available for about £86m at the end of the season, and while that is an incredible sum of money, he might be worth it, as in just 47 appearances this year, he’s scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists.

However, given the club’s need to sign a game-changing striker this summer, they might want to spend a little less on a new left-winger, which is where Kingsley Coman comes in.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are all keen to sign the Bayern Munich star this summer.

The good news is that, due to his squad role at the Allianz Arena, the Frenchman should be available for the relatively reasonable price of around €40m, which is about £34m.

It might be complicated to get ahead of the other interested parties, but given Coman’s ability and experience, this is a transfer worth fighting for, especially as he could be an ideal Trossard upgrade.

How Coman compares to Trossard

So, with Coman primarily playing off the left, Trossard would be one of his main competitors for game time, but how does he stack up to the Belgian?

Well, from a pure output perspective, he comes out on top, as in just 1684 minutes of action, across 38 appearances, he’s scored seven goals and provided four assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 153.09 minutes.

In contrast, the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace has scored ten goals and provided eight assists in 315 minutes across 51 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 175.05 minutes.

How about when we take a look under the hood, then? Who comes out on top when we compare their underlying numbers?

Once again, the Frenchman, whom former Bayen Sporting Director Matthias Sammer once described as “one of the biggest talents in European football,” emerges victorious.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.55

0.47

Non-Penalty G+As

0.72

0.52

Progressive Passes

3.41

3.61

Progressive Carries

4.44

2.82

Shots

3.11

2.62

Shots on Target

1.27

0.80

Passing Accuracy

85.1%

73.6%

Key Passes

2.38

1.43

Passes into the Final Third

2.06

1.59

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.14

1.63

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.40

0.36

Shot-Creating Actions

6.04

3.10

Goal-Creating Actions

0.87

0.24

Successful Take-Ons

2.94

1.15

Ball Recoveries

4.29

3.57

For example, he comes out miles ahead in almost every single relevant metric, including, but not limited to, actual and expected non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, crosses and passes into the penalty area, passes into the final third, key passes, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Finally, with a Champions League, 12 league titles, a Club World Cup and a mountain of domestic cups to his name, the former Juventus star would bring some much-needed title-winning experience to the Gunners’ squad.

Ultimately, while Trossard is a useful player, Coman is a clear upgrade in almost every respect and if Arsenal can sign him this summer, they should.

Hall of shame display: 4/10 Arsenal dud had his worst game all season v PSG

Arsenal suffered a 1-0 defeat in the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final with PSG.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 30, 2025

After a series of injuries, the Delhi fast bowler is keen to “know where I stand” in the Ranji Trophy

Himanshu Agrawal17-Oct-2024Bowling fast has come naturally to Navdeep Saini. He grew up playing tennis-ball cricket, which demanded accuracy. That, in turn, made him bowl full and fast, and develop quick arm speed.Saini first made a name for himself when he rattled Bengal in the semi-final of the Ranji Trophy in 2017-18, consistently touching 140kph as a 25-year-old. Seven years on, he is an India international, although matches at the highest level have been few and far between. While Saini can still continually bowl at 135kph, multiple injuries have hampered his progress.”If someone is a fast bowler, he has to put in a lot more effort to bowl at that pace,” Saini told ESPNcricinfo ahead of Ranji Trophy 2024-25. “Thus, a fast bowler has a lot more chances of getting injured, as compared to someone who bowls at 120 or 125 [kph].”Related

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Saini, with 34, was Delhi’s highest wicket-taker in their run to the Ranji final in 2017-18. He was named in India’s squad in June 2018. While the debut didn’t come, he did make the standby list for the ODI World Cup in 2019.It was a year of promise and the surge began with his IPL debut for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, for whom he picked up 11 wickets in 13 games. In August, Saini impressed on his India debut in a T20I against West Indies.”Virat [Kohli] was India’s captain at the time, and having played for RCB under him, whenever there was pressure, I used to talk to him and he used to calm me down,” Saini said of his early days with India.By February 2020, Saini had shaken West Indies in a series decider on ODI debut, shown his full repertoire – from 150kph to accurate change-ups – against Sri Lanka and New Zealand.”Virat Kohli used to calm me down when there was pressure” – Navdeep Saini•BCCIBut the highs, as they often are, were often followed by the lows. In a four-month period from September 2020, Saini had a miserable IPL, where he also split his webbing. On India’s tour of Australia, he leaked 153 runs in 17 overs across the first two ODIs, and struck only once. In Sydney, in the third Test, Saini made his debut; but in in Brisbane, he walked off with a groin strain. But despite those setbacks, Saini never thought of sacrificing his pace.”Bowling fast helps you create more opportunities to get a wicket,” he said. “That makes you put in a lot more effort on your body. That, in turn, makes you injury prone. So you never know how or when you can get injured while trying to bowl at such high pace.”You only try your best to focus on your fitness, and it is difficult to point out any one reason why someone gets injured more than others.”Since Brisbane, Saini has played for India only twice – an ODI and a T20I each in July 2021. That T20I appearance, against Sri Lanka, happened only because multiple first-choice starters were ruled out due to Covid-19, with Saini batting as high as No. 7, and not getting to bowl.”You never know how or when you can get injured while trying to bowl at such high pace”•Getty ImagesSaini remained within touching distance of the national set-up in early and mid-2022. That was a time when there was intense competition for places with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and bowling allrounder Shardul Thakur all ahead of him in the pecking order. But he never gave up – both hope and pace. He went to play county cricket for Kent, bustling in, extracting good bounce, and pocketed a five-for on Championship debut.”That was all according to the preparation. I put in the same effort day after day while practicing, and then follow the same process in the match,” Saini said. “I can’t reduce my pace, which is my strength. I don’t want to sacrifice any bit of it; pace, after all, is my identity. I have always played cricket the same way, and intend to continue playing like that.”But doesn’t that make him more susceptible to injury?”No, sir. All I know is that I need to take proper care of everything. Sometimes you must sacrifice something to gain something else. The competition is so tight these days that I will never want to reduce my pace, something which is unique to me. It is [up to] my quality if I can continuously bowl at that pace for four or five days in a row.”

Shami feels I should keep hitting the 6-8 metre length; that will prevent me from leaking runs, and all but assure me of wickets. I always follow Shami Saini on the help he’s received from Shami

It turned out that five-for in England was only a brief reprieve. Ahead of the Duleep Trophy and a one-day series against New Zealand A in 2022-23, Saini suffered a groin injury. In yet another comeback, he toured Bangladesh two months later with India A. An opportunity for the senior side was around the corner with both Bumrah and Shami missing. But ahead of the second Test, Saini had an abdominal muscle strain. This is why over the last six to 12 months, Saini has put in a lot of effort to remain injury free.”I have paid more attention to my diet, rest and recovery,” he said. “I have tried to sleep on time, and maintained a particular time for practice to ensure I tick all boxes. I have been to the NCA for a camp. The physios and trainers there are really good: they set up a programme, and that helped me understand quite a lot. They provide you with a plan regarding your training regime. There are also the little things like having a good warm-up.”It was on a trip to the NCA that Saini was able to spend some time with Shami, whom he admires a lot. Saini remains keen to improve his bowling, and doesn’t let any chance to speak to Shami pass by.”Shami has always advised me not to bowl too full,” Saini said. “He keeps telling me that I’m a hit-the-deck bowler, and that the ball moves [sideways] after I pitch it. He feels I should keep hitting the 6-8 metre length; that will prevent me from leaking runs, and all but assure me of wickets. I always follow Shami .”Like Shami said, Saini’s first wicket of the 2024-25 domestic season came with a ball which seamed in. Playing for India B against India A in the Duleep Trophy, Saini went on the fuller side of a length around sixth stump. Shubman Gill shouldered arms, but the ball seamed back in sharply to hit the middle of off stump at 140kph.Saini has been working on his fitness and believes he is on the right track•PTI Initially, Saini wasn’t even named in any of the four Duleep Trophy teams, but replaced Siraj when the latter fell ill ahead of the first round. Saini has “no idea” why he wasn’t picked in the first instance despite “so many boys” getting selected. Eventually, out of “God’s (kindness)”, Saini was not only selected but he also played all three games for India B. He ended the Duleep Trophy with 14 wickets at 25.42, taking back valuable experience ahead of the more straining assignments like the Ranji Trophy.”I played a red-ball match after seven to eight months,” he said. “And since it was a four-day match, I also got to know about my fitness – like how much work I have done on myself, and where I stand.”Saini’s pace hovered around 135kph against India A, with two catches dropped off his bowling. He’s happy with his performance in the season-opening Duleep Trophy, and also about how he has shaped up this year.”There is a certain confidence that [makes me think] yes, I am on the right track, and that I should continue to follow the same process,” he said.When you look at Saini’s numbers across formats, there is hardly anything to choose from – his averages in first-class cricket, List A and T20s are 28.97, 30.46 and 30.80, respectively. But he considers the longest format his strength, and hopes a notable domestic season can take him to Australia.For now, though, the goal is to remain fit and firing, and, no matter the injuries in an up-and-down career so far, never give up on pace. After all, Saini believes competition among fast bowlers in India is at its fiercest now.”It has never been like this before,” he said. “But I know how I have played cricket till date, and the things I have done from the beginning. And I will remain stuck to it.”

The side has struggled in the powerplay this year, but Litton stepped up in Adelaide and gave India a scare

Mohammad Isam02-Nov-20221:36

Moody: Litton aside, Bangladesh went about their power-hitting the wrong way

Everyone is talking about Litton Das’ run-out. It was a defining moment in the game, as Bangladesh not only lost their best batter, but also the momentum. They ended up six runs short of their DLS-adjusted target of 151 in 16 overs. India are now best placed to make the semi-finals, while Bangladesh are on the brink of being knocked out.Litton’s 60 off 27 balls, however, had knocked the wind out of India’s sails in the first seven overs and left them nervous even when the rain came down. It was that sort of an innings – full of beautiful strokes – as Litton got out of his shell for the first time in this T20 World Cup.More than anything else, it was a knock that Bangladesh have been waiting for a long time. The confidence in the top order was so low that the team was clutching at straws. Questions about the opening pair often drew frustrated responses from the team management. Everyone knew about the struggles, but there was also a sense that someone just to play such an innings. You can’t go through two World Cups in two years without a good knock from one of the main batters.Related

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Litton’s 21-ball fifty is the second fastest by a Bangladesh batter. His strike rate of 222.22 is the second highest among Bangladesh players with a 60-plus score in T20Is. Litton also became the second Bangladeshi to get to his fifty within the powerplay. His strike rate was also the second highest among batters who have faced a minimum of 25 balls in a T20 World Cup innings – slotting in behind AB de Villiers.Litton had cracked three fours off Arshdeep Singh’s first over, threading the gaps at point, mid-on and cover respectively. He deposited Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a six over deep square-leg, before driving him down the ground and dabbing him through slip and short third-man, in the next over. Another six off Bhuvneshwar was followed by a duel against Mohammed Shami. He slammed two pulls off him that went for a four and a six, racing to his half-century, before crashing him through extra-cover. In all, Litton hit seven fours and three sixes in the powerplay.Litton has given Bangladesh such rapid starts in T20Is in the past, most notably in 2018, when it looked like he was finally coming out of his shell in the shortest format. It has taken him a while but he has, at long last, played a significant knock at the T20 World Cup.Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan said that Litton’s confidence from Tests and ODIs has finally transferred to his T20I batting and that they never doubted his ability.Litton Das raced to a 21-ball half-century•Getty Images”He has been scoring runs in Tests and ODIs for the last two-three years,” Shakib said. “He is doing well in T20Is this year. The confidence is back in his T20 batting. He knows how to score the runs. He had a big opportunity, and he played to his capability. We rate him quite highly. He didn’t play anything out of the box. We know this is how he plays.”It is expected that Litton’s knock will not only open him up further for Bangladesh’s last group-stage game against Pakistan in Adelaide next week, but also give the top order some muscle. The top order hasn’t provided the team with a good start lately.Top-order batters are expected to attack more often in T20Is, but Bangladesh have struggled so much in the powerplay that their run-rate (7.23) during this phase is among the bottom half among teams who have played at least 15 innings this year. This is partly because of the lack of stability – Bangladesh have used as many as 10 different opening pairs in 20 matches this year.Litton was slotted at No. 3 as a back-up for the openers, though he is an accomplished opener himself. Litton was tried seven times at the top with four different partners, but that didn’t work for Bangladesh. The team management then tried to protect Litton by pushing him down to No.3, but that didn’t work for him.Litton is now the top scorer for Bangladesh in all three formats this year. He was scoring runs regularly in the middle order in the Test side, and his opening stand with Tamim Iqbal in ODIs is one of that side’s strengths.Litton was also a heavy scorer last year, but found it hard to score in the T20Is at home, where the series against Australia and New Zealand were played on raging turners. Litton’s struggles seeped into the 2021 T20 World Cup as well in the UAE, resulting in the selectors dropping him for the following series against Pakistan.Now that drop looks like it happened ages go. Litton’s team-mates have never doubted him, not since his underwhelming debut season in 2015. Now, they will draw a lot of confidence from him in one of their worst years as a batting side.

They chanted names, they came up with slogans, and they did what they haven’t been able to do for years – show their love for the game

Umar Farooq in Rawalpindi09-Feb-2020″, Babar Azam, Babar Azam.”The meaning of this expression might get lost in a literal English translation. But if you know Urdu, you should be able to tell how big a compliment it is. It literally translates to ‘the prime minister of hearts’, and when thousands chant it in unison in Urdu, it can give you goosebumps.Pakistan are playing only their third Test in the country since the return of international cricket to Pakistani soil, after spending a decade playing “home” matches in the UAE. It’s possible that the ongoing Test has seen more people in the stands in Rawalpindi over the last three days than at all of the Pakistan matches in the UAE over the last 10 years combined. The intensity of the excitement among the crowd at the stadium may go some way towards establishing the enormity of its size.

“, Imam-ul-haq, Imam-ul-Haq.”

This doesn’t mean anything at all when translated literally. What the fans did in Rawalpindi was to pick up an ad jingle for TUC biscuits and make it rhyme with Imam-ul-Haq (who was not even playing the Test).The Rawalpindi Stadium doesn’t have a massive capacity; it can accommodate close to 17,000 fans but it benefits from being the twin city of Islamabad, the country’s capital. There were phases of play over the past three days when the Test appeared to be progressing at a glacial pace but, in the stands, there was never a dull moment. Chants of ” Pakistan” and “Pakistan ” rang aloud, lending testimony to how fervently the fans missed the cricket in the country over the last decade.Even though hockey is Pakistan’s national sport and inspired many youngsters growing up between the ’70s and early ’90s to develop a liking towards sports, it never quite had the allure of cricket. With the two Ws – Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram – at their peak, it was in the ’90s era, that cricket had the most profound impact on the nation’s consciousness. Pakistan has since become a largely one-sport country, the game turning into a powerful means to influencing several generations, with one of their all-time greats, Imran Khan, going on to become the prime minister.

” Fawad Alam, Fawad Alam.”

“A little bit of bread, a little bit of gravy, and then Fawad Alam, Fawad Alam.” Don’t go hunting for the meaning of this chant either; it’s just another creative chorus the Rawalpindi crowd came up with to celebrate the return of top-flight cricket on home soil.There was a time in Pakistan when not only stadiums would be packed during international games, but hundreds of fans would throng the grounds even during net sessions to catch a glimpse of their favourite overseas players. Traditionally, Test cricket in Pakistan may have never consistently drawn full houses, but there hadn’t been any want in passion among Pakistan’s cricket fans, until the connect between the sport and its followers in the country snapped in the wake of the attack on the Sri Lankan team in 2009.AFPThat era of Pakistan’s “home” matches being played in the UAE won’t be remembered for how the fans received it. It forced nearly a generation of them to stay glued to their television sets even for their home matches, instead of filling the stadiums and cheering for their favourite players. Pakistan played 31 Tests from 2009 to 2019 in the UAE, lost only eight of them, and achieved historic feats, but all in front of scant crowds. They whitewashed the then No. 1-ranked England 3-0 in early 2012, Misbah-ul-Haq slammed the fastest Test century at the time, against Australia in 2014, equalling Viv Richards’ mark, and a day-night Test was played there in 2016 which Pakistan won against West Indies, but again, with not as many fans to witness it.

“, Yasir Shah, Yasir Shah.”

By now, you must have learnt the drill: Don’t bother with the meaning; it’s another food-related chant forced to rhyme with a player’s name. Here’s the translation, anyway: “A (ice lolly made of condensed milk) is for five, a tea for 10, and there’s Yasir Shah.”When Azhar Ali got out in the first innings, the crowd erupted with the name of the incoming batsman, Babar Azam. He has already achieved the status of a hero in Pakistan and the fans’ chants made Shan Masood say to Alam, who was carrying drinks: “This is the sort of thing our players haven’t been able to experience for 10 years. To see your team-mate have his name chanted by your countrymen tells you everything.”All those years spent in the UAE has meant the cricket infrastructure in Rawalpindi has not been upgraded adequately. The stadium still has cemented stands with not enough chairs. That, however, didn’t discourage the fans from turning up in big numbers at the ongoing Test. Could this mark the dawn of a new era, with more cricket coming back to the country on a regular basis? If the attendance over the first three days is anything to go by, the passion among Pakistan fans for cricket on home soil has received a shot in the arm.

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Craque da Seleção Colombiana, James teve uma atuação de gala na vitória da equipe contra a Espanha, na noite de sexta-feira (22), em Londres. Sem ritmo, o craque entrou no segundo tempo e foi decisivo, iniciando a jogada do gol da vitória.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários dos jogos do São Paulo na Libertadores

Impressionado, Néstor Lorenzo, técnico da Colômbia, rasgou elogios ao jogador, que vem recebendo pouco tempo de jogo no São Paulo desde que chegou ao Brasil.

– O James é um grande jogador, diferente. Está buscando sua melhor forma e pensamos que o ideal era que ele entrasse no segundo tempo e o fez muito bem – Afirmou.

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– Digamos que jogue pouco. Outro dia jogou 11 minutos e em 11 minutos o São Paulo chegou mais vezes do que nos 80 anteriores graças ao James. A mim não surpreende, tomara que jogue muito mais no São Paulo para chegar na seleção e poder render os 90 minutos – completou.

Nesta temporada, James esteve próximo de deixar o São Paulo. Até o momento, atuou em apenas quatro partidas, com um gol e uma assistência. Desde que chegou ao Tricolor, foram 16 jogos, com dois gols e quatro assistências.

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James volta a campo nesta terça-feira (26), pela Colômbia, contra a Romênia.

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James RodríguezSão Paulo

Former Premier League boss Gus Poyet has quit his post at South Korean club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors days after his assistant manager departed amid a racism scandal. Poyet, who guided Jeonbuk to both the K League 1 title and the Korea Cup this season, informed the club he wished to terminate his contract after Mauricio Taricco was handed a severe punishment for what league officials deemed a racist gesture towards referee Kim Woo-seong.

• Taricco incident sparks crisis of trust

  The storm erupted during a league match last month when, deep into stoppage time, Jeonbuk were leading 2-1 and protesting a handball not initially given by the referee. Tempers flared as VAR intervened and awarded a penalty, prompting Taricco to continue his protests after being booked. Moments later, he was shown a second yellow card, during which he placed his fingers near the corners of his eyes, a gesture the referee interpreted as a racial insult. Referee Kim immediately reported the act to league authorities. The K League’s disciplinary committee reviewed the footage and issued a damning verdict, declaring Taricco guilty of making a universally recognised “slanted-eye” gesture mocking people of Asian descent. In their statement, the panel emphasised that the gesture had been penalised multiple times by FIFA and was unequivocally regarded as ethnic mockery. Taricco was banned for five matches and fined 20 million won ($13,600).

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Poyet's breaking point in Korea

  Rumours of a split between former Sunderland boss Poyet and the club surfaced at the K League Awards on December 1, where he hinted that Taricco’s departure might force his hand.

  "Touching my coaching staff is the same as touching me," Poyet allegedly said, as reported by

  Jeonbuk officials attempted to convince him to stay, offering reassurances about next season and support for Taricco, but the 58-year-old insisted he could not continue under the circumstances. According to sources, the episode created "psychological pressure" for Poyet, who was concerned that the depleted think tank would not be able to give the best results in the future. 

  In a message to fans, he said: “I’m sorry to leave without properly saying goodbye. The passion of our supporters will stay in my heart. I’ll keep cheering for Jeonbuk from afar and hope to return to Korea one day.”

• Taricco has defended himself

  In his response, Taricco said he had only intended to ask the referee whether he had clearly seen the disputed handball incident, claiming cultural context had been ignored.

  "I have worked with many people in many countries and have lived and socialised with them without any problems related to their culture or race, and I have considered this a blessing," he wrote in a statement. "However, I have now been branded a racist by ‘self-proclaimed’ authorities due to a single misunderstanding where the context, cultural expressions, and meanings of all situations I continuously explained were ignored. I merely covered my eyes to emphasise that the referee should have directly seen the handball foul.

  "My life, regardless of nationality and race, must continue in a place where there is safety, respect, peace, and equality before the law as a football person, so with a heavy heart, I have decided to leave this place after the end of this season. I would like to express my gratitude to the club and players with whom I could share success and history, and I am truly grateful to the fans who have given me unwavering support. I will not forget you."

  Jeonbuk also showed support for their assistant manager and wrote: "It would be unreasonable to view [Taricco’s behaviour] as an intention of racial discrimination. The club expects a more objective and balanced judgment to be made through the appeal process and will do its best until the end so that coach Tano [Taricco] can quickly get out of this dishonourable situation and his memory of the K League and Korean football does not remain as a bitter pain."

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  What comes next?

  Poyet’s departure marks a sudden and bittersweet ending to a campaign that had otherwise transformed Jeonbuk’s fortunes. He is expected to return to the UK in the coming days, drawing another chapter in a colourful career to a close. Before embarking on his coaching career, Poyet was a dynamic midfield presence in English football. He scored 45 goals in 145 games for Chelsea between 1997 and 2001, winning the Cup Winners’ Cup, the Super Cup and the FA Cup. His later spell at Tottenham was more controversial but equally memorable, featuring 18 goals in 82 appearances. As a manager, he guided Brighton to the Championship play-offs, kept Sunderland afloat in the Premier League and later served as head coach of Greece. 

Australia captain Alyssa Healy said “we did that to ourselves a little bit” after they failed to defend 338 in the World Cup semi-final against India in Navi Mumbai.”I mean, good contest in the end,” she said after India pulled off the highest chase in women’s ODIs to dethrone the champions and set up a summit clash with South Africa on Sunday. “Probably reflecting on that, we did that to ourselves a little bit. It’s probably the first time that I’ve felt like we’ve done that. So, we probably didn’t finish off with the bat, didn’t bowl that great and dropped all our chances in the field, and still hung in there until the second last over. So, I mean, we can take something out of that, but ultimately, outdone in the end.”At 220 for 2 in the 34th over, Australia looked like posting more than 350 but lost wickets in a hurry and were dismissed for 338 in 49.5 overs. In the field they dropped three catches, including two off Jemimah Rodrigues who scored an unbeaten 127 off 134 balls.”I think we created enough [chances]. We created pressure,” Healy said. “We created opportunities. We just weren’t able to capitalise. And, you know, I’m at fault for that as well, and I think that’s something that Australia really prides themselves on.”Related

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“We kind of let ourselves down in that regard today. So that’s probably why it’s disappointing. It felt a little bit similar this time last year, sort of going out playing, you know, not the way that we wanted to play,” she said, comparing this defeat to the 2024 T20 World Cup semi-final loss to South Africa. “So we’ll learn from that. We’ll grow. And I think our one-day cricket will hopefully improve since.”Despite the disappointment on Friday, she was proud of Australia’s campaign. “I think we’ve played some unbelievable cricket,” she said. “And, you know, ultimately, like we’ve been saying the whole time, the semi-finals is a knockout game. If you don’t quite turn up on that evening, you know, anyone’s going to get you.”So there was so much to be proud of this World Cup. I’m really proud of our group and every single player’s contribution. I think somebody came in every game and got a job done for us. So I think that’s really cool. Yeah, that’s probably why it stings a little bit more having this conversation with you right now, knowing that we are playing really good cricket, but we just weren’t able to get over that hurdle.”Healy praised the next generation of Australian players, singling out Phoebe Litchfield, whose 119 in the semi-final went in vain.”When you’ve seen players my age walk away from the game, it’s kind of a weird experience to stand there and watch the next generation go about it,” she said. “I thought Phoebe was sensational today, set us off really nicely at the top and then went on to make a hundred, which I thought was really crucial. Kudos to her. It’s been fun to watch her unfold, and I think the next four years leading into the next ODI World Cup are going to be really exciting to watch.”The other change in batting, I think, is around that No.6, No.7 position. I think Ash Gardner has completely owned that role this World Cup.”The 35-year-old also confirmed that this was her final ODI World Cup. “I won’t be there now. There you go,” she said. “That’s the beauty of this next cycle – we’re going to see that unfold. Obviously, there’s a T20 World Cup in the middle of next year, which is really exciting for our group. But I think our one-day cricket is probably going to shift a little bit again.”We’ll learn from what we did wrong tonight. We’ll grow, we’ll get better. And the opportunity for some young players to get greater opportunities in this side is a really exciting thing for Australian cricket.”

Rajat Patidar was earlier a part of the India A one-day squad, but has now been moved to the Rest of India squad with Shreyas Iyer coming into the limited-overs side

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-2025In a major change, Shreyas Iyer, who skipped the second four-day match between India A and Australia A as part of his break from red-ball cricket, will now lead the India A 50-over side for the three matches against the same opponents between September 30 and October 5 in Kanpur. Earlier, on September 14, the BCCI had announced that Rajat Patidar would lead India A in the first one-day game, and Tilak Varma in the subsequent games.While no vice-captain has been chosen for the first match, Tilak, who is currently in the UAE as part of India’s Asia Cup squad, will be Iyer’s deputy for the second and third games.Meanwhile, Patidar, having recently led Central Zone to the domestic season-opening Duleep Trophy title, has been removed from the India A one-day squad and will instead lead the Rest of India squad against Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha in the Irani Cup, to be played in Nagpur from October 1.Related

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Along with Tilak, other Asia Cup squad members Abhishek Sharma, Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh will join the India A squad for the second and third matches. Leaving the squad after the first match will be Priyansh Arya and Simarjeet Singh, as was announced earlier.India A squad for 1st one-day matchShreyas Iyer (capt), Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Riyan Parag, Ayush Badoni, Suryansh Shedge, Vipraj Nigam, Nishant Sindhu, Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Abishek Porel (wk), Priyansh Arya, Simarjeet SinghIndia A squad for 2nd and 3rd one-day matchesShreyas Iyer (capt), Tilak Varma (vice-capt), Abhishek Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Riyan Parag, Ayush Badoni, Suryansh Shedge, Vipraj Nigam, Nishant Sindhu, Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Porel (wk), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep SinghRajat Patidar will hope to add the Irani Cup to the Duleep Trophy•PTI Gaikwad, Kishan add muscle to Rest of India squadFor the Irani Cup match, the likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Yash Dhull, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Akash Deep and Khaleel Ahmed, among others, will join forces with Patidar to try and get past Vidarbha at their home base in Nagpur.Of the Rest of India players, Abhimanyu, Kotian, Gurnoor Brar, Khaleel and Suthar have been part of the action in the four-dayers against Australia A in Lucknow.Returning from an elbow injury, which kept him out since the first leg of matches in IPL 2025, Gaikwad scored 184 in the first innings of West Zone’s Duleep Trophy game against Central Zone in early September, signalling his good form. Dhull is another batter who comes into the Rest of India squad in good form, having scored 133 in a Duleep Trophy game last month.The match will also mark the competitive comeback of Akash Deep, who was rested for the Duleep Trophy after his exertions in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series in England, where he played three of the five Tests and starred with a ten-wicket haul in the second Test at Edgbaston. He joins forces with Anshul Kamboj, Gurnoor Brar and Khaleel, with the spin department headlined by Saransh Jain, the Player of the Series at the Duleep Trophy, Kotian and Suthar.Rest of India squad for Irani Cup match vs VidarbhaRajat Patidar (capt), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Aryan Juyal (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vc), Yash Dhull, Shaikh Rasheed, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Gurnoor Brar, Khaleel Ahmed, Akash Deep, Anshul Kamboj, Saransh JainVidarbha squad for Irani CupAkshay Wadkar (capt, wk), Yash Rathod (vice-capt), Atharva Taide, Aman Mokhade, Danish Malewar, Harsh Dubey, Parth Rekhade, Yash Thakur, Nachiket Bhute, Darshan Nalkande, Aditya Thakare, Akshay Karnewar, Yash Kadam, Shivam Deshmukh (wk), Praful Hinge, Dhruv Shorey