عقد المهندس هاني أبو ريدة رئيس مجلس إدارة اتحاد الكرة، اجتماعاً تنسيقياً مع جهاز منتخب مصر الأول لكرة القدم بقيادة التوأم حسام وإبراهيم حسن للتنسيق لمعسكر شهر نوفمبر وبطولة كأس الأمم الإفريقية 2025.

ويستعد منتخب مصر للمشاركة في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا والتي ستقام في المغرب في الفترة من 21 من شهر ديسمبر المقبل حتى 18 يناير 2026. 

ويقع منتخب مصر في المجموعة الثانية في بطولة أمم إفريقيا والتي تضم منتخبات أنجولا وجنوب إفريقيا وزيمبابوي.

طالع.. خاص | منتخب مصر يتلقى عرضًا لخوض ودية قبل كأس أمم إفريقيا

وجاء اجتماع هاني أبو ريدة مع الجهاز الفني لمنتخب مصر بقيادة حسام حسن في حضور محمد الشربيني عضو المجلس، وعلاء نبيل المدير الفني للاتحاد، وطارق سليمان المدرب العام ووليد بدر المدير الإداري.

كما تناول الاجتماع الحديث عن الترتيبات الخاصة بالمنتخب الأول والتحضير لبطولة امم إفريقيا وكأس العالم 2026.

Lamine Yamal’s father has come to spotlight once again after appearing in a lighthearted cooking video where he joked he will “live off” his son. Mounir Nasraoui, often outspoken on social media, defended the Barcelona starlet while brushing off critics. The remarks came just days after Yamal’s decisive return for Barca ahead of a huge Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

• 'I’ll live off you' says Yamal's father

  Barca sensation Yamal’s father, Nasraoui, has once again grabbed headlines with his latest appearance on social media. In an Instagram livestream, filmed while he was cooking chicken nuggets, Nasraoui responded to critics who regularly question his lifestyle. In a mix of humour and defiance, he admitted he no longer plans to work, saying: "Thank you, son, I’ll live off you."

  Nasraoui captioned the video "Nuggets Hustle Hard".

Advertisement

• IMAGO / HMB-Media
  

  Nasraoui defends his son

  Nasraoui pushed back against comments questioning his son’s footballing status, insisting his remarks at the Ballon d’Or were taken out of context. “I didn’t say anything stupid. I just said my son is the best in the world, that’s all. Let them keep talking,” he explained. He doubled down on his critics, adding: “There are many people out there who talk nonsense. Why don't I go to work, that I live off my son… Well yes, gentlemen. Thank you, son, I will always be grateful. I will live off you."

• A father who courts attention

  This is not the first time Nasraoui has made headlines. At the Ballon d’Or gala, he broke the silence inside Paris’s Theatre du Chatelet with passionate shouts in support of Yamal, later insisting: “Next year is ours.” More recently, fans noticed a mannequin dressed in Barcelona colours in his home during another live broadcast, highlighting how deeply Yamal’s image features in his family’s daily life.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Yamal makes his mark on return but big test awaits for Barca

  The video was posted in the wake of Yamal’s return from injury. Coming off the bench against Real Sociedad, the 17-year-old needed just one minute to provide the decisive assist for Robert Lewandowski in a 2-1 La Liga win. While Barca welcomed his impact, the club continues to carefully manage his recovery from a pubic bone injury, with medical staff eager not to overload him ahead of a packed schedule. 

  Barcelona face a huge test in midweek as they welcome reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain to the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. Hansi Flick’s side are in strong domestic form, leading La Liga after seven games, while Yamal is expected to return to the starting XI. With Luis Enrique’s PSG arriving with fresh injury concerns, the teenager could play a decisive role in one of Barca’s biggest games of the season.

It’s been a frankly unbelievable summer for Arsenal so far this year.

On top of winning their opening games of the Premier League season, the Gunners have gone big in the market in a way fans have not seen them do before.

Mikel Arteta has been given seven first-team quality players so far, and it now looks likely that he’ll get an eighth in Piero Hincapie.

Yet, the club could make it the greatest transfer window in the club’s history if they go back in for someone they’ve already been linked with, someone who could end up being their best deadline day deal since Mesut Özil.

Why the signing of Piero Hincapie is so exciting

It wouldn’t be a summer transfer window for Arsenal if Arteta didn’t get his customary left-back signing, and based on stories from the last few days, it does seem like Hincapie will eventually make it to the Emirates this week.

Transfer Focus

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

However, the big difference between the Bayer Leverkusen star and some of the other defensive signings made by the manager in recent years is that he’s far more of an overlapping full-back.

Instead of moving into the middle of the park or into a back three when in possession, the Ecuadorian is likely going to be tasked with bombing up and down the byline and swinging crosses into the penalty area, or just ahead of it for his teammates to get onto.

On top of adding more explosiveness and dynamism to a left-hand side that has become rather stale, the 23-year-old phenom, whom analyst Ben Mattinson has described as “a left-sided Ben White”, will also help get more out of some of the other summer signings.

For example, with him in the starting lineup, Eberechi Eze will be able to start on the left and then drift into the centre of the pitch in games without making attacks too narrow.

Moreover, his ability to pull opposition defenders wide and then deliver a dangerous cross into the penalty area should work incredibly well with the poacher tendencies of Viktor Gyokeres.

In short, Hincapie appears to be an excellent signing for Arsenal, although the club could really end the window with a bang and go back in for a prior target who’d be their best deadline-day deal since Ozil.

The star who'd be Arsenal's best deadline deal since Ozil

Arsenal have been linked with an unbelievable number of supremely talented players over the last few months who could probably fit this description.

However, in this instance, Rodrygo is the £78m star in question who, were he to join the club in the dying embers of the window, would be the Gunners’ best deadline deal since Ozil.

Now, it should be said that the club has made several quality last-minute additions since the German made his incredible £42m switch in 2013.

Still, even though David Luiz, Kieran Tierney, Danny Welbeck, and Takehiro Tomiyasu all made positive contributions in some manner, the impact of Rodrygo would be magnitudes more significant.

After all, even though the former Santos gem isn’t getting the game time his talent warrants at the moment, he’s been a brilliant player for Real Madrid over the last few years.

For example, across the 23/24 and 24/25 campaigns, the “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, was able to rack up a sensational tally of 31 goals and 20 assists in just 105 appearances, totalling 7159 minutes.

In other words, the 24-year-old game-changer was averaging a goal involvement every 2.05 games, or every 140.37 minutes in that period, which is made all the more impressive by the fact he was playing everywhere but his preferred position of left-wing.

Moreover, after three years of getting close but winning nothing, the North Londoners are in need of more big-game players, and the Osasco-born ace certainly fits into the category.

For example, in his 64 Champions League appearances, totalling 3883 minutes, he has scored 25 goals and provided 14 assists, which comes out as a staggering average of a goal involvement every 1.64 games, or every 99.56 minutes.

Furthermore, of those 25 goals, eight have been match-winning strikes, and another eight have come in the knockout rounds.

Finally, while his preferred position is off the left, the Brazilian dynamo is more than capable of playing off the right or even down the middle, so he’d be able to interchange with his attacking teammates with ease and make things even harder for opposition defenders.

Ultimately, while it seems unlikely at this point in time, Arsenal should do all they can to sign Rodrygo before the window slams shut, and if they do get him at the last minute, he’d be their best deadline day deal since Ozil.

Arsenal targeting "extraordinary" Ajax attacker amid Piero Hincapie talks

Mikel Arteta’s side are looking at more signings before the deadline.

By
Emilio Galantini

Aug 28, 2025

Arne Slot has been a revelation at Liverpool, bucking the trend of managers falling by the wayside in the Premier League after replacing coaches with long legacies.

Indeed, most thought Feyenoord’s coach would struggle to impress when replacing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, but he took the reins and led Liverpool to the Premier League title in his first season, so confidently beating off competition.

Swiftly turning doubters into believers, just like the head coach before him, Slot has the minerals to lead this ambitious Liverpool project for many years to come.

Liverpool have now restructured themselves into a global force to be reckoned with, smashing the British spending record this summer, but Klopp built the foundations that Slot’s squad walk on, paving the Dutchman’s trophy-winning success.

Klopp's Liverpool legacy

Klopp didn’t just lead Liverpool to many trophies across his time at the helm, but he took an Anfield outfit in disrepair and shaped it back into a superpower, forming one of English football’s great rivalries with Pep Guardiola and Manchester City.

Premier League

1x

19/20

Champions League

1x

18/19

FA Cup

1x

21/22

Carabao Cup

2x

21/22, 23/24

Club World Cup

1x

19/20

UEFA Super Cup

1x

19/20

Community Shield

1x

22/23

He just got it, did Klopp. The bond he formed with Liverpool was a priceless thing, adding substance to his illustrious career, lifting Premier League and Champions League trophies as Liverpool manager.

The 58-year-old also gave rise to a new level of youth quality, guiding superstars like Trent Alexander-Arnold to the fore and raising the standard of the academy as a whole.

‘Klopp’s Kids’ as they came to be known, played an instrumental role in winning the Carabao Cup during the German’s swansong, and indeed keeping the ship steady amid a wave of injury problems, helping Liverpool back into the Champions League.

Couple that with Klopp’s remarkable midfield rebuild, signing Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch, and you can see why Slot has enjoyed such success over his year on Merseyside.

Many of Liverpool’s academy talents have since moved on, but a few remain. One of whom would be Conor Bradley, who, despite his recent injury concerns, has what it takes to become a leading first-teamer over the coming years.

Slot has hit gold on Conor Bradley

Bradley, 22, burst onto the scene in the 2023/24 season, mesmerising as he soared in the injured Alexander-Arnold’s stead, hitting one goal and six assists across his half-season in the first team.

In just his second Premier League match of the season, the young right-back obliterated Chelsea, scoring a fantastic goal and setting up two more.

Hailed by Alexander-Arnold for his “absolutely phenomenal” start to life under Klopp’s wing, this academy talent looked right at home from the off, leaving no doubts in the fanbase’s collective mind that this was a player capable of dazzling in red for years to come.

While Bradley doesn’t have his right-back predecessor’s same incredible range of passing, he is an athletic freak, capable of zipping up and down the wing and contributing with assists and tackles. 58 matches into his Liverpool career, Bradley has chalked up 11 assists.

Injuries limited him to just seven starts in the Premier League last season, but Bradley remains one of the most exciting up-and-comers in Slot’s squad, ranking among the top 3% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 5% for progressive carries, the top 13% for ball recoveries and the top 6% for goal-creating actions per 90, data courtesy of FBref.

Described as a “really special talent” by Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill, Bradley has already become a staple for his nation, proving his dynamism by often playing in a more advanced role.

With Jeremie Frimpong having ostensibly replaced Trent in the transfer market this summer and Szoboszlai playing like a man possessed as a makeshift right-back at the moment, Bradley has his work cut out in nailing down a regular starting berth, but he certainly has the potential to do so.

In fact, given the trajectory his career has taken already, Bradley might even be assured of his chances of becoming an even bigger fish in the Liverpool pond, having seen his market value skyrocket since Klopp left.

According to Transfermarkt, the defender’s estimated price tag has actually doubled over the past year, going from £13m to £26m.

Comparatively, this 100% rise is still a rather meagre amount, especially when comparing the player’s value against the most prominent members of Slot’s squad.

But he’s already pieced together too impressive a showreel to be considered anything other than one of the biggest talents in Liverpool’s ranks right now, with his goal against Chelsea the statement.

And, of course, how could we forget that tackle on Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe in the Champions League last year? Technical ability? Check. But passion? Well, he has that in droves.

If Bradley can work his way toward full fitness over the coming weeks and months, Liverpool will unlock another dimension to their backline, reinforcing the defensive structure (and covering the likes of Ibrahima Konate, who has had an up-and-down start to the term).

Then the talent’s value would only grow and grow some more, which is exciting to think about for those of a Reds persuasion. We have only had a taste of this academy gem’s potential.

Forget Leoni: Liverpool already have a Guehi upgrade in Slot's "monster"

Liverpool missed out on Guehi, one of their top summer transfer targets, on deadline day.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 5, 2025

Graham Potter already has his work cut out to get a disgruntled West Ham United fanbase back on his side.

Two games down in the brand new Premier League season, and the Hammers find themselves in a miserable rock bottom position, having just shipped five goals to Potter’s ex-employers Chelsea in a humiliating 5-1 home defeat.

With just five wins from 21 games in charge now, the worry will be that the 50-year-old boss is already under significant pressure to turn matters around, or face the earliest boot of the season.

He will surely hope that more transfers in through the door can give him the best possible chance at hanging onto his job post, as the premature relegation candidates continue to be linked with a whole host of exciting names.

West Ham lodge £17.5m bid for new midfielder

The dark clouds hanging over proceedings at the London Stadium could be lifted by a positive incoming or two.

The basement side isare tipped to be in the race to land Raheem Sterling as he navigates a Chelsea exit this summer, while they are also deep in the battle to snap up promising AS Monaco midfielder Soungoutou Magassa, having even submitted a bid for his services.

Another bid has also been lodged by the Hammers to snap up Torino’s midfield ace Ivan Ilic, with Hammers News revealing that the same £17.5m package that was put forward for Magassa – before Nottingham Forest raced ahead of Potter and Co. for the 21-year-old – has now been placed on the table for the Serbian.

The report does state there is no concrete update on whether Ilic would welcome a move to East London, but he is seen as an alternative to the in-demand Magassa.

The 24-year-old might actually be deemed as the better option to pursue, with Potter perhaps winning another Tomas Soucek-style figure by landing the impressive Serbia international.

How Ilic can become Potter's new Soucek

Soucek might well have been subject to interest from the likes of Everton and Leeds United earlier in the transfer window, but it looks as if the towering midfield presence will remain at West Ham, even as they likely prepare for a tough battle against the drop.

Coming in at 247 games now for the Hammers, it would have been a real shame if the long-standing servant decided he had enough this summer, with a stunning 41 goals and 13 assists also on his side, away from completing his usual forceful midfield duties.

Losing such a much-loved body would have been disastrous, therefore, but Potter will feel more at ease with his midfield options – away from relying on Soucek – if he can snap up Ilic just in time before September’s cut-off, with his well-rounded game drawing some similarities to the Czech icon.

Indeed, from 68 games for current employers Torino, Ilic has displayed a similar strength to Soucek in chipping with goals and assists, with seven strikes and six assists tallied up from those clashes.

Games played

136

196

Games started

106

181

Goals scored

9

36

Assists

10

9

His former Slavia Prague counterpart does have the boost of scoring 27 more career strikes for West Ham, compared to Ilic’s lesser nine goals in the Serie A, but the correlations between the two don’t end here.

When the 24-year-old was at the peak of his powers in the Italian top-flight, he would forcefully win duels for fun, as seen in his average of 4.6 won per Serie A clash during the 2021/22 campaign for Hellas Verona.

Soucek won five per game last season during 30 Premier League contests, with the duo together perhaps giving the Hammers some well-needed grit centrally to toughen up after a disastrous run of defeats, on top of also being able to offer the likes of Niclas Fullkrug and Jarrod Bowen further up the pitch a helping hand.

After all, football analyst Ben Mattinson has previously heralded Ilic as a “complete” midfielder, while also further waxing lyrical about how “underrated” of a presence he is, strutting his stuff in Serie A.

Soucek has also been showered with the same level of praise, having been once lauded as having “absolutely everything” you need in a midfielder by ex-Irons player David Connolly back in 2021.

Potter will hope he has uncovered this next Soucek by Ilic entering through the door, with the Serbian also being another feel-good presence to steer the club away from relegation doom.

West Ham submit opening offer to sign "exciting" 6'2 Alvarez replacement

The Hammers have made their first move…

ByTom Cunningham Aug 23, 2025

When it comes to the best academies in world football, Chelsea’s Cobham ranks right near the very top.

The Blues have developed an army of incredible players over the years, and not just attackers either, as they’ve helped create some top-quality defenders like John Terry, Reece James, Fikayo Tomori and Trevoh Chalobah.

Unfortunately, as the club is prone to selling youngsters, they have also missed out on some of the gems they’ve produced, with Marc Guehi being one of the most notable when it comes to defenders.

Yet, there is another international that Chelsea were was perhaps too happy to move on, someone who looks set to be a future England star alongside Guehi.

Guehi's rise to England international

Guehi spent most of his childhood and teenage years in Chelsea’s academy system, and while he did make two competitive appearances for the club, his first real taste of senior football came when he joined Swansea City on loan in January 2020.

The Abidjan-born ace would rejoin the Swans for the entirety of the 20/21 campaign, and by the time he left South Wales, he had made 59 appearances for the club.

Unfortunately, first-team football was once again an unlikely prospect upon his return to Stamford Bridge, so instead of going out on another loan, the Englishman opted to move south of the river and join Crystal Palace permanently.

As we all know, that was an excellent decision for his own development, as since then he’s made 161 appearances for the Eagles, 135 of which have been in the Premier League, and even captained them to FA Cup glory.

Moreover, his performances at Selhurst Park were enough to catch Gareth Southgate’s eye, and he won his first senior England cap in March 2022.

Since then, the 25-year-old has become a key part of the Three Lions setup, winning another 24 caps and being one of the nation’s most impressive players in Euro 2024.

This international break has been another positive one for the defensive titan as he helped to keep two clean sheets and even scored his first England goal away to Serbia last night while providing the assist for Ezri Konsa’s strike.

Guehi’s game vs Serbia

Minutes

93′

Goals

1

Assists

1

Clearances

3

Interceptions

1

Tackles

1

Ground Duels (Won)

1 (1)

Lost Possession

1

Touches

83

Accurate Passes

72/74 (97%)

Key Passes

3

Long Balls (Accurate)

3 (2)

Big Chances Created

1

Shots on Target

1

All Stats via Sofascore

More than that, though, he really showed why he’s one of the best ball-playing centre-backs in the game by completing 72 of 74 passes, taking 83 touches, playing three key passes, losing the ball just twice and creating one big chance.

In all, it would be fair to say Chelsea got it wrong selling Guehi, and unfortunately, it looks like they may have made a similar mistake with another player.

The future England great sold by Chelsea

Given the nature of how Chelsea approach the transfer market, they are always going to let one or two potential stars slip through their fingers, and that might be the case with Lewis Hall.

Where Are They Now

Expand Collapse

Like Guehi, the Slough-born defender came up through Cobham, playing for the club’s U18s, U21s and UEFA Youth League sides and even making 12 appearances for the first-team.

However, despite having just signed a seven-year contract, the boyhood Newcastle United fan moved to the Magpies on a season-long loan deal with an obligation to buy for £35m in August 2023.

He endured a slow start to life at St James’ Park, but he was finally given a starting berth last season, and before injuring his ankle, he looked elite.

For example, in just 27 league appearances, totalling 2193 minutes, he was able to amass five assists, which might not sound like an outrageous amount, but given his age, it’s an impressive early indication.

Moreover, he put up some seriously impressive underlying numbers.

According to FBref, he ranked in the top 5% of full-backs in the league last season for progressive passing distance and shots blocked, the top 8% for dribblers challenged, the top 10% for long passes completed, the top 12% for crosses and more, all per 90.

In other words, his numbers painted the picture of a progressive full-back who is comfortable in attacking scenarios but is also no slouch when it comes to the defensive side of the game.

It’s likely this brilliant combination that saw him called up to England duty and win his first two senior caps under Lee Carsley last November.

It’s also likely why respected analyst Ben Mattinson predicted that in the long term, it’ll be a “battle” between him and Myles Lewis-Skelly for England’s starting left-back role under Tuchel.

Ultimately, Chelsea have got plenty right in the transfer market, but just as selling Guehi was a mistake, it looks like selling Hall will be considered the same, especially if he continues to play so well “at the highest level,” per Mattinson.

Related Enzo Maresca dealt another Chelsea injury blow as club release statement

The Blues are set to be without a few key players.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Sep 10, 2025

Now that we have some distance from the disappointing loss to Liverpool, there is plenty to be optimistic about for Arsenal this season.

For example, Mikel Arteta was backed in a big way in the summer, with players like Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke.

Moreover, in addition to these new players, Hale End looks to have produced another superstar in the making for the club in the unreal Max Dowman.

The teenager already looks more than comfortable in the senior game and like he has a bright future ahead of him, although there was another academy superstar who was once predicted to do big things and is now worth less than £1m.

Max Dowman's rapid rise

It would be fair to say that, aside from the Champions League run, last season was one of the least enjoyable campaigns Arsenal fans have had for some time, as it felt like everything was going wrong.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

However, the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly was a real bright spot, and yet, even as they broke into the first team, there was talk of an even more exciting prospect in the academy – a 14-year-old who was playing well beyond his years.

This was, of course, Dowman, and when you take a look at his statistics from last season, it becomes easier to understand why those in the know, like Jacek Kulig, were going as far as proclaiming him to be the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal.”

For example, in just 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, he put the ball in the back of the net 19 goals and provided five assists for good measure, which comes out to an average of 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes.

Numbers like these forced Arteta and Co to bring the youngster on the pre-season tour this year, and for the first time, fans were able to see why so many are so excited about him, as he came off the bench against Newcastle United and won a penalty in short time.

However, the most significant indication of just how highly the club rate the teenager is the fact he’s now a regular part of the first-team squad, and that not only did he make his Premier League debut against Leeds United, but that the manager felt comfortable subbing him on at Anfield when the team needed a goal.

In all, while it is still so early, the hype around Dowman is starting to feel justified, which unfortunately was never the case with a former Hale Ender who is now plying his trade in Europe.

Arsenal's original Dowman

Every year, there is a new set of exciting academy talents that fans get excited about, but sometimes, there is more than that; there is an expectation, and while Dowman looks like he might fulfil the expectations fans have of him, Charlie Patino was unable to live up to the expectations people had of him.

While it seems a long time ago now, the youngster was expected by many to be the next big thing to emerge from Hale End.

For example, back in October 2021, former Gunners’ wonderkid Jack Wilshere told the press that the youngster was “going to make a name for himself in the future” and that he was “one who everyone at the training ground is talking about.”

As if that wasn’t enough, Arsenal scout Brian Stappleton claimed that Sean O’Connor, the scout who discovered Wilshere, told him Patino was “the best player who has ever walked through the doors at Hale End.”

The hype was only further fueled when the “golden” youngster, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, came off the bench to make his competitive debut for the club in a League Cup match against Sunderland in 2021 and scored.

With regular first-team football the next step, Arsenal sent their exciting wonderkid on a number of loan spells, first to Blackpool and then Swansea City.

However, while he did okay during this time, a total tally of seven goals and eight assists in 72 games didn’t suggest he was quite ready to play under Arteta, and so when the player’s camp made it clear he wanted to leave, the Gunners were forced into accepting a low £1m off from Deportivo La Coruna due to the lack of interest from other sides.

Team

Blackpool

Swansea

Appearances

37

35

Goals

3

4

Assists

4

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.18

0.22

Unfortunately, things have not worked out for the 21-year-old, as he’s made just 12 appearances over the last year, in which he’s failed to score or assist a single goal.

Unsurprisingly, this has seen his valuation tank, and according to Transfermarkt, the former next big thing is now worth €600k, which is just £518k.

Ultimately, while there is still plenty of time for Patino to forge a great career for himself, it’s probably safe to say the hype and pressure placed on his shoulders were not justified.

Madueke upgrade: Arsenal gem who left for £0 is now "one of the best in the world"

The superstar would be an excellent rival for Saka at Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 11, 2025

Big picture

For the first time since they played the first game of the IPL Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru will start the season. Something special was born that night, 17 years ago. A thirst trap.A thousand games have come and gone and the fans just can’t get enough. Grounds fill up quicker than an international match (Eden’s been sold out). The trophy’s been taken on tour. Players’ arrivals are being clipped out like movie trailers. Virat Kohli charms 29.1 million souls just by bouncing a ball on his bat. The only thing that has grown as rapidly as the IPL is the people’s appetite for its singular brand of superstars and mayhem.KKR and RCB have had some thrilling encounters. There was a one-run victory just last year. And they’ve propelled this league, and by extension T20 cricket, forward in various ways. Sunil Narine taught the value of opening batters not valuing their wicket. AB de Villiers pointed out that runs can be scored behind the wicket with the same consistency as those in front of it. Andre Russell has been conducting experiments to see if he can hit a ball into outer space for some time now.Related

• Varun: 'RCB a quality team but we have done our homework'

• Andy Flower 'comfortable' with RCB's spin attack for IPL 2025

• IPL 2025 FAQs: What's new this season? Any changes in format?

• KKR vs RCB rivalry: Exciting, intense and dramatic encounters over the years

• Will 300 be scored for the first time in IPL 2025?

All we have to do is just sit back and watch. (And hope the rain stays away.)

Next three fixtures

KKR go on a trip to Guwahati and Mumbai to face Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians before returning home to host Sunrisers Hyderabad.RCB have a five-day gap before their second game against Chennai Super Kings. Then they go up against Gujarat Titans. That’s a lot of high-quality spin for their batters to deal with to begin the season. But once they’re through, they’ll find themselves at the Wankhede and there’s always runs to be had there.

New loyalties

Phil Salt was KKR’s second-highest run-scorer in 2024 and he made those 435 runs at a strike rate of 182. His proclivity to hit the boundary first and ask questions later was an important point of difference for a side that scored its runs quicker than anybody else. Salt’s gifts are with RCB now.1:12

Cricinformed: Patidar, a menace for spinners

Team news & likely XIIs

KKR might not mind losing one half of the opening combination that worked so well last time around considering they were able to bring in a former IPL winner in Quinton de Kock to take over. They will want him to improve on his record at Eden Gardens though (65 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 112). Spencer Johnson or Anrich Nortje will step in for Mitchell Starc, whom the franchise has let go.Kolkata Knight Riders (probable): 1 Sunil Narine, 2 Quinton de Kock (wk), 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt) 4 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 5 Venkatesh Iyer, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Varun Chakaravarthy, 11 Spencer Johnson/Anrich Nortje, 12 Vaibhav AroraRCB have armed themselves with a long batting line-up, which should give them the tools they need to take all the risks they want even against a good bowling attack like KKR. However, their new spinner Suyash Sharma could be a doubt to face his former franchise as he is returning from a long rehab following a groin injury.Royal Challengers Bengaluru (probable): 1 Phil Salt, 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Liam Livingstone, 6 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 7 Tim David, 8 Krunal Pandya, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Yash Dayal, 12 Swapnil Singh/Mohit Rathee/Rasikh Salam

Big question

Have RCB made the right choice in elevating Rajat Patidar to the captaincy? They are yet to win an IPL title and the pressure of that now falls squarely on the shoulders of a man who is a fringe player for India and who only came into the franchise in 2021. The people who know him best, though, suggest he will be more than up for the challenge.

In the spotlight: Rinku Singh and Virat Kohli

India have reached new levels of T20 batting since winning the world title. They almost made 300 once, an innings that ended with Rinku Singh sending the last ball for six. He was overlooked for the World Cup but has played 18 of 20 matches since. The IPL was the tournament that put Rinku on the map. What has he got cooking this season?Until IPL 2024, Virat Kohli tended to play out Varun Chakravarthy and Narine and look for his runs elsewhere. But last year, he decided to take them down. His strike rate against the two KKR mystery spinners went up from 98.56 to 166.66. Although it was only a small sample size (18 balls in one match), it signalled a change in Kohli’s outlook. He was willing to take more risks. Will that continue this time around too?1:59

Cricinformed: What makes Narine a six-hitting machine?

Key stats

• Varun and Narine’s eight overs will likely define the outcome of this game. Their strengths – Varun is a wicket-taker, he had a strike rate of 14.2 last season, and Narine is the banker, he gave away only 6.7 runs an over – line up against an RCB weakness. Five of their top seven, barring Patidar and Jitesh Sharma, have a strike rate below 140 against spin in T20 cricket since 2024. In Liam Livingstone (107) and Tim David’s (106) cases, it’s barely a run a ball.
• Since top-scoring for KKR in IPL 2024, Narine is averaging 9.05 as a batter across 20 innings with a highest score of 38. Will that prompt a change in the batting order? It’s unlikely, but they do have options. Ajinkya Rahane, their new captain, for example, enjoys batting in the powerplay.
• Patidar’s elevation to RCB captaincy is based on the value he brought to the team as a middle-overs (7-16) hitter. He scored over 300 runs in this phase last year, at a strike rate of 180.68. His strike rate against spin was even higher (197.24).
• Although RCB have lost Mohammed Siraj, they’ve brought in the IPL’s highest wicket-taker in the powerplay – Bhuvneshwar Kumar with 71. They also have Josh Hazlewood, who has done well in every phase of play in this tournament (14 wickets at an economy rate of 7.4 in the powerplay, eight at 7.7 in the middle and 13 at 10 in the death).

Pitch & conditions

IPL 2024 set a new benchmark for run-scoring and Eden Gardens played a part in that. The conditions there were so conducive to batting that there were six totals of 200 or more, including a successful chase of 262. But putting a dampener on all that fun is a poor weather forecast for the game on Saturday. A steady drizzle on Friday evening brought about an early end to the team’s practice session. The practice began as scheduled at 5pm, but rain set in around 6pm, cutting short the prep.

دافع هانز فليك، مدرب نادي برشلونة، عن لامين يامال، بعد الانتقادات الأخيرة التي تلقاها مع البلوجرانا خلال هذا الموسم، موضحًا أن الجناح الشاب سيقدم أفضل ما لديه خلال الكلاسيكو المرتقب ضد ريال مدريد الأسبوع المقبل في الدوري الإسباني.

يامال تراجع مستواه بشكل ملحوظ رفقة نادي برشلونة خلال هذا الموسم، حيث دخل اللاعب في دوامة من الإصابات جعلته يغيب عن البارسا في عدد من المباريات.

وشارك يامال بشكل أساسي أمس الثلاثاء في انتصار برشلونة العريض على أولمبياكوس بستة أهداف مقابل هدف، في دوري أبطال أوروبا لحساب مرحلة الدوري الجولة الثالثة.

وقال فليك خلال مؤتمر صحفي نقلته “بي إن سبورتس”: “لا يعاني لامين من أي مشاكل، الفوز وتسجيل الأهداف أمر مهم للجميع بمن فيهم هو، عندما أعود بالذاكرة إلى العام الماضي، أجد أن لامين يقدم أداءًا رائعًا دائمًا في المباريات الكبيرة، لا أشك في أنه سيقدم أفضل ما لديه يوم الأحد ضد ريال مدريد”.

وأضاف: ”مباراة ريال مدريد وبرشلونة مهمة دائمًا، سنحتاج إلى أعلى مستويات الأداء من جميع اللاعبين وليس فقط لامين، ضد فريق رائع أظهر أدائًا رائعًا منذ بداية الموسم”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مفاجأة | ألفاريز يفكر في الرحيل عن أتلتيكو مدريد.. ويحدد وجهته

ويرى فليك أن الفوز على أولمبياكوس يجب أن يمنح الثقة للاعبي برشلونة، حيث أوضح: ”نحن في وضع مختلف عن الموسم الماضي، لكنني دائمًا ما أفكر بإيجابية، لقد أثبتنا قدرتنا على الفوز في مدريد، لدينا فريق قوي وقد نستعيد لاعبين أساسيين”.

كما أشاد فليك بفيرمين لوبيز بعد الهاتريك في مرمى أولمبياكوس، حيث أردف: “قدم فيرمين مباراة رائعة وكان هدفه الأول حاسمًا في تعزيز ثقة الفريق، إنه لاعب ديناميكي وسريع، بارع في التعامل مع الكرة ويمنحنا السرعة التي نحتاجها”.

وعن ماركوس راشفورد: “إنه دائمًا ما يقدم كل ما لديه، يمكنه اللعب في مراكز مختلفة ويبدع في الربط مع زملائه وهو مهاجم رائع، من الرائع وجوده معنا”.

وأثنى فليك كذلك على درو فيرنانديز، موضحًا أن الأخير موهبة رائعة ويستحق الاعتماد عليه.

وتجنب فليك التعليق على مستوى التحكيم في لقاء الأمس، وذلك بعد غضب المدرب خوسيه لويس مينديليبار على الطرد الذي تعرض له لاعب فريقه، حيث اختتم: “أتفهم إحباطه، لكنني لا أحب الحديث عن الحكام”.

Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac has come to the defence of Jobe Bellingham following the young midfielder's struggles at the club in the ongoing campaign. Bellingham was substituted in the 69th minute of Wednesday's Champions League clash against Athletic Club, with Kovac shielding the ex-Sunderland starboy's underwhelming form by stating that he was "nervous" starting his first game in while.

• Bellingham disappoints in Dortmund's 4-1 win over Athletic Club

  Dortmund maintain their unbeaten streak in the 2025-26 season by beating Athletic Club 4-1 in the Champions League. Bellingham was handed a rare start by head coach Kovac, but was hooked after just 69 minutes following an underwhelming performance in midfield. The Dortmund boss, however, came to the youngster's defence after the game. 

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Kovac saw 'a lot of positives' in Bellingham's outing

  Speaking to after the game, Kovac said: "Sure, he made one or two bad passes. But the boy is 20, and there's a lot of nervousness. I think he did well; he was agile, counter-pressed, and used his mass to block one or two opponents. I was very pleased with his performance. We don't want to see everything so negatively; on the contrary: I see a lot of positives. But he's 20, and we can still improve a lot."

• Not all's well between Dortmund and Jobe's family

  According to , Bellingham is feeling "massively insecure" and "under pressure" because of his parents. On Wednesday, father Mark and mother Denise were photographed sitting in the West Stand of the Signal Iduna Park. However, unlike their previous appearances, the couple weren't seated together. Instead, a family friend sat between the two.

  All doesn't seem to be well between the 20-year-old's family and the club. Back in August, Mark, who is also Jobe's advisor, stormed the stadium and confronted Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl as well as coach Kovac to express his unhappiness over his son's substitution at half-time against St. Pauli. 

  Managing director Lars Ricken cleared the air in the following days and confirmed that there wasn't any rift between Bellingham's parents and the club. Afterward, Kehl was reported to have had a phone call with Bellingham senior, during which the duo reached a resolution after the former warned that family members will not be granted access to the tunnel area or the locker room.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Bellingham redemption against RB Leipzig?

  After a brilliant Club World Cup and pre-season, it seemed like it was a matter of time before Bellingham stamped his place in the Dortmund starting lineup. Kovac, however, has urged patience with the "very talented" midfielder as he adjusts to the demands of a top-five European league following his move from England’s second tier. In eight games this season, Bellingham has been named in the XI just thrice, with his start against Bilbao coming after he started four consecutive games on the bench.