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Tottenham’s unbeaten Champions League run came to a dramatic end at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night against PSG, but there were positives to take from the thrilling encounter.

The European champions were rocked by Thomas Frank’s plucky Spurs side, who gave Luis Enrique a real nightmare, with PSG mounting two separate comebacks to secure a pulsating 5-3 victory.

Midfielder Vitinha claimed a memorable hat-trick, with PSG having to rely on moments of sheer quality just to overcome the north Londoners in France.

Frank’s men stunned the home side by taking a deserved lead on 35 minutes through Richarlison, who headed home from close range after brilliant build-up play involving youngsters Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray. The Brazilian’s opener looked set to give Spurs a halftime advantage, but Vitinha crashed in a spectacular 25-yard equaliser via the crossbar just before the break.

Tottenham regained their lead five minutes into the second period when Randal Kolo Muani fired home against his parent club, converting the rebound after Gray’s effort was cleared off the line. However, PSG responded immediately with a devastating 13-minute blitz that turned the contest decisively in their favour.

Tottenham plan record-shattering January transfer swoop after "clear" Frank message

Spurs want to back their under-fire manager.

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 26, 2025

Vitinha curled home his second goal after being afforded excessive space to cut inside, before Fabian Ruiz completed the turnaround six minutes later following a costly turnover from Pape Matar Sarr outside his own penalty area. William Pacho then extended PSG’s advantage to 4-2 after Tottenham failed to clear Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s corner adequately.

Kolo Muani bundled his way through to drill home his second goal with 18 minutes remaining, briefly offering Spurs hope of salvaging something from the match. Those aspirations were dampened moments later, when Cristian Romero’s handball gifted PSG a penalty, which Vitinha confidently converted to complete his hat-trick and seal all three points.

The loss was Tottenham’s first in nine Champions League matches and leaves them sitting 15th in the league phase standings. Despite showing attacking intent and twice taking the lead, Frank’s young side were ultimately undone by defensive lapses during crucial moments in the second half.

Kolo Muani’s man of the match display against PSG, a club he’s still under contract with, gave Spurs major hope that they could have the answer to their striking problems after all.

The Frenchman, who’s suffered repeated injury setbacks since joining on loan, bagged his first goals for the Lilywhites and proved a real mence against one of the continent’s top sides.

However, Kolo Muani wasn’t Tottenham’s only bright spark on the night.

Thomas Frank praises "very impressive" Archie Gray in Tottenham loss to PSG

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Frank reserved special praise for Gray, who linked up with Bergvall for Spurs’ opening goal of the contest and provided real energy in midfield.

The 19-year-old has spent most of this season out with a calf injury so far, and before that, found it hard to get consistent first-team minutes with Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Sarr and Bergvall all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Much like last season, Gray responded with a solid performance when called upon last night, and it could be time for the Englishman to earn Frank’s starting nod much more often.

The former Leeds United sensation was given a baptism of fire under Ange Postecoglou last season when asked to play multiple unfamiliar roles during Spurs’ 24/25 injury crisis, and he’s done arguably done enough to earn the club’s favour.

With the 2026 World Cup just round the corner, Gray will be hoping that he can potentially stake his claim in Thomas Tuchel’s squad, but he’ll need Frank’s faith with more game time.

Iran have announced they will skip the FIFA World Cup 2026 final draw in Washington, D.C. after several members of their delegation were denied U.S. visas, according to state news agency IRNA. The federation said the decision is connected to issues beyond football and has asked FIFA to intervene. The draw is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.

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  Boycott reason explained.

  The Iranian Football Federation’s spokesman said the delegation encountered visa issues and informed FIFA it would not attend the Dec. 5 ceremony at the Kennedy Center, according to ESPN. Tehran said only partial approvals were granted and that the decision was based on the federation’s stated principles.

  The delegation was expected to be led by federation president Mehdi Taj, who is also a vice president of the Asian Football Confederation and serves on two FIFA committees involved in World Cup operations.

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  White house travel restrictions

  The visa denials come in the context of President Donald Trump’s June 2025 executive order establishing travel restrictions for citizens of 12 countries, including Iran. The order includes exemptions for “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State.”

  FIFA President Gianni Infantino recently addressed questions about access to the United States for upcoming tournaments. Speaking at the FIFA Congress, he said the U.S. government has assured FIFA that international visitors, including fans, will be welcomed at the 2026 World Cup. Infantino said these assurances followed meetings between FIFA and U.S. officials as part of the White House Task Force on FIFA World Cups.

  Infantino has made similar remarks in recent months, emphasizing continued coordination with U.S. government agencies to ensure security, travel, and transportation logistics for international attendees. Human Rights Watch has separately urged FIFA to monitor developments closely and be prepared to reassess planning if required.

• Boycott's impact

  Iran’s decision comes as organizers prepare for the largest World Cup to date, with 48 teams set to participate in the June 11-July 19 tournament. The expanded format increases the number of participating nations and the logistical considerations involved for FIFA.

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  Draw ceremony proceeds amid uncertainty

  The World Cup draw ceremony will take place as scheduled on Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., determining the group assignments for the 48 participating nations. The White House has not yet commented on Iran's boycott announcement. 

In a year unlike any other for RCB, Jitesh has now played perhaps their most sparkling innings of the year, smashing an unbeaten 85 off just 33 balls

Sidharth Monga28-May-20252:04

Moody: Jitesh’s 85* the innings of this season

Once the euphoria settles, Jitesh Sharma will perhaps tell himself good things happen if you keep putting in the good work. Something he might have doubted before this game.Jitesh is not your typical Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) player. He is not a superstar, he doesn’t speak English, he didn’t even have a single IPL fifty when brought to RCB. Then again, this is not your typical RCB season. They named a non-superstar captain, Rajat Patidar, and threw their weight behind him. At the auction, they took Jitesh’s price to INR 11 crore from the base price of just a crore. Then they made Jitesh the vice-captain.After the break in the IPL, it has been a bit of a dogfight. Teams have scrambled for player availability, and RCB have had the added headache of injuries to their available players, including Tim David, upon resumption. In a way, the break only helped RCB, letting Patidar heal enough to play even if as just a batter. Josh Hazlewood could be available again. Only because we are still playing the IPL.Related

• 'Best innings of the season' – Moody, Abhinav marvel at Jitesh's blitz

• RCB to face PBKS in Qualifier 1, MI vs GT in Eliminator

• Jitesh 85* trumps Pant 118* as RCB make Qualifier 1

• Stats – RCB pull off third-highest successful chase in IPL

• Jitesh survives Rathi's run-out appeal at non-striker's end

Still it just seemed things were happening too quickly. Against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), RCB had a chance to seal a top-two spot. Their chase got off to a great start, but Patidar and Jitesh were part of a demoralising collapse.Then Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) handed them a lifeline by beating Gujarat Titans (GT). Another shot at the top two. Then came another big chase. Another excellent start. Another collapse. Here we go again. Jitesh in the spotlight again. Headlines about “top-heavy RCB” getting ready again.In the last match, Jitesh was involved in the run-out of Patidar that started their collapse of 7 for 16. Jitesh himself mis-hit a slot ball from Jaydev Unadkat. In Lucknow on Tuesday, though, luck turned for Jitesh. He hit the ball sweetly, but when he was about to be run-out because he was ball-watching and not looking at the non-striker, Will O’Rourke fumbled the take.Mayank Agarwal (R) congratulates Jitesh Sharma•BCCIThat was the one moment when he forgot his own survival kit. “I was only trying to stay in the moment, keep breathing and focusing on the ball,” Jitesh said later. Or perhaps he was focusing too hard. Looking too intently at the ball.The hitting was clean. In no time, he was on 49, and the two-run-a-ball chase had turned into 39 off 24. Had he got out there, RCB would likely have still won with two recognised batters still to follow, but Jitesh wouldn’t have got rid of this enormous weight on his shoulders. This night, though, was meant to be. Caught on 49, he was reprieved by the no-ball. Distraught one moment, he was swinging himself off his feet to slog the free hit into the stands and bring up his maiden IPL fifty. You could almost see the weight being lifted.”I was getting cramps because the whole load was on me because this is such a big franchise,” Jitesh said. “But I am enjoying the pressure. I have Virat [Kohli] with me, Krunal [Pandya] with me, Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar Kumar] with me. When I look at them, I feel pressure. And also excitement that I am playing with these people. Then I enjoy that pressure.”2:31

An 18-year wait to end this season?

In a year unlike any other for RCB, Jitesh has now played perhaps their most sparkling innings of the year. This is sweet payoff for putting their faith in unheralded but promising players. And backing them knowing they haven’t necessarily got time in the middle because their top order has been scoring a majority of the runs.Jitesh himself now sits with elite lower-middle order players. His 85 not out off just 33 balls is the third-highest IPL score from No. 6 or lower. Above him are Hardik Pandya and Andre Russell. Below him are MS Dhoni and his “guru, mentor, Dinesh Karthik “. This is the highest score from No. 6 or below in a successful chase. That’s T20. You do all the range hitting, all the fitness work, get limited chances to bat, and then one day, in 33 balls, you are among the legends of the game.”I won’t be able to express my thoughts,” Jitesh said. “Really, I can’t believe such an innings has come.”The choice of words there is instructive. He didn’t say he couldn’t believe he had played such an innings. He said he couldn’t believe such an innings “has come”. That you always keep trying, but it “comes” only rarely. Especially if you bat where Jitesh does. Then again they do come if you keep putting in the work.

Harmer ran through Pakistan on the fourth morning before South Africa made short work of the chase

Danyal Rasool23-Oct-2025Ultimately, Pakistan’s overnight hope was built on a bed of straw. South Africa did not even need to huff or puff particularly hard to blow the house down. It took them five balls to dismiss an ostensibly back-to-form Babar Azam, nine runs to take four wickets that put the conclusion beyond doubt, and one session to dispatch the paltry 68 they had been set for victory. Along the way, Simon Harmer took six wickets to take his tally to exactly 1000 first-class wickets, becoming the fourth South African to do so.It took South Africa to a thumping eight-wicket series-levelling win, their first in their defence of the World Test Championship title. For Pakistan, it is their first home defeat after winning the toss since they resorted to spin-friendly tracks at home, their recent third innings malaise coming back to haunt them in its full splendour. Babar’s little tickle into the onside off the day’s second ball got him to a first home Test half-century since 2022, but what should have been the bedrock of his innings was instead its culmination point. Three balls later, he stepped back into his crease off a similar, gentle off spinner, but this one kept slightly low, and rapped him just below the knee roll to begin Pakistan’s slide.A superb Harmer kept the pressure on, but there was assistance aplenty from a Pakistan side that immediately began to go to pieces. Harmer gave Rizwan generous flight, who stretched out well beyond his crease try and get to the pitch to defend. Instead, he got an inside edge onto the pad, which looped up to Tony de Zorzi at short leg, and Harmer went to 999.Related

• South Africa are selecting based on character rather than just stats now

• Mahmood bemoans another Pakistan collapse: 'This is not acceptable'

• South Africa prove they can win with spin on the subcontinent

• De Zorzi and Stubbs – SA identify their horses for Asian courses

• Deja Vu for Masood as SA's tail wags and Pakistan's plans unravel

The four-figure dismissal was all about Harmer, though, and a microcosm of what has made him so successful for so long. He went around the wicket to Noman Ali, flighting it well and landing on a sixpence into some of the footmarks the left-arm bowlers have created. It spat up and away from Noman, kissing the outside edge on its way into Kyle Verreynne’s hands. Harmer threw his head up into the sky and let out a roar to rouse any part of Pindi that might still have been asleep.But Pakistan kept hoisting themselves by their own petard. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Salman Agha worked themselves up into calling for a run, taking on Ryan Rickelton who dived forward to effect a direct hit that sent Shaheen on his way, and Pakistan had gone from 105 for 5 to 105 for 8 – yet another middle and lower order collapse in a series they have been sprinkled like confetti.Ryan Rickelton collided with Shaheen Shah Afridi while running him out•AFP/Getty Images

At the other end stood Agha, not so much like a rock of resistance as a young oak waiting to be felled. Maharaj duly did the honours in his first over, the arm ball cutting Agha in half as he chopped back on. Sajid Khan tried to take him on the following over, only to find himself well adrift of his crease for Verreynne to do the honours.Pakistan turned immediately to spin, but there was no intimidating South Africa with a target this shallow. They were off and away with an Aiden Markram mow across the line for four, and Rickelton began to get his kicks in shortly after. Pakistan kept recycling through some combination of their three finger spinners, and South Africa kept putting them away for four, speeding towards the target as lunch approached.Noman got Pakistan the dubious consolation prize of a late couple of wickets when South Africa’s target was in single digits. Markram was trapped in front as he went for another one of his productive sweeps that had fetched him six of his eight fours in the innings, and found Tristan Stubbs’ outside edge for a duck three balls later. But Rickelton made the ignominy official with a whack over long-off for six in the following over.After the previous Test, Pakistan captain Shan Masood had talked about how Pakistan would look to play if they lost the toss to try and stay competitive. South Africa showed they had been listening carefully, and across these four days, executed that plan to perfection.

Chair of selectors George Bailey played down concerns over Cameron Green’s fitness while lauding the form of Marnus Labuschagne early season

Alex Malcolm and Tristan Lavalette18-Oct-20251:14

Mitchell Starc: Smith ‘has been a great sounding board’ for Cummins

There is growing optimism among Australia’s selectors that captain Pat Cummins will “play a major part” in the Ashes but there is still no decision on his availability with less than five weeks to go before the opening day of the series.Chair of selectors George Bailey was also very confident that Cameron Green would be fully fit and available as an allrounder for the first Test after “conservative” management of his side soreness saw him ruled out of the ODI series against India and he also confirmed that Beau Webster was a lock for the first Test squad after equally careful management of his rolled ankle.Related

• Cummins says he's 'less likely than likely' to play in the first Ashes Test

• Green ruled out of ODI series against India with side soreness, Labuschagne called up

• Konstas wins the battle, Boland wins the match for Victoria

There was no update on Cummins’ progression despite coach Andrew McDonald suggesting late last week that a decision would be made on Friday regarding the skipper’s fitness for the first Test. Cummins then spoke on Monday and said he was “less likely than likely” to be fit for Perth and would need a minimum of four weeks of bowling to be ready.Bailey had no further information on whether Cummins had started bowling, but suggested there were positive signs in his training progression over the past week.”I actually have no further update on that from when I think the last time Pat spoke,” Bailey told reporters in Perth on Saturday. “It’s progressing. He’s building up. He’s optimistic about it. I think actually the more he’s done over the last few days, the more optimistic he’s become but I categorically don’t know if he’s bowled a ball.”We know time is getting short and there’s permutations around that, not just around the back, but other factors as well. It’s positive. [We’re] really confident that he’s going to play a major part. Hopefully it’s the first Test. If not, then we’ll pick it up.”Bailey confirmed that Steven Smith would captain Australia if Cummins were to be unavailable. Smith has arrived in Sydney from his home in New York and is set to play the next two Sheffield Shield games for New South Wales after missing the opening two rounds.Bailey added he would catch up with Smith when Australia’s ODI squad reaches Sydney on Friday but noted that discussions on the batting positions of Smith and Green in the Test XI would be had at a later date.Cameron Green remains on track to play two more rounds of Sheffield Shield cricket•Getty Images

Allrounder questions

Green’s withdrawal from the ODI squad after experiencing side soreness raised concerns, but Bailey said that scans had cleared him of injury and played down any worries about his availability to play as an allrounder in the first Test.”It is minor and it’s conservative, and I think this decision probably ensures that we do have enough time to make sure,” Bailey said. “We put so much time and energy into building out the plan for him to be available for the first Test as an allrounder. So for the sake of, he was only going to play the first two ODIs anyway, the way he swings the cricket bat in white-ball cricket, even if it just sets him back for 24 more hours, we just made the decision to approach this more conservatively.He’ll keep his plan of playing Shield [round] three and Shield four. I’m not across what overs there will be in that, but the plan will remain, and that should provide pretty good time that he’d in a good place to be ready to bowl.”Green’s minor injury aside, his return to bowling and the form of Marnus Labuschagne and Jake Weatherald had led to public conversation about whether Webster could be squeezed out of Australia’s XI for the Ashes.Webster has missed Tasmania’s opening two Shield matches due to a rolled ankle, although he wanted to play in the second game against Western Australia. He was urged not to by Bailey who gave the strongest endorsement yet that Webster would be a key part of Australia’s Ashes plans.”Last time he rolled his ankle, I think about five weeks later, he had a bit of a soft tissue injury,” Bailey said. “[We] just sort of [took] Beau through the journey of let’s work back from Sydney, rather than up to Perth. For the sake of one extra week, get it right, launch yourself into into Shield three.”I think [his] allround package has been really important. He’ll be in Perth. Everyone can relax.”Marnus Labuschagne is primed for a recall but debates over the batting order will continue•Getty Images

Signs positive for Labuschagne

Bailey stopped short of guaranteeing Labuschagne’s return to the Test side but he had seen both his Shield centuries in person this summer and was impressed by what he watched.”I thought out of everything that he’s played, I really liked the innings in Adelaide,” Bailey said. “I liked the intent, I liked the movement, liked the way he built the partnerships. It’s a nice bowling attack South Australia have got, so he’s batting nicely. We know he’s a quality player. We know there’s a hell of a lot of class there.”To see him putting the runs up that has been really pleasing. And long may it continue.”Bailey noted Weatherald’s match-winning innings of 94 on a difficult surface in Hobart as another sign of his quality. He also thought there were positive signs in Sam Konstas’ 53 against Victoria on a tricky pitch at Junction Oval and added that the intense scrutiny on his domestic returns were “probably not helpful” given he’s in a “learning” phase of his career.Bailey also confirmed that Australia’s squad for the last three matches of the T20I series against India was still being finalised but there was a strong possibility that Travis Head, Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott will all be released to play in the fourth Shield round.Josh Inglis looks set to miss the entire ODI series against India after suffering a setback with his calf injury eight days ago as he ramped up his running but there is confidence he will be fit for the entire T20I series. There are no plans at this stage to send him to play Shield cricket despite being in the Ashes frame as a reserve batter and reserve wicketkeeper.The squad for the first Test will be named in early November after the conclusion of the third round of Shield matches.

Manchester United and Liverpool have both been linked with signing Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, but it is Ruben Amorim’s side who are in pole position ahead of the January transfer window.

Semenyo is one of the most impressive wide players in the Premier League currently, scoring six goals and registering three assists in the competition leading into the international break.

The 25-year-old is wanted by a host of top clubs, with United among those thought to be right in the mix to snap him up, potentially even in the January transfer window.

Semenyo has a £65m release clause in his current Bournemouth contract for a certain time period, with David Ornstein reporting the Cherries will effectively be powerless to stop a departure in early January.

Liverpool look to be the most interested out of United’s Premier League adversaries, as they look for an injection of attacking quality midway through the season, with the Reds believing Semenyo can be their next Sadio Mane.

Man Utd leading Liverpool in Semenyo race with player keen on move

According to a report from Spain, Manchester United are the front-runners to acquire Semenyo’s signature from Bournemouth in January, with INEOS seeing him as a top target for the Red Devils.

The report claims it’s “hard to believe Manchester United won’t secure the signing” due to their willingness to pay the release fee and Semenyo being interested in a move to Old Trafford.

They are ahead of Liverpool in the race, which will no doubt delight the supporters, with Amorim possibly eyeing a long-term replacement for Marcus Rashford, should he leave Old Trafford for good at the end of this season.

Semenyo feels like an ideal signing for United in the mould of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, in terms of players who have proven themselves in the Premier League and are ready to make the step-up to a bigger club.

The Ghanaian provides strong end product on a consistent basis, and has scored twice in three Premier League appearances against the Red Devils, while Pep Guardiola recently hailed his ability, calling him an “extraordinary” player.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola was asked earlier this week about the situation, saying he isn’t worried about losing his star player in January.

He's "much better" than Sesko: Man Utd pursuing "one of the best CFs in PL"

Manchester United could land a new centre-forward just months after landing Benjamin Sesko.

By
Ethan Lamb

Nov 21, 2025

Despite this, it is easy to envisage Semenyo’s head being turned by a move to United, especially if they continue their recent improved form under Amorim, and he would be a fabulous addition to the attack.

Man Utd have their own version of Semenyo & he's Amorim's "best player"

Enzo Maresca has urged Chelsea wonderkid Estevao Willian to ignore comparisons with Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, insisting the Brazilian should focus solely on improving himself. Ahead of a huge Champions League clash between two of Europe’s brightest teenagers, the Blues boss backed Estevao to become a “top player” if he keeps developing at his own pace.

• Maresca opens up on Estevao's comparison with Yamal

  Chelsea head coach Maresca has moved to calm comparisons between 18-year-old sensation Estevao and Barcelona prodigy Yamal as the pair prepare to share the pitch in a blockbuster Champions League encounter. Estevao has made an impressive start to his debut season in England, contributing goals and assists in limited minutes as Chelsea carefully manage his adaptation to Premier League football. His explosive dribbling and natural flair have made him a fan favourite already, and the youngster heads into the Barcelona match in strong form after impressing for both club and country.

  Maresca has repeatedly praised the winger’s maturity and willingness to learn but stressed that comparisons to more established players could add pressure at a stage where Estevao is still adjusting to European football. With four goals and one assist in 16 appearances, the Brazilian has already demonstrated he can influence high-level matches when used correctly. Chelsea consider him one of the cornerstones of their long-term project, but Maresca insists development must be gradual.

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  Maresca urges Estevao to enjoy football without pressure

  “Estevao is already playing at a high level and is starting games for Brazil,” Maresca told reporters ahead of the Barcelona clash. “He is very young and for sure can do many things better, but we are very happy with him. It’s nice for people who love football to watch players like Estevao, Lamine Yamal, Pedri. We are happy that Estevao is with us.”

  “Estevao is going to be an important player for this club in the future, no doubt. The most important thing for Estevao now is that he has to enjoy his football, he has to be happy, and not think about being better than this player or that player.” Maresca stressed the need to avoid external pressure. “He just has to be better than himself day by day, work hard and improve, and for sure he will be a top player for this club.”

  The Chelsea manager also warned that comparisons to Yamal are unfair and premature given their different trajectories. Yamal’s 31 goals and 42 assists in 118 Barcelona appearances place him in a more advanced career phase, while Estevao is only months into his European journey. Maresca finished by reiterating that enjoyment, learning and steady improvement remain the keys to Estevao’s development.

• Estevao's promising start at Chelsea after move from Palmeiras

  Estevao has been one of the breakout stories of Chelsea’s season, arriving from Palmeiras with enormous hype but immediately demonstrating he can handle the demands of elite football. His four goals and one assist only tell part of the story, as his speed, creativity and fearlessness have added a much-needed spark to the Blues’ attack. His international form strengthens his profile further, with five goals in his last six matches for Brazil signalling the rise of a future Selecao star.

  The winger’s journey from Palmeiras to England shows why Maresca is urging patience. At his former club, he registered 27 goals and 15 assists in 83 appearances, developing into one of South America’s top young prospects before Chelsea secured him. Despite the excitement, Maresca is aware of the challenges faced by young wingers entering the Premier League and wants to protect Estevao from comparisons that could hinder his growth.

  On the other side of the pitch is Yamal, whose prodigious emergence at Barcelona has set new standards for teenage talents. Having broken multiple age records and already established himself as a decisive force in La Liga and the Champions League, Yamal’s trajectory is unique even among elite prospects.

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  Chelsea take on Barcelona at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday

  Estevao is expected to feature in some capacity against Barcelona, though Maresca may continue to manage his minutes carefully given the intensity of the fixture. The club’s long-term plan is to gradually increase his influence as he adapts physically and tactically to English and European football. A strong performance on the Champions League stage would further elevate his status but Chelsea remain focused on steady, sustainable development.

  Meanwhile, Yamal will be the first name on Hansi Flick's team list as the Catalan side finally start to receive players back from injury ahead of the packed winter schedule.

The Blue Jays came mere inches away from a World Series win against the Dodgers this year, with one particular series-defining play likely haunting the franchise for quite some time.

After Toronto's Game 7 loss, many Blue Jays fans pointed out a pivotal moment in the ninth inning that might have won the team the title right then and there. At the bottom of the ninth with the game tied and the bases loaded for Toronto, Daulton Varsho hit a grounder in between first and second. The Dodgers were able to throw out a sprinting Isiah Kiner-Falefa just in the nick of time, in part due to Kiner-Falefa's small lead off the third-base bag.

Blue Jays fans directed their frustrations at Kiner-Falefa for not taking a bigger lead, though the utility infielder claimed his coaches told him to stay close to the bag.

A new video from that game-changing moment shows Blue Jays third base coach Carlos Febles not only presumably telling Kiner-Falefa where to lead off, but also marking that exact spot on the ground.

You can see him clearly make a mark in the dirt here:

"They told us to stay close to the base," Kiner-Falefa said after Game 7's loss. "They don’t want us to get doubled off in that situation with a hard line drive. … They wanted a smaller lead and a smaller secondary, so that’s what I did."

By all accounts, Kiner-Falefa isn't in the wrong here. Sure, he could have ignored Febles's alleged advice and taken the risk of getting doubled off, but it makes sense that during arguably the highest pressure point of the game he chose to heed his coaches.

The Blue Jays wound up losing, 5–4, after 11 innings, capping off an instantly iconic World Series that will go down as one of the best ever in baseball history—and, sadly, as one of the cruelest ever series in Toronto's history.

The former Australia captain found her stride after a tricky start and Scorchers fell short in a rain-shortened chase

AAP14-Nov-2025Meg Lanning hit top gear in her 100th WBBL game as Melbourne Stars won a rain-hit clash with Perth in Adelaide by 16 runs.The former Australian captain, dropped on 18, went berserk after a slow start to finish unbeaten on 90 off 55 balls as the Stars reached 173 for 4.A storm hit, reducing Scorchers’ chase to 95 off nine overs in a tweak that could have favoured the chasers. But Stars jumped all over them as they finished 78 for 8.Fresh off a century, Beth Mooney reached 14 off six balls with three boundaries before Kim Garth’s clever slower ball brought her undone.Wickets fell regularly, Annabel Sutherland hitting the top of Sophie Devine’s off stump to further stall momentum. Scorchers kept swinging but were never truly in the hunt, Sophie Day taking 3 for 7 from her only over.Earlier Lanning, coming off a brisk 60 in a rain-spoiled affair earlier this week, made the most of the life given to her when Ebony Hoskin spilled a chance at short third. She cruised to 35 before exploding with three boundaries and a six to go to 50 off 35 balls.The boundaries kept coming – Devine punished in particular – before Lilly Mills pegged Stars back with late wickets that starved Lanning of the strike in the final three overs.”I couldn’t get it off the square in the last two overs, fell off a cliff there,” Lanning, who has retired from international cricket, said. “But I found my rhythm and was nice to be able to go on with it. I’ve got an idea of how much I need to train to be ready and … I’m certainly enjoying myself.”

Alisha Lehmann was happy to “back her boys” when wading into a heated handball argument during the latest round of Baller League fixtures. The Swiss forward, who is plying her club trade in Italy for Como Women, has teamed up with Maya Jama again – the Love Island-presenting partner of Manchester City defender Ruben Dias – to oversee events at MVPs United.

• Baller League UK: Big personalities involved

  Emotions can run high at the Copper Box Arena in London when Baller League action takes centre stage. With ultra-fast six-a-side competition pitting former Premier League players and ambitious semi-professionals against one another, tempers can boil over at times.

  Nobody is willing to take a backwards step, with wins and points the ultimate goal. There are some big personalities involved – on and off the pitch – with few of those looking to bite their tongue when lively debates are sparked.

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• Watch Lehmann join handball argument at Baller League

• Controversial call: MVPs United slipped to defeat

  Lehmann is one of the more reserved characters, but the former WSL star – who represented the likes of West Ham and Aston Villa before heading to Italy – is prepared to fight her corner when required.

  That was the case during a meeting with Wembley Rangers for MVPs United. A controversial handball call, in what turned out to be a 3-2 defeat for Lehmann and Co, led to words being exchanged on the field. Lehmann, who was back in England for said encounter, made sure to get her point across.

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• Back for more? Lehmann and Jama could reunite in 2026

  Lehmann, with Jama not by her side on this occasion, led MVPs United out at the Copper Box. She was joined by Birmingham-raised rapper Wohdee – who is famed for her viral freestyle performances on TikTok.

  MVPs United are in danger of missing out on a place in the final four of Baller League, meaning that the ultimate prize will elude them. Interest in season two has, however, remained high – with I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here winner Angry Ginge among the celebrity managers – and it could be that Lehmann and Jama reunite for a third campaign in 2026.