Celtic clinched their place against St Mirren in the final of the League Cup on Sunday with a 3-1 win over their Glasgow rivals at Hampden Park.

The Hoops needed extra time to get past their ten-man opponents, though, with goals from Callum McGregor and Callum Osmand in the last 30 minutes sealing the win.

Interim head coach Martin O’Neill has won his first two matches in charge of the club, after beating Falkirk 4-0 in his first Scottish Premiership game last week.

Football Insider now reports that the interim boss has a chance to land the role until the end of the season if he picks up positive results in the next two games.

The outlet claims that O’Neill is closer to landing the job on a ‘permanent’ deal after beating Rangers 3-1, which would provide the club with more time to find a longer-term successor to Brendan Rodgers.

Whether Sunday was his last game or if he will be at the club for the rest of the season, the experienced manager appears to have unearthed a diamond for the next head coach in Callum Osmand.

Why Callum Osmand is an exciting prospect for Celtic

The Welsh youngster was signed from Premier League side Fulham in the summer after his contract with the English side expired at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

In the club’s official announcement post, Rodgers said: “He’s a quick and powerful striker and I’m really looking forward to working with him.”

Unfortunately, though, despite those comments from the Northern Irish boss, Osmand did not play a single minute of football under Rodgers before his resignation last week.

24/25

22

11

4

23/24

29

21

6

22/23

21

11

2

21/22

1

0

0

Total

73

43

12

The 19-year-old centre-forward arrived at Parkhead as an incredibly exciting prospect because of his return of 43 goals in 73 matches for Fulham at U18 and U21 level.

His complete lack of minutes under Rodgers, though, meant that supporters were unable to see his quality on the pitch, which they have now seen under O’Neill in the last two games.

Osmand scored his first goal for the club in the 3-1 win over Rangers on Sunday, sliding in to convert Kieran Tierney’s cross, and came off the bench for his Scottish Premiership debut against Falkirk in O’Neill’s first game in charge.

To come on in such a big game, at a crucial time, and make a vital impact speaks to the youngster’s maturity and his quality, which is why he looks like such an exciting prospect for Celtic at the age of 19.

Osmand is not the only teenage attacker at the club who could be unearthed as a potential future superstar by O’Neill at Parkhead, though.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

The interim manager has shown that he is willing to bring young players into the first-team squad, as evidenced by Osmand’s emergence, which is why he should also look to unleash Rhys Dargie from the B team.

Why Rhys Dargie is as exciting as Callum Osmand

O’Neill could unearth another future superstar for the Scottish giants, as he has with Osmand, by bringing the versatile Scottish attacker into the senior side in the coming weeks, should he remain in post.

The 18-year-old predominantly plays on the right wing for the B team, per Transfermarkt, but he can also play on the left, through the middle as a striker, and in central midfield.

Dargie has produced four goals and three assists in ten appearances in all competitions so far this season, per Transfermarkt, whilst Benjamin Nygren (six) is the only first-team player with more than four goals.

The teenage talent is currently out with an injury, with no return date out in the public domain, but his form before his spell on the sidelines suggests that he is a player who should be on O’Neill’s radar when fit and available.

Dargie racked up nine goals in 11 matches in the Lowland League in the 2024/25 campaign, per Transfermarkt, whilst he also scored against Rangers in the Glasgow Cup final at the end of the season.

These statistics suggest that the young winger has the potential to provide goals and assists at first-team level if he can handle the jump up in quality, as Osmand has in recent days.

There is no guarantee that academy form will translate to senior level, of course, but Dargie’s performances at youth level suggest that he is as exciting a talent as Osmand is.

Appearances

75

26

Minutes played

5,324

1,601

Goals

46

13

Minutes per goal

114

123

Assists

13

3

Minutes per assist

410

533

As you can see in the table above, the 18-year-old forward has scored and assisted goals at a fairly similar, albeit slightly worse, rate at youth level, which is impressive when you consider that Osmand is a striker and the Scottish forward mainly plays on the wing.

This is why O’Neill should look at Dargie as a potential option on the right flank in the coming weeks, if he is fit enough to come into contention, as he could emerge as a surprise star for the club.

Osmand’s big moment against Rangers on Sunday shows that a change in management can unearth talent that was not being utilised by the previous coaching group, which could also be the case for Dargie if he is given an opportunity to shine.

O’Neill, therefore, could provide the next permanent Celtic manager with two incredibly exciting talents who could be future superstars for the Hoops by offering Osmand and Dargie first-team experience.

What "VAR said" about Auston Trusty's kick on Jack Butland in Celtic v Rangers

It was a big talking point at Hampden Park.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 2, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Superior Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva (STJD) acatou nesta terça-feira (28) o pedido feito pelo Cruzeiro e autorizou a presença da torcida no jogo contra o Athletico-PR no Mineirão. A Raposa divulgou que irá liberar mais detalhes sobre a venda de ingressos e restrições em breve.

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O julgamento no STJD se dá por conta da invasão de campo na partida em que o Cruzeiro perdeu para o Coritiba por 1 a 0. O clube mineiro pode perder até 10 mandos de campo, dependendo da decisão do tribunal.

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

Contudo, a proibição de presença da torcida em jogos como visitante se mantém. Desta forma, o Cruzeiro não terá torcida diante do Botafogo no Nilton Santos no próximo domingo (3).

O Cruzeiro vai contar com sua torcida no jogo contra o Athletico-PR! ???? ????

Atendendo a uma solicitação de reconsideração do Cruzeiro, o STJD acatou o pedido para autorizar a presença de torcida na partida contra o Athletico-PR nesta quinta-feira. O compromisso válido pela 36ª… pic.twitter.com/8hsFMyfUWf

— Cruzeiro ???? (@Cruzeiro) November 28, 2023

Já na reta final do Campeonato Brasileiro, o Cruzeiro se encontra com 44 pontos e ainda busca fugir do rebaixamento e enfrenta outros times além do Athletico-PR, como o Botafogo e o Palmeiras.

Matt Henry went up three spots among Test bowlers to be ranked fourth after his nine-wicket haul against Zimbabwe

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Aug-20253:22

Bangar: ‘Jaiswal’s Sehwag-esque impact makes it easier for batters to follow’

India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal has broken into the top five of the ICC Test batters’ rankings. Jaiswal scored 118 at The Oval in the fifth Test – his second century of the series – that helped him finish the series with a tally of 411 runs at an average of 41.10 that took him up three places to fifth behind Joe Root, Harry Brook, Kane Williamson and Steven Smith.Fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna achieved their career-best ratings of 674 and 368 points respectively after the fifth Test. Siraj went up 12 places to 15th spot whereas Prasidh moved up 25 spots to be ranked 59th. These are also the best Test rankings for both the bowlers.Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue similarly also attained their career-best positions after sharing eight wickets at The Oval. Atkinson’s rise helped him break into the top ten for the first time – joint tenth with Mitchell Starc – whereas Tongue rose 14 places to 46th.From the two-Test series going in Zimbabwe, Daryl Mitchell went up four places to ninth among batters while his team-mate Matt Henry went up to fourth spot among bowlers. Henry was the Player of the Match in the first Test after he finished with figures of 6 for 39 and 3 for 51 in New Zealand’s nine-wicket win.

تحدث محمود حسن تريزيجيه، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، ومنتخب مصر، عن وفاة والدته ودورها في حياته.

وقال تريزيجيه، عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر 2”: “والدتي الله يرحمها بعد ربنا لها الفضل فيما وصلت له، وكانت تتمنى عودتي إلى الأهلي وأن تكون معي”.

وتابع: “والدتي كانت تحب الأهلي جدًا وكانت حزينة على رحيلي أول مرة ونفسيتها تأثرت وقلت لها أنا عندي طموح و(أكيد هرجع)”.

وأكمل: “كنت أتمنى أن أفعل لها أكثر مما أتمنى، وأجلس معها وقت أكثر منذ أن كنت 9 سنوات حتى 18 سنة وأنا أعيش في استراحة الأهلي، ووالدي توفى وأنا صغير وإخوتي لم يجعلوني أحتاج إلى شيء”.

وأضاف: “من الأمور التي أثرت علي خلال رحلة الاحتراف أن والدتي لم تكن معي وتوفت وأنا في طريقي للعودة ولم ألحق أن أدفنها”.

طالع.. تريزيجيه: رفضت عروضًا بـ6 أضعاف الأهلي.. وزيزو توقع ما حدث أمام الزمالك

واستكمل: “الكلام عن عودتي للأهلي بدأ من شهر نوفمبر 2024، الموضوع أخذ وقتًا كبيرًا لأن نادي طرابزون كان لديهم عرض ضخم جدًا، لكن عندما تحدث معي الكابتن الخطيب كلمني قلت سندخل تلك الحرب مع بعض”.

وأشار: “أنهينا الحرب مع طرابزون، وأول ما وقعت للأهلي، وبعد نزولي من الطائرة عند عودتي بكيت لأنني سأعود ولو كنت أستطيع أن أعود في وقت مبكر عن ذلك، كنت سأفعل”.

وأفاد: “الكابتن الخطيب لا ينام، وشغله الشاغل النادي، ورأيت ذلك في المفاوضات مع طرابزون”.

وقال عن تجربة كأس العالم: “لم يكن يحالفنا التوفيق، لا أريد التحدث عن أعذار أو الطقس، لكن لم يُحالفنا التوفيق أمام إنتر ميامي وبورتو، وأعرف أنني أخطأت أمام إنتر ميامي بتسديد ركلة الجزاء، أعترف بذلك، أوأعرف شعور الناس وكنت أتمنى الفوز وفي كل الفرق التي لعبت لها كنت أسدد حتى لو لم يكن دوري لكنها صفحة وتم إغلاقها”.

وأشار: “في ركلة الجزاء أمام الزمالك كنت أنا رقم واحد، وكنت مركزًا، وكان محمد صبحي واللاعبين يضايقونني، لكنني اتخذت القرار أن أسدد، لأننا اتخلقنا للضغوط”.

وأفاد: “عدم التوفيق لأننا كلاعبين لم نلعب مع بعض فترة طويلة، ونحن فريق كبير، لكن كانت هناك ظروف لم تساعدنا، حاولنا كلاعبين وإدارة ولكن ما كنا نتمناه لم يحدث، صفحة وأغلقت وعندنا تحديات أخرى كثيرة، اللاعبون هم الأسلحة التي تحارب بها ويجب أن نحافظ عليهم”.

واسترسل: “ريبيرو لم يكن موفقًا، تجربة لم تكن الأفضل، حاولنا أن نساعده ولم نستطع، وعماد النحاس مدرب كبير، وشخصية كبيرة ومحترمة ويعرف إمكانيات اللاعبين، فنيًا على أعلى مستوى، ونفسيًا كان عارف يتعامل معنا بشكل جيد جدًا”.

وأتم: “النحاس كان يجعل اللاعبين (ينزلوا ويموتوا أنفسهم بسبب الثقة)، وأتمنى له التوفيق في العراق ويشرف اسم بلده”.

Opener hits unbeaten 72 off 40 balls to keep Rockets winless

ECB Media10-Aug-2025Eighteen-year-old Davina Perrin continued her impressive domestic form with a sparkling 42-ball 70 to overpower Trent Rockets in The Hundred.It was Perrin’s first half-century in The Hundred, and the second-highest score by a female English player uncapped at international level. More importantly for Perrin and Northern Superchargers, it took them to the top of the table with two wins from two.”I had a conversation with one of the coaches before and he said: ‘What are you going to do when you go out?’ And I was like: ‘have fun,'” Perrin said. “It was a pretty decent deck, it was coming onto the bat nicely, so it allowed me to lean into it and just try and play strong shots. It’s nice to do it front of so many people and on a decent ground, so happy days.”It was a dominant performance from the team in purple, who were on top straight away and rarely let their foot off the gas, save some customary excellence from Trent Rockets skipper Ash Gardner.The Superchargers had Rockets at 5 for 3 after 18 balls and right up against it, Gardner did her thing to fight back with a 32-ball 61 but it was essentially a lone hand and her side’s eventual total of 128 felt light at a sun-dappled Trent Bridge.Ash Gardner forces one away through the off side•Warren Little/Getty ImagesPerrin dominated the opening partnership of 62 with Alice Davidson-Richards and entertained the crowd throughout, with strong shots all around the wicket and even a one-handed scoop. Phoebe Litchfield matched her stroke for stroke with her 10-ball 22 and Annabel Sutherland finished things off in a fittingly creative way, reverse-sweeping through the off-side.It was a performance of great promise from the Superchargers who will feel they’re laying down a marker, for Rockets the need to get a win on the board is getting ever greater.

Jeremy Doku ripped Liverpool to shreds in one of the great individual displays this fixture has seen as Manchester City outclassed their rivals in a dominant 3-0 win. The Belgian winger gave Conor Bradley a living nightmare throughout the time he was on the pitch but no Liverpool player was safe from him and after monstering the Reds he topped his performance off with a fittingly brilliant goal.

Doku's trickery earned City a penalty when he was fouled by Giorgi Mamardashvili although the goalkeeper got his own back by denying Erling Haaland from the spot. Haaland would not be denied though and powered City into the lead with a header. Liverpool thought they had levelled against the run of play when Virgil van Dijk scored a header from a corner but Andy Robertson was interfering with play from an offside position.

It was a warning to City and they responded by doubling their advantage right before half-time with a deflected effort from Nico Gonzalez. Liverpool improved in the second half and gave the hosts a few scares but Doku had the final say, scoring with an incredible curling strike which ended the contest there and then.

GOAL rates Man City's players from the Etihad Stadium…

• Goalkeeper & Defence

  Gianluigi Donnarumma (6/10):

  Some good, some bad. Risked a red card with a headless charge from his area to face down Mohamed Salah and was saved by Dias. He did make a good save from Dominik Szoboszlai's long-range hit and was quick to push a loose ball away from the feet of Van Dijk.

  Matheus Nunes (7/10):

  One of his best displays in a City shirt and against a top opponent. Provided the perfect cross for Haaland to open the scoring and was comfortable in defence, a key challenge on Andy Robertson among his many contributions.

  Ruben Dias (8/10):

  A masterful performance from the back. Made countless interventions, from cutting out an inviting pass from Salah, beating Szoboszlai to the ball and above all saving Donnarumma's blushes by tackling Salah.

  Josko Gvardiol (5/10):

  Made a worrying amount of mistakes in the second half which gave Liverpool encouragement.

  Nico O'Reilly (7/10):

  Worked his socks off throughout, which was particularly impressive after going down with an apparent injury in the first half. Caused Bradley plenty of bother, making for a fearsome double act down the left flank with Doku.

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• Midfield

  Bernardo Silva (8/10):

  Produced a big-game performance, controlling proceedings with his precise passing and vision.

  Nico Gonzalez (8/10):

  He has been learning the trade of a Man City midfielder in the last year and today he delivered his first-class thesis. Showed brilliant awareness throughout, making numerous key blocks and interceptions while also bolting forward to support the attack. His goal may have been a little lucky but he showed the belief to shoot from range and was rewarded.

  Phil Foden (6/10):

  Was perhaps a little worn out after his Champions League heroics as he took a beat seat role in creativity although he did chip in with some important defensive work.

• Attack

  Rayan Cherki (5/10):

  A comedown from his excellent display against Bournemouth. Spooned a shot over the bar, had another blocked and overall failed to sparkle, leading to him being withdrawn for Savinho early in the second half.

  Erling Haaland (7/10):

  Responded perfectly to the setback of having his penalty saved by finding the breakthrough goal, beating Konate in the air with an athletic leap and getting a whole load of power on the cross. Linked the play well by giving his team-mates wall passes from which to launch quick breaks. 

  Jeremy Doku (10/10):

  A truly phenomenal display from start to finish. Began playing all over the attack but was most dangerous down the left. Tore Conor Bradley apart from start to finish, earned the penalty, fuelled countless attacks with his dribbles and then adorned his performance with a magnificent strike.

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• Subs & Manager

  Savinho (5/10):

  Should have done more after replacing Cherki in the 52nd minute and his introduction initially led to Liverpool getting a grip on the play.

  Omar Marmoush (6/10):

  Looked keen to add to the goal rout but still looks a little rusty after his injury lay-off.

  Pep Guardiola (9/10):

  A near-perfect display from his team on his 1000th game. Got his selection spot on and knew exactly how to cause Liverpool harm. Only made two substitutions as there was very little he needed to change.

A new Southampton manager update has been shared from St Mary’s regarding a full-time move for interim boss Tonda Eckert.

Eckert responds to permanent Southampton job rumours

The Saints made the perfect start to life without Will Still in the week, defeating Queens Park Rangers 2-1 at Loftus Road.

Eckert was the man in charge of Southampton following Still’s exit, with second half goals from Jay Robinson and Leo Scienza lifting them above rivals Portsmouth.

The 3-4-2-1 caretaker is once again set to be on the touchline this weekend prior to the international break as St Mary’s play host to bottom side Sheffield Wednesday. Talking ahead of the game, Eckert was asked if he fancied the Southampton job on a permanent basis, to which he said:

“Look, the answer is very easy on this one. My job is to prepare the game today in the best way possible. My job is to prepare the game on Saturday (8th November) in the best way possible. That’s what all my focus is on. It’s going to be three very important days until Saturday. Then we can all take a breath.

“I think the only thing I can do is give energy and give a structure, and prepare them in the best way possible. We’re going to do the same thing for Saturday and hopefully confirm [the improvement] and then we’ll go into a break and go again.”

Now, a new update has emerged regarding Southampton’s position over Eckert.

How Southampton feel about full-time Tonda Eckert move

According to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, Southampton now “consider Eckert a potential candidate for the full-time job” following his winning start in temporary charge.

The 32-year-old’s coaching career has mainly been as an assistant, helping some iconic names such as Patrick Vieira at Genoa and Miroslav Klose at Bayern Munich’s U17 side.

His experience in England came during 18 months as an assistant at Barnsley, with Eckert taking charge of Southampton’s U21s in the summer.

1.FC Koln U17

Assistant manager

2013-2016

RB Salzburg YL

Assistant manager

2016-2017

RB Leipzig YL

Assistant manager

2017-2019

FC Bayern U17

Assistant manager

2019-2020

Barnsley

Assistant manager

2020-2022

Genoa

Assistant manager

2022-2025

Saints gem Moses Sesay has been impressed under Eckert, saying he is an “experienced” coach who “demands a lot” in training and is “big on detail”.

“I’ve enjoyed working with him. I took some time to get a good connection with him, because he was new, but I really like him. He’s a good coach. He’s very experienced. He demands a lot from us in training, but I like that as a player. He knows what he wants, which is good.

“Comparing Calum McFarlane (former under-21s boss) with Tonda, I think Cal was maybe a little bit more technical, but there hasn’t been much of a difference.

“Tonda is big on detail. He’s a very good coach. We’ve had good results since he came in and went a few games unbeaten. It’s been good under him.”

Positive words indeed, and if Eckert makes it two from two on Saturday, his stock could continue to rise.

Their own Lampard: "Very intelligent" coach now wants the Southampton job

Like father like son.

The New York Yankees made a splash on the trade market Tuesday when they acquired Chicago Cubs outfielder and first baseman Cody Bellinger plus $5 million in cash in exchange for pitcher Cody Poteet.

Cody won't be the first Bellinger to don the Yankee pinstripes. His father, Clay Bellinger, played for the Yankees from 1999 to '01, appearing in 181 total games for New York.

Clay played four seasons in the MLB, which includes a brief stint with the Anahem Angels after his time in the Bronx.

After Cody was dealt to the Yankees on Tuesday, the MLB posted a clip of Clay's first home run in the big leagues.

Clay hit a shot to left field and proceeded to circle the bases to a standing ovation from fans at the old Yankee Stadium.

Now, in just a few short months, Clay will get to walk down memory lane as he watches his son play in the same uniform. He wore No. 35 for the Yankees, a number which isn't retired and is currently available. Cody wore No. 35 in his first six seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers but wore No. 24 in his two seasons with the Cubs. We'll see if he picks up his dad's old jersey once he hits the Bronx.

The 's Sarah Langs posted that Clay and Cody Bellinger will be the fourth father-son duo to both wear the Yankee pinstripes.

The Yankees trade for Cody comes after the team missed out on the Juan Soto sweepstakes after he signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the crosstown rival New York Mets.

According to  Bob Nightengale, Bellinger will play center field for the Yankees, sliding American League MVP Aaron Judge over to right.

Borussia Dortmund summer signing Fabio Silva is already weighing up a shock January exit after struggling for minutes under Niko Kovac, with the Portugal international frustrated by his peripheral role and worried about missing out on the 2026 World Cup. The former Wolves forward has played just over 100 minutes in the Bundesliga, prompting talk of a rapid departure.

Silva already eyeing exit from Dortmund after summer move

Silva’s move from Wolves to Borussia Dortmund was supposed to be the moment his career finally stabilised after four loan spells across Europe. The Bundesliga club paid over €20 million (£17.5m) for the Portugal international and handed him a long-term deal until 2030, signalling belief in his long-term potential. But after an injury flagged up during his medical and a slow integration into Kovac’s plans, the early signs have not been encouraging.

The 23-year-old has managed nine appearances in total but has barely featured meaningfully, with those outings amounting to around 100 minutes across the season. His cameos have often been late substitutions, including a two-minute appearance in a 3-3 draw with Stuttgart that reportedly left him disappointed. Given Wolves’ own struggles up front, it has even been noted that Silva might have played more minutes had he remained in the Premier League.

With ambitions of making Portugal’s World Cup squad next year, Silva has grown increasingly concerned by his lack of opportunities. Sky Germany report that he is already considering a “lightning-fast exit” in January despite only joining Dortmund in late August. No formal discussions with club management have taken place so far, but Silva’s camp are believed to be exploring options as frustration rises.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSilva's has lacked continuity throughout his career…

Silva’s desire to leave stems from a wider pattern in his career, as he has struggled to find the right environment to develop. After joining Wolves in 2020 as one of Europe’s top teenage prospects, he never settled into the rhythm required to justify his £35 million fee. Loans to Anderlecht, PSV, Rangers and Las Palmas followed, with only his spell in Spain offering the promise of a long-term breakthrough. Even then, negotiations to secure him full-time in La Liga collapsed when demands from his camp reportedly put off several interested clubs.

Dortmund appeared to represent a turning point: a club famous for nurturing young talent and giving forwards the stage to explode. But his arrival coincided with competition in an already crowded attack, limiting his chances even when fully fit. Kovac has publicly praised Silva’s attitude, acknowledging: “Overall, I'm very satisfied with Fabio. However, we have many quality players up front… I hope we'll see more of him in the near future.” Despite this reassurance, matchday decisions have continued to cast doubt over Silva’s place in the hierarchy.

There is also the international dimension. Silva made his senior Portugal debut last year and received praise from national team coach Roberto Martinez, who recently suggested Silva could push for a World Cup place with strong club form; however, since then, Silva has not returned to the squad.

Silva's stop-start career at Borussia Dortmund

Silva's struggles have been compounded by how little of Dortmund’s football has flowed through him. The Portuguese forward has just one goal to his name, a substitute strike in a 4-2 win over Copenhagen in the DFB-Pokal, and his limited appearances have made it impossible for him to build chemistry with his new teammates. His first weeks in Germany were further disrupted by an injury detected during his medical, slowing his integration and making early momentum difficult to capture.

This has created a familiar scenario for Silva, after leaving Porto at 18, he moved through multiple leagues and playing styles, each demanding different physical and tactical adaptations. Spain appeared his most natural fit, with Las Palmas utilising his link-up play and movement effectively, but no permanent offer materialised due to protracted negotiations.

Dortmund, while appealing on paper, has so far become another stopgap rather than the stable foundation he needed. The Bundesliga club’s depth in attack and their reliance on more established forwards has left Silva on the fringes.

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Getty Images SportSilva and his World Cup pipe dream

A loan move in January appears increasingly likely unless Dortmund can offer a clear path to more regular minutes. With interest sure to come from clubs in Spain, where Silva thrived last season, and possibly Portugal, the striker may have several feasible routes out. His long-term contract gives Dortmund control, but accommodating his desire for meaningful minutes may be the only solution to prevent further unrest.

However, despite his heart aching for World Cup 2026 action, the chances of making Martinez's Portugal squad are highly unlikely unless Silva reaches world-class levels or Portugal suffer an unprecedented injury crisis.

Real Madrid have suffered another setback as Dean Huijsen has withdrawn from Spain duty due to muscle discomfort, raising concerns of a relapse of the soleus injury he suffered in October. The defender has been sent back to Madrid for tests, joining Kylian Mbappe and Eduardo Camavinga as the latest Los Blancos players to return early from international duty.

• Huijsen’s new setback and return to Madrid

  Madrid were dealt an unwelcome blow after Spain confirmed that Huijsen had been released from the national team camp due to renewed muscle discomfort. The defender was unavailable for the match against Georgia earlier in the week, and further assessment by La Roja’s medical staff confirmed he was not fit to continue.

  He will now return immediately to Valdebebas, where Madrid’s medical department will run full tests to determine whether this is a fresh issue or a recurrence of the soleus injury he suffered in October. Spain face Turkey next, but Huijsen will take no further part in the international break.

  Madrid are relieved he was not risked, but the timing raises concern. Only last month he was sent back from Spain duty with the same calf problem, treated in Madrid, and managed to recover just in time to rejoin the squad for El Clasico. The early fear now is that this latest discomfort may be a relapse of that injury.

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  How the injury began and how Madrid coped last time

  Huijsen’s current setback traces back to the soleus muscle tear he suffered during Spain’s October camp. The injury occurred in training, forcing him to withdraw before their World Cup qualifiers. Los Blancos confirmed a minor tear that required rest and a tailored recovery plan, keeping him out of the matches against Getafe and Juventus.

  During Huijsen’s absence, Madrid relied heavily on Eder Militao and Raul Asencio to stabilise the back line. His recovery was smooth enough for him to rejoin full training ahead of the season’s first El Clasico on October 26, where he made his return without complications.

  This month’s relapse comes during a period in which multiple Madrid players have been recalled early from international duty. Mbappe and Camavinga were also withdrawn from France’s squad earlier in the week.

• Mbappe and Camavinga also sent back from France duty

  France were forced into late changes when Mbappe and Camavinga were both released before the final World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan. Mbappe continues to manage recurring inflammation in his right ankle, an issue that resurfaced the morning after France’s 4-0 win over Ukraine, where he scored twice and reached 400 career goals.

  Although he completed the match, renewed discomfort prompted a joint decision between the French Football Federation (FFF) and Madrid to send him back for further evaluation. The French federation stressed that the decision was precautionary, with no indication of a serious injury, but Madrid preferred immediate testing to avoid aggravation ahead of a heavy schedule.

  Camavinga, meanwhile, had not trained all week due to left-hamstring discomfort. With no improvement and Khephren Thuram already brought in as cover, he was deemed unfit for both fixtures and was sent back to Spain. Madrid expect him to recover in time for the La Liga match against Elche on November 23.

  Both Mbappe and Camavinga are projected to be available after the break, but their simultaneous withdrawals underline the physical strain Madrid’s core players have been carrying.

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  How will Xabi Alonso navigates the weeks ahead?

  For Xabi Alonso, the coming days will revolve around clarity. Huijsen’s scans at Valdebebas will determine whether he faces a short spell of rest or a longer recovery similar to October. With Mbappé and Camavinga returning early as well, the manager must prepare for three possible absences as Madrid enter a demanding stretch of fixtures.

  Madrid resume their season against Elche on November 23, followed by a crucial Champions League match against Olympiacos on November 26 and a top-of-the-table meeting with Girona on November 30. Alonso may turn once again to Militao and Asencio if Huijsen is unavailable, while midfield rotation will depend heavily on Camavinga’s fitness and match readiness.

  The next 72 hours of medical evaluations will shape Alonso’s approach, but what is clear is that Madrid enter the post-break period with caution and the need for careful management of their biggest stars.