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Those who play sport at a professional level are often more disciplined and talented in other areas, having spent time during their youth focusing on multiple events in order to broaden their experiences.

While some athletes have to prioritise one sport over another, several footballers have given other sports a go following retirement. Some have even played another sport to a high standard while playing football at the top level.

Former Manchester United and Uruguay striker Diego Forlan made headlines in November 2024 as he made his pro tennis debut at the ripe old age of 45 – though it ended in defeat in his hometown of Montevideo.

Varane, Van Basten, Zidane: 11 footballers who retired early

Following Raphael Varane’s recent decision to bring an end to his career, here’s a look at players who retired earlier than expected.

By
Mark Marston

Sep 25, 2024

We have taken a look at those who have managed to pursue another sport after retiring, or even those who have managed to perform at a high level across two sports at the same time…

1

Diego Forlán

Tennis

The Uruguayan is best remembered on these shores for his poor spell with Manchester United, scoring just 17 goals for the Old Trafford side before joining Villarreal.

He lived up to his potential in Spain and led Uruguay to the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup, scoring five goals in the process. He has taken up tennis since retiring, making his professional debut in 2024.

Playing in the doubles alongside Federico Coria at the Uruguay Open, the former striker and his partner ended up losing 6-1 6-2 in the first round.

2

Andy Goram

Cricket

Andy Goram will be remembered as one of the greatest goalkeepers in Glasgow Rangers history, playing under Walter Smith for seven years and being a key component of the team that claimed nine league titles in a row.

However, he could well have made it as a cricketer. Goram is the last person to represent Scotland at both football and cricket, playing five times in the latter between 1989 and 1991.

He even faced Australia, scoring six runs against them in the process.

3

Curtis Woodhouse

Boxing

Curtis Woodhouse played in the Premier League during his spell at Birmingham City, while also enjoying stints with Sheffield United, Peterborough United and Hull City, eventually making over 300 professional appearances.

After he retired, Woodhouse began making a name for himself on the boxing scene, turning professional in 2006.

During his second career, the former defender fought 31 times in total, winning 24 of those bouts, with 13 of those coming via knockout. A solid record indeed.

4

Petr Cech

Ice hockey

Petr Cech was arguably one of Chelsea’s finest signings during the Roman Abramovich era, making nearly 500 competitive appearances for the Blues over 11 years, winning the Champions League, four Premier League titles and a host of other honours in London.

Once he hung up his gloves, Cech started playing ice hockey for Guildford Phoenix, before making his professional debut for the Belfast Giants in the Elite League last November.

The 42-year-old has certainly transferred his skills over from football to hockey, and he could well be a fixture in the latter sport for the next few years.

Todd Boehly's worst transfers at Chelsea… so far

There are plenty to choose from, but who has been Boehly’s biggest mistake at Stamford Bridge?

2

By
Stephan Georgiou

Aug 23, 2024

5

Tim Wiese

Wrestling

Tim Wiese was known for his seven seasons with German Bundesliga side Werder Bremen between 2005/06 and 2011/12, where he made a total of 266 appearances for the club, winning the German Cup in 2009.

The former goalkeeper kept 81 clean sheets for the club during his spell while receiving six caps for the German national team. Wiese was part of the 2010 World Cup and 2012 European Championship squads, but didn’t make an appearance in either competition.

Following his retirement, Wiese revealed that he had been offered a WWE developmental contract, making the transition from football to wrestling.

He went on to sign for WWE in 2016, wrestling for them in November 2016, where he acquitted himself fairly well, possible due to the incredible physique he had developed since retiring from football.

6

Rafael van der Vaart

Darts

In recent years, darts and the Netherlands have become as synonymous as football and Brazil, producing players such as Raymond van Barneveld and Michael van Gerwen.

Former Ajax and Real Madrid star Rafael van der Vaart, who played over 100 times for his country, turned to darts following his retirement from football, although he wasn’t exactly destined to be like Van Gerwen.

Playing in the BDO Denmark Open in 2019, the former attacking midfielder made an impressive start, winning his first tie, but he lost in the following round to Mogens Christensen, averaging just 54 in the process.

7

Bixente Lizarazu

Brazilian jiu-jitsu

Bixente Lizarazu made over 600 appearances in a career which saw him shine for France as they won the World Cup and European Championship in 1998 and 2000 respectively, before claiming the Champions League with Bayern Munich in 2001.

After retirement, the defender turned his eye to something new – Brazilian jiu-jitsu – which he started in 2009. He even became the European champion of the sport in the senior division, showing how good Lizarazu had become at the sport.

8

Gareth Bale

Golf

After Wales secured qualification for Euro 2020, Gareth Bale unfurled a banner which read: “Wales. Golf. Madrid.,” which worsened his relations with the club side Real Madrid.

It was no secret that Bale’s love of golf had seen him get out on the course more often than playing for his club, but since retirement, the Welshman took it up a notch.

He has played in several events, including the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, BMW PGA Pro-Am, and the All-Star Ryder Cup. At the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship Pro-Am, Bale shot under par during his round at Carnoustie – no mean feat considering how difficult the course is, even for professionals.

With plenty of time to spare now he has retired, Bale has the chance to play as often as he likes, wherever he likes. He is also an ambassador for Underrated Golf, which provides opportunities for youngsters in Wales to hone their skills on the course.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez attempted to cheer Kylian Mbappe up after the Frenchman put in a horror showing against Atletico Madrid.

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• Perez encouraged Mbappe after bad display
• Frenchman wasn't at his best against Atletico
• Failed to scored for the third game in a row

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 2-1 in the Champions League round of 16 first-leg clash on Tuesday evening, but beyond the result a significant moment took place behind the scenes. After the match, Florentino Perez, president of Real Madrid, went to the dressing room to motivate his players, paying particular attention to Kylian Mbappe, who had struggled to make an impact at the Santiago Bernabeu.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  As usual, Perez went down to the dressing room to greet his players and analyse the clash against Atletico. After congratulating Carlo Ancelotti's squad for their efforts, he took the time to talk at length with Mbappe.

  The French striker, who played the full 90 minutes, failed to make the difference against the solid system set up by Diego Simeone, causing some frustration among the Madrid fans. He had the chance to set Vinicius Jr up for the team's third goal, but took a touch too many as Marcos Llorente intercepted the Frenchman's low pass before it could reach the Brazilian.

• WHAT FLORENTINO PEREZ SAID

  Aware of the disappointment visible on Mbappe's face, Perez did not hesitate to offer a few words of encouragement to him, according to information reported by . Recalling the former PSG player's key role in the make-or-break play-off against Manchester City, he told him: "We are here thanks to your three goals against City."

  Despite his poor performance against Atletico, Mbappe retains the total confidence of his president, who reportedly told him: "The next [match] will be better."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KYLIAN MBAPPE?

  After this European hiccup, Mbappe knows he will be expected to perform in the second leg against Atletico, with Real holding a slender one-goal advantage following Brahim Diaz's winner in midweek. Mbappe will next be in action against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday, with Carlo Ancelotti's men having the opportunity to bounce back from last weekend's surprise defeat by Real Betis.

Bruno Fernandes showed support to former Manchester United team-mate Paul Pogba as his doping ban finally ended.

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• Fernandes shows support to Pogba
• Frenchman's doping ban ended on Tuesday
• Linked with a move to MLS

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Pogba is finally eligible to play professional football once again after his doping ban ended on Tuesday. The midfielder was originally handed a four-year suspension but saw that cut to 18 months on appeal by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The Frenchman will be available to sign for a new club as a free agent after Juventus terminated his contract back in November 2024.

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• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  On the day his suspension ended, the World Cup winner resumed training in full throttle and shared a clip from the session on his Instagram page with the caption: "Someone is back".

  In the comment section, Pogba's former United colleague Fernandes shared a message of support as he wrote: "Best mode activated." Players like Karim Benzema, Jesse Lingard and Aaron Wan-Bissaka also liked the original post.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Pogba will be eager to make up for lost time, as he has not played competitive football since August 2023. The 31-year-old has been happy to show off glimpses of his training regime over the last few months as he prepares to return to action.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PAUL POGBA?

  The Frenchman has been linked with a move to clubs in MLS as well as in the Saudi Pro League. A move to Marseille and a third spell at Manchester United have also been reported as possible options for Pogba. The MLS transfer window will be open until April, but it remains to be seen if an American club will go after Pogba.

Everton may have avoided relegation by 14 points last season, but it was hardly one to remember for the Toffees as they finished 15th in the Premier League.

Things aren’t exactly going much better this term either for Sean Dyche’s men, who have won just twice in the top flight.

Many players who Dyche was hoping to rely on have failed to deliver. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored just two goals all season, while defender Michael Keane has started nine of the club’s 11 league games due to Jarrad Branthwaite’s injury issues.

A few have shone, and they could be the reason for Everton retaining their top-flight status for another season.

Everton’s best performers this season

Dwight McNeil has been excellent in a number 10 role, scoring three goals and supplying three assists in the Premier League, shining under Dyche this term. Iliman Ndiaye has also scored three goals for the club and the presence of these two in the final third has given the Merseyside faithful some hope.

With Orel Mangala and Abdoulaye Dououre running things in midfield, there are plenty of positives for Everton, that’s for sure. The key thing now is to string a run of victories together to move up the table.

One of the surprise hits of the campaign, however, has been the form of Ashley Young, who has performed excellently at right-back for the club.

Ashley Young’s statistics this season

Last season, Young made 31 league appearances for the Toffees. Despite missing only seven games, he ranked in the bottom 50% of positionally similar players in Europe for tackles, interceptions, aerial duels won and progressive passes per 90 last season.

It was clear that he was underperforming and while earning £40k-per-week in the process, a wage that Dyche would have liked to get off the bill, he should have been out the door.

He wasn’t released during the summer, remaining at the club after penning a new deal, and with Nathan Patterson struggling with injury, Young became the first choice at right-back.

The 29-year-old has started all but two of the club’s top-flight games this season, registering three assists in that time, enjoying somewhat of a resurgence for Everton.

Among the first-team squad, Young currently ranks second for assists (3), fourth for accurate passes per game (27.6), second for key passes per game (1.4) and fourth for tackles per match (2.4), demonstrating how effective he has been for the team this term.

The veteran defender has certainly established himself in the starting XI and, given how good he has been recently, is Young becoming undroppable?

Patterson may be the long-term option on the right side of the defence, but it appears as though the former Manchester United star has this position sewn up at present.

There is no doubt Young is enjoying an Indian summer this campaign, and it will be interesting to see if his form continues when the domestic calendar returns.

Fewer touches than Pickford: Dyche must now finally ditch Everton star

The Everton man struggled against West Ham

1

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 9, 2024

It might not be the way the coach dreamt his side would play, but he must keep dancing with the devil to take his team to the final in Bilbao

"They didn't play football, they just defend, defend, defend. And as we say in my country, they brought the bus and they left the bus in front of the goal." That was how Jose Mourinho introduced the concept of 'parking the bus' into English football after his Chelsea side had drawn 0-0 against Tottenham during his debut season in the Premier League. He could easily, though, have been talking about Manchester United's ultra-defensive performance in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

Despite using the term to belittle his opponents, Mourinho has ended up being associated with the term more than any other coach. When he was in charge of Manchester United, Manchester City fans would sing "Park the bus, Man United" to ridicule their rivals' defensive style of play, which contrasted with City's attacking and courageous tactics under Pep Guardiola, the Portuguese's arch-nemesis. Mourinho, for his part, grew to see his pragmatism as a virtue, and some of his greatest wins as a manager came from parking the bus, most memorably during Chelsea's 2-0 win at Anfield in 2014 which wrecked Liverpool's Premier League title hopes.

Ruben Amorim, though, did not exactly revel in his side's use of negative tactics against Arsenal as he almost apologised for his side's strategy. "When you coach Manchester United, you cannot play too much like that," he told . "Sometimes we have to do things that are not popular, but if you want to win and imagine one way to win, we have to do it because, in the end, we need the points.

"We don't want to play like this, defending so much and giving the ball to the opponent. But with all the games, with all the problems and then the characteristics of the players, we tried to adapt and imagine the game that we could win, and we proved that today."

Amorim was hinting that he would only use such tactics again sparingly, but he needs to forget his hang-ups, embrace his inner Mourinho and park the bus all the way to winning the Europa League…

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  Possession fallacy

  When Amorim arrived at United in November, he made two declarations that were slightly contradictory. First he hailed the influence of Mourinho, whom he had shadowed for a week at Carrington when he working on his coaching diploma. He then he outlined that he was not going to compromise on his style of play. "As a coach you have to choose one way or another, I choose always 100 percent our way," he said. "I choose to risk a bit. I believe so much in our way of playing, they will believe too. There is no second way."

  But the Arsenal game was the latest sign that Amorim ready to compromise. United had less than 32 percent possession against the Gunners, the lowest amount since they had last faced Arsenal in the FA Cup in January. United had just 29.6% of the ball that day, with the caveat that they played the final half-hour and all of extra-time with 10 men. That win on penalties was arguably the greatest result of Amorim's brief and chaotic time in charge of United thus far.

  But it was not the best result he had enjoyed all season; that was when his Sporting CP side obliterated Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League in November. That magical night at the Estadio Jose Alvalade was also the lowest amount of possession an Amorim side has had all season, as they saw only 27.3% of the ball. In other words, the idea that Amorim always wants to dominate the ball is a fallacy. While it is true that his Sporting side would monopolise the ball in most of their league games – in a division where they were one of the three biggest spenders – he was happy to cede possession to superior opponents.

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  3-4-3 becomes 5-5-0

  Sunday's clash was the fifth occasion in United's last six games in which they had the lower amount of possession. The only time in that period when they had more of the ball was against Everton, when they did not play well at all before battling back to draw 2-2, though they were fortunate to avoid conceding a last-minute penalty at Goodison Park.

  Indeed, some of United's worst performances under Amorim have been when they have had more of the ball. They had 60 percent possession when they were thrashed 3-0 at home by Bournemouth and had also had more of the ball against Newcastle in one of their worst displays of the season.

  Against Arsenal, Amorim played fast and loose with the 3-4-3 formation that has been the hallmark of his coaching career, turning it into a 5-4-1 when out of possession. Joshua Zirkzee's deep positioning often made it seem like a 5-5-0 as the Dutchman rarely ventured into the opposition box and focused more on holding the ball up than getting forward. The defensive shape made United more cohesive than they have been on many occasions under Amorim.

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  Countering suits these players

  A good understanding was formed by wing-backs Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot, who combined for one of the best moves of the game as the Moroccan's volley was saved by David Raya. In the middle, Bruno Fernandes worked in tandem with Casemiro, who delivered one of his best displays in recent memory and sparked a move that could have seen United re-take the lead late on when he mugged Mikel Merino, only for Declan Rice to stop the ponderous Rasmus Hojlund in his tracks with a slide tackle.

  Mazraoui, who has been hit and miss when deployed as a wing-back, looked much more effective with his team playing on the counter rather than when trying to build possession in the middle of the pitch. Zirkzee did not have a great game, but he did look better as a linking target man who controlled long balls rather than as a No. 10 trying to orchestrate play. Alejandro Garnacho has had a frustrating period under Amorim, but he had one of his best games in recent memory against Arsenal. He repeatedly got the better of Riccardo Calafiori, with Gary Neville on commentary for saying that the Argentine had gotten into the Italian's head.

  And there's the nub of the situation Amorim has in front of him. He has inherited a squad of players that had never previously played in a 3-4-3 and are not suited to his vision of play. But these players did have success in Erik ten Hag's first season, as well as in last season's FA Cup run, playing in a more pragmatic way, keeping things tight at the back and hitting teams on the counter.

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  Fans galvanised

  Amorim said he could feel fans getting frustrated with United's approach against Arsenal at times, but on the whole Old Trafford was fired up and seemed to feed off the team's work-rate and attitude. While supporters obviously want to see attacking football and thrilling wing play, they also want to see crunching tackles and players giving their all. United did just that on Sunday and the crowd oved it. As the coach said: "The spirit, the following the plan that is a good thing, an example for the future."

  The Old Trafford faithful were delighted by Matthijs de Ligt's aggression and enjoyed Casemiro breathing down the Gunners' necks. They were energised by the sweeping counter-attacks they saw, which compensated for sitting deep in a low block for much of the game. Lets not forget that Louis van Gaal's slow, meandering possession football bored supporters to death to the point that attendances dropped and club directors began to get concerned that people were not going to renew their season tickets.

  And Sir Jim Ratcliffe enjoyed it too, despite the less than complimentary chants he was subjected to both before and during the game. "I thought it was a really impressive performance. They could not have worked harder. They couldn’t have been more committed," he said in his interview with the following day.

Glasgow Rangers find themselves at arguably their lowest ebb since before Steven Gerrard took over the Ibrox club in May 2018.

Trailing leaders Celtic by 11 points and second place Aberdeen by eight points, the Light Blues Premiership challenge appears over before anyone has opened their advent calendars.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst lost his job two years ago after trailing Celtic by nine points, while Michael Beale was given the boot with his club trailing their Old Firm rivals by seven points after just seven matches.

Why then, with things certainly not looking like they will change anytime soon, is Philippe Clement still in his current role? The Gers are devoid of all confidence while playing without a distinct style that has made them unwatchable at times this season.

On Sunday evening, there were plenty of rumours circulating around social media that the Belgian had been removed from his position, but that proved to be a false dawn, as Clement remains in charge of the Ibrox side ahead of the Europa League clash against OGC Nice on Thursday evening.

It almost appears inevitable that he will leave, however, which sparks the question, who will be the next manager in the Rangers dugout?

The managers who could replace Clement at Rangers

Kevin Muscat is a name that has been floated a few times over the last couple of years. When Van Bronckhorst left, the Australian was linked with a move to Glasgow – where he spent a single season as a player in 2002/03 – before allegedly speaking to the club once Beale had left last year.

Might it be third time lucky for the coach who has won league titles in three different countries? The Ibrox faithful will hope that is the case.

Elsewhere, current Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner was linked, but he will be off the table this time.

There are numerous managers who are currently available for work who could be excellent appointments. Ruud Van Nistelrooy and Sergio Conceicao are names that immediately spring to mind. Whether Rangers have the budget to bring either of them in is another question.

One name that hasn’t been specifically linked with the role but who could be an interesting appointment is Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who has found himself out of work since leaving Manchester United a few years ago.

Whether he wishes to get back into the cutthroat nature of club management is unknown, but he could certainly get a few players in the squad firing on all cylinders.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast's Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s managerial statistics

The former Man United forward enjoyed his greatest success in charge of Molde, where he won two league titles and a Norwegian Cup. In between these two spells in his homeland, Solskjaer had a stint at Cardiff City, although he was unable to prevent their relegation back to the English Championship during the 2013/14 campaign.

Following José Mourinho’s sacking at Old Trafford in December 2018, the Norwegian was appointed as caretaker manager, despite being in charge of Molde at the time.

A few months later, after a wonderful interim spell in charge, he was appointed as manager on a full-time basis, going on to lead the club to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League.

The 2019/20 season was his first full one in charge of the Red Devils, and they finished third in the league, their second-highest position since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. It looked like Solskjaer could finally be the man to lead the club back to the summit of English football.

Former defender Phil Jones even hailed Solskjaer’s man-management skills as being “terrific” suggesting he was bringing the squad together in ways not seen for a few years.

If it was not for Manchester City, then he would have succeeded, as the runners-up in 2020/21 was as good as it got for the Norwegian manager. Following a dismal start to the next campaign, he was sacked in November after a 4-1 defeat to Watford.

Ibrox wouldn’t faze him surely and given the fact he managed to get the best out of players such as Bruno Fernandes, the 51-year-old could get someone like Ianis Hagi firing on all fronts between now and the rest of the season…

Why Solskajaer could bring the best out of Hagi

Fernandes signed in January 2020 and was an immediate hit at Old Trafford. 20 goal contributions came in his first few months before the maestro scored 28 goals and grabbed 17 assists during his only full season under Solskjaer.

It was clear he was thriving in a 4-2-3-1 system utilised by the Norwegian and this could benefit Hagi, who can use his creativity as a number ten to good effect.

During the 2020/21 campaign, the Romanian was used wide right on as a number ten by Gerrard, registering 23 goal contributions across all competitions.

His lack of pace was sometimes an issue out wide, whereas when deployed through the middle, he could use his wonderful technical abilities to cause all sorts of chaos to opposition defences up and down the country.

Fernandes was incredible during his one full campaign under the Norwegian, befitting playing in his favoured position and being given so much freedom.

Hagi has been on the sidelines this term due to a contractual dispute, but with this solved, Solskajer could be the ideal manager to get him back firing on all cylinders yet again.

If used correctly, the 4-2-3-1 system that the former United manager uses could get the best out of several players at Ibrox, Hagi included.

It may sound like a longshot, but Solskjaer has experience managing one of, if not the biggest clubs in the world, managing to get the likes of Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and other world-class talents all to tick.

Given time, he could be the man to resurrect Rangers. The question is, will the board see him as a viable option to replace Clement? Only time will tell.

Tavernier axed, future £30m star signs: Rangers' dream XI after January

Rangers could do some transfer business during the winter window…

By
Ross Kilvington

Nov 24, 2024

The Blaugrana are top of La Liga but their game in hand has been scheduled for Thursday, meaning they'll have to play four times in nine days

Barcelona were reportedly in the middle of a training session when Hansi Flick heard the news. The club's Liga clash with Osasuna had been rescheduled by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for Thursday, March 27.

Flick was furious. The new date meant that he would probably be unable to call upon regulars Raphinha and Ronald Araujo for the must-win meeting with Osasuna as the pair will have only just returned from international duty with their respective nations in South America.

There was also the fact that the rearrangement meant that Barca were suddenly facing the daunting prospect of playing four times in nine days at a crucial and already congested stage of the season.

Flick felt the fixture list was unfair. He immediately feared fatigue might end up taking a heavy toll on a team still competing on three fronts and ultimately undermine Barca's Spanish title bid in particular. And, in fairness, one can easily understand why…

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  Barca 'must be better prepared physically'

  During the build-up to Barca's first meeting with Osasuna this season, Flick felt compelled to freshen things up. His Blaugrana side had made a stunning start to their Liga campaign, winning their first seven matches, and scoring 23 times in the process.

  However, Flick knew that one of Barca's biggest problems under his predecessor, Xavi Hernandez, had been their costly propensity for fading during the final quarter of games.

  Club president Joan Laporta had even stated last summer, "Flick knows that the players need to be prepared better physically."

  Rotation, then, was always going to be essential, especially due to the demanding nature of the German's tactical game-plan, which relies heavily on intensive pressing.

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• 'Rest was required'

  So, after spotting the first signs of fatigue in a laboured 1-0 victory over Getafe on September 25, Flick decided to drop some of his regular starters to the bench for the game away to Osasuna three days later.

  Unfortunately, Barca were outplayed in Pamplona, losing 4-2 despite the second-half introductions of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha – but Flick felt he'd been left with no other option.

  "We made a lot of mistakes, we made a lot of rotations to the team and maybe that's one reason why, but they were necessary, as there are a lot of games and a lot of minutes already accumulated," the German coach explained to reporters.

  "I told the team that I am responsible. It's my responsibility to take care of the players, and some of them had played too many minutes. Their rest was required."

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  Barca's reliance on Raphinha

  In that context, 's claim that Flick is fuming right now seems perfectly plausible.

  Raphinha has been Barca's player of the season so far, with the Brazil international's 27 goals and 18 assists having put him in pole position to win this year's Ballon d'Or.

  The versatile winger has also started more games than any of his team-mates (41) and has emerged as one of the Blaugrana's most influential figures on and off the field, particularly in the injury-enforced absence of club captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

  Consequently, Raphinha missing his first game of the entire campaign would represent a major blow for Barca.

  Araujo's possible absence would be less keenly felt as Barca coped brilliantly without the Uruguay defender while he was sidelined with hamstring trouble – thanks in no small part to Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez.

  However, both centre-backs have had their own fitness issues and there's no guarantee that either man will be in optimal condition for the Osasuna game, which is far from ideal in the circumstances.

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  A tight title race

  Barca may be top of La Liga with a game in hand over second-placed Real Madrid but the two great rivals are only separated by goal difference.

  Any slip-up, against Osasuna on Thursday, Girona on Sunday or Betis on Saturday week could prove very costly and eradicate the advantage the Catalans currently hold over the second-placed Blancos, who don't return to Liga action until Saturday night, when they host Leganes at the Santiago Bernabeu.

  Depressingly, that has led to utterly unfounded and incredibly distasteful accusations within Catalunya that the allegedly pro-Madrid footballing authorities were effectively taking advantage of the tragic death of team doctor Carles Minarro Garcia, which necessitated the postponement of the original Osasuna fixture on March 7, to impose an even more gruelling schedule upon Barca.

With Callum Wilson on course to leave Newcastle United at the end of the season, PIF are reportedly interested in signing a Premier League forward who’s already got a hat-trick to his name against the Magpies.

Newcastle transfer news

Those in Tyneside have struggled to find consistency so far this season, having endured a summer transfer window to forget with Paul Mitchell at the helm for the first time. Spending the majority of the window on a failed pursuit to sign Marc Guehi, Newcastle opted out of turning to alternative options and have struggled to reach their best form ever since under Eddie Howe.

Looking to put things right in 2025, Mitchell has already reportedly set his sights on some fresh attacking options for Newcastle. Names such as Bryan Mbeumo and Antoine Semenyo have recently stolen plenty of headlines and could yet emerge to hand the Magpies a major boost going forward. And they’re not the only Premier League options that they could turn to.

According to Caught Offside, PIF and Newcastle are now interested in signing Evan Ferguson in 2025 amid his struggle to break into Fabian Hurzeler’s strongest side at Brighton & Hove Albion. Still valued at £60m nonetheless, the forward could yet leave the Amex on loan with the likes of West Ham United and Rangers also interested ahead of January.

Newcastle willing to accept bid for £120k-p/w star after Howe blocked exit

He’s lost his starting place…

By
Tom Cunningham

Dec 1, 2024

Fans at St James’ Park should already be well aware of Ferguson’s quality after he scored a hat-trick against Newcastle at the start of last season, as Brighton sealed a 3-1 victory at the Amex.

A forward who’d be a ready-made replacement for Wilson, Ferguson could yet sharpen what has been a blunt Newcastle attack at times in the current campaign under Howe.

"Amazing" Ferguson needs Brighton exit

As Brighton have grown in quality, it’s players like Ferguson who have suffered from their success, particularly whilst Joao Pedro continues to steal the headlines this season. Still just 20 years old though, there’s no doubt that the Irishman is still a player full of potential, but game time will be key at such an age – game time that Isak’s recent unavailability would have offered him at St James’ Park.

The young forward has earned plenty of praise at The Amex, including from former teammate Alexis Mac Allister, who told reporters as relayed by BBC Sport: “Evan is an amazing player. He was not having his best evening, but he showed his quality. We are really happy for him, we know how important he is.”

Of course, if Newcastle chase Ferguson’s signature on a permanent basis then his £60m price tag may see them fall behind in the race, especially amid previous profit and sustainability concerns. After failing to recruit well enough last summer, however, Mitchell must make a statement in the form of reinforcements when 2025 arrives.

Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min has named the unseen teenager who’s really “excited” him at Spurs, with the South Korean suggesting he is one to watch and a “similar age” to the highly-rated Mikey Moore.

Tottenham return to winning ways with 5-0 victory over Southampton

Following a barren run of one win in eight games across all competitions, the under-pressure Ange Postecoglou sealed what was a convincing and much-needed 5-0 win away to struggling Southampton on Sunday.

Club president contacts £60m Tottenham ace in "major operation" to sign him

They’re set for “several meetings” over the “difficult deal” ahead of January.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 14, 2024

All of their goals came in the first half, with James Maddison (2), Son, Dejan Kulusevski and Pape Matar Sarr rounding off a superb attacking display and putting the final nail in manager Russell Martin’s coffin – who was sacked by Southampton soon afterwards.

Alongside the goalscorers, there were a few noteworthy performances on display at St. Mary’s Stadium, with right-back Djed Spence seriously impressing for Spurs on his first full Premier League start and 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall doing the same.

Postecoglou’s squad has been stretched to the bare bones due to injury problems, so the Australian seriously needs his usual fringe players to come in and do a job, with both Spence and Bergvall obliging in solid fashion.

“They were great,” said Postecoglou on Bergvall and Spence.

“Lucas is growing all the time, but he’s 18. Archie is 18 and how many Premier League clubs are going to start two 18-year-olds in their line-up. Djed has had to bide his time. To be fair, it’s the one area of the pitch where we’ve had cover this year with Archie playing at right-back, so he’s had to be patient.

“It’s a testament to him and the coaches who have worked with him in training that he could come on today. We needed him for sure, not just to play but to make an impact and he did. Great reward for his patience and perseverance.”

Tottenham’s lack of options means Postecoglou looks set to turn to younger members of his squad for the foreseeable future, and they now have another teenage sensation to call upon.

18-year-old summer signing Yang min-Hyeok, who was originally meant to link up with the Tottenham squad in January after his loan spell back at Gangwon, has joined them one month earlier than planned.

The South Korean starlet has bagged 12 goals and five assists in 38 league games for Gangwon across 2024, with Postecoglou now set to benefit from his arrival, even if he still isn’t eligible to play until January 1.

Son Heung-min praises Yang min-Hyeok after arrival at Tottenham

As the unseen youngster waits to make his club debut, Son has praised Yang after his arrival at Tottenham, expressing his excitement over the winger’s arrival and revealing what supporters can expect from his compatriot.

“He’s a similar age to Mikey Moore,” said Son to Standard Sport.

“Everyone loves Mikey and when Yang is here I hope everyone loves him like Mikey. He’s been fantastic in his first season in the K-League, scored 12 goals and a lot of assists. He’s bright. He’s not scared.

“He’s a very bright player so I’m excited he’s coming here and I’ll try to help him as much as I can. But we just have to avoid putting pressure on him. The football side is the most important thing for him [to focus on].”

Tottenham chiefs also believe Yang can go on to be a “special” player, and there is confidence within N17 that the forward could go on to become one of their biggest bargains in recent memory (GiveMeSport).

Arsenal will lock horns with Tottenham in a pre-season north London derby in Hong Kong.

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• Arsenal to face Spurs on July 31
• First north London derby to be held outside the UK
• Gunners to visit Hong Kong for the first time since 2012

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Football fans in Hong Kong are in for a treat as Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur prepare to renew their fierce rivalry in a pre-season North London derby at the newly constructed Kai Tak Stadium on July 31 as part of their 2025-26 season preparations. This highly anticipated match will be historic, marking the first time Arsenal and Tottenham will play each other outside the UK. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM local time (11:30 AM BST).

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The clash between Arsenal and Spurs is one of the headline fixtures in the Hong Kong Football Festival, an event that will also feature other top European teams. As part of the festivities, Liverpool will take on AC Milan in a high-profile showdown on July 26. For Arsenal, this trip marks a return to Hong Kong after 13 years, with their last visit coming in 2012. Tottenham, meanwhile, will be venturing into new territory after touring Japan and South Korea in 2024.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  Speaking about the tour, Arsenal's Managing Director, Richard Garlick said: "Playing against Tottenham Hotspur in the magnificent new Kai Tak Stadium will be a great experience for both teams and supporters and will be a very important part of our pre-season preparations ahead of the new season.”

  Whereas, Ryan Norys, chief revenue officer at Spurs added: "There are few bigger occasions in English football than a North London derby and to play this fixture in Hong Kong will be a huge occasion for our passionate fanbase across Asia, as well as providing ideal preparation for the team ahead of the new season. As is tour tradition, the Club will be involved in so much more than the match itself when we visit, supporting charitable causes, celebrating local culture, delivering football clinics for young people and engaging with fans and partners."

• WATCH THE CLIP