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Some of the big names of the league upped their game and had standout seasons. Here’s a look at them

Hemant Brar27-May-2024

Narine the batter

Not many would have expected Sunil Narine to return as an opener in an IPL season where bowlers were allowed two bouncers in an over. Even fewer would have expected him to succeed, let alone have his best season with the bat. Narine ended the tournament with 488 runs – the most for champions Kolkata Knight Riders – at an average of 34.85 and a strike rate of 180.74. Before 2024, Narine had four 50-plus scores in the IPL. He doubled that tally this season, including smashing his maiden T20 hundred. Add his bowling exploits to it – 17 wickets at an economy of 6.69 – and it’s arguably the greatest season for any player in any league in the world.

Bumrah at his miserly best

In a season where the scoring rates went through the roof, Jasprit Bumrah was the standout bowler with an economy rate of 6.48. This was also Bumrah’s best economy rate in an IPL season, bettering 6.63 in 2019. That year, the overall economy rate in the tournament was 8.27; this year it was 9.41, which makes Bumrah’s performance even more remarkable. Bumrah was also the most economical bowler in the powerplay (6.00) and at the death (6.06) among those who bowled at least five overs in those phases. He went for less than six an over in seven out of the 13 games he played this season.Related

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Kohli tames strike-rate demons

With the Impact Player rule giving teams an extra batter, the anchor has become an outdated concept in the IPL. That was also the reason Virat Kohli freed himself from the self-imposed restrictions and showed more intent this year. The result was his highest strike rate in an IPL season: 154.69 (previous best: 152.03 in 2016). What stood out was his approach in the powerplay and the use of the slog sweep against spinners. In the first six overs, he struck at 161.47. It was a significant jump from his previous best of 139.54 (in 2018) in that phase. His strike rate against spinners was 137.08, his best against them since 2017.

Abhishek’s six appeal

Abhishek Sharma made his IPL debut in 2018, but this was the season where he made everyone sit up and take notice. Opening the innings for Sunrisers Hyderabad, he and Travis Head rewrote the template of T20 batting. Abhishek hit 42 sixes in the tournament – the most in IPL 2024 and the most for an Indian batter in a single edition of the IPL. He was equally brutal against pace and spin, which helped him become the first batter to score 400 runs in a T20 league without lasting 30 balls in any of the innings. All told, he scored 484 runs at an average of 32.26 and a strike rate of 204.21.Riyan Parag and Sanju Samson were the backbone of the Rajasthan Royals middle order•AFP via Getty Images

Samson’s consistency

Over the years, a major criticism of Sanju Samson has been his lack of consistency. He would invariably start an IPL season with a bang but it would soon turn into a whimper. This time, taking that little bit extra time at the start of his innings helped him stay consistent and he crossed 500 runs in a season for the first time in his IPL career. His five 50-plus scores was also a personal best. In all, he amassed 531 runs at an average of 48.27 and a strike rate of 153.46, for which he was rewarded with a place in India’s T20 World Cup squad.

Parag’s breakout season

Riyan Parag finally repaid Rajasthan Royals for years and years of backing. After topping the runs chart in the latest Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Parag finished IPL 2024 as the highest run-scorer for his team, and the third-highest overall. Before this season, Parag had 600 runs in 44 IPL innings, at an average of 16.21 and a strike rate of 123.96. In 14 innings this season, he almost doubled that tally, scoring 573 at 52.09 with a strike rate of 149.21. Along with Samson, he formed the engine room of RR’s batting line-up and struck four half-centuries.

Karthik takes on spinners

Playing his last season at the age of 38, Dinesh Karthik did not stop improving. For the last five IPL seasons, he was one of the best hitters against pace in the death overs. This year, he unlocked his potential against spin, too. He smashed 63 off 38 balls against spinners without getting out even once. That gave him a strike rate of 165.78 – his highest ever against spin in an IPL season. His previous best was 160 in 2008, but since then he had never crossed 140. His overall tally of 326 runs this season, at a strike rate of 187.35, briefly put him in contention for India’s T20 World Cup squad as well, but that was not to be.

On Tuesday night, the veteran served a reminder that he could still do the job at the top level

Deivarayan Muthu06-Apr-20223:01

Brathwaite: Karthik has a clear mind while batting

In January 2019, R Ashwin had tweeted: “Just going through some batting numbers of Dinesh Karthik over the last 18 months and it’s not surprising to see that he has become one of the best finishers in the world right now. This version of DK is all that he ever wanted to be, I am very happy for him.”Karthik made it to India’s 50-over World Cup squad that year, largely on the back of his finishing skills in the shortest format. However, after he managed only 14 runs in two innings, including a 25-ball six in the semi-final that India lost to New Zealand, he was axed from the set-up altogether.Related

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Restless rookie to calm finisher: Dinesh Karthik's evolution

However, that didn’t stop him from unlocking his best version: the finisher. During the 2019-20 Vijay Hazare Trophy, where Karthik captained Tamil Nadu to final, he told ESPNcricinfo that he’s targeting an MS Dhoni-like finishing role. After having closed out multiple white-ball games for Tamil Nadu over the past few seasons, Karthik served a reminder that he could still do the job at the top level.He did it against Punjab Kings in Royal Challengers Bangalore’s opening game in IPL 2022. He did it again in Royal Challengers’ second, helping them survive a scare against his former franchise Kolkata Knight Riders. On Tuesday, against Rajasthan Royals, Karthik unveiled his best version once again, and Ashwin, who has seen his evolution from close quarters, was at the receiving end.When Karthik had walked out to bat, Royals Challengers were 87 for 5 in the ninth over, chasing 171 on an atypical Wankhede track where the ball gripped and turned. Yuzvendra Chahal was running riot against his former franchise, with Ashwin ably backing him up until he ran into a red-hot Karthik in the 14th over.The pair go back a long way: Karthik was Ashwin’s captain in the Tamil Nadu side that won the inaugural Syed Mushtaq Ali title in 2007. Fifteen years later, they were facing each other in a high-pressure IPL scenario.After giving up just singles off the first two balls of the 14th over, Ashwin darted a carrom ball – a front-foot no-ball – down the leg side. Karthik picked it up and swept it over short fine leg for four. Ashwin hiked his pace to 103kph and shifted his line to outside off for the free-hit delivery, but dropped it too full, as Karthik pumped him into the sightscreen with the stillest of heads and smoothest of bat-swings.Ashwin slowed it up third ball and found some grip, but Karthik was up to it, cleverly checking his drive and chipping it over Ashwin’s head once again. The next ball was a faster carrom ball from Ashwin, which swerved past Karthik’s outside edge. Karthik ultimately closed out a 21-run over with a trademark reverse-swept four from a fairly wide line outside off.Dinesh Karthik’s 360-degree game guided RCB home•BCCIKarthik turned the tables on Royals in a space of five balls. In the next over, he picked off Navdeep Saini for back-to-back fours to bring the target well within Royal Challengers’ radar. Matching up Chahal with Karthik in the 17th over was Royals’ last throw of the dice, but he coolly saw him off and saw Royal Challengers home with four wickets and five balls to spare.Karthik’s unbeaten 23-ball 44 at the strike-rate of 191.30 proved that the finisher isn’t finished yet. Karthik’s overall death-overs strike-rate of 188.01 since 2018 in all T20 cricket is the third best among Indian batters who have scored a minimum of 500 runs during this period. Only Virat Kohli (206.47) and Hardik Pandya (193.56) have a better strike rate than Karthik among Indians in the slog overs. His Royal Challengers captain Faf du Plessis is so impressed by Karthik’s finishing skills that he believes he needs to “put his name back into international cricket”.”It feels nice (laughs). I think I made a conscious effort to do justice to myself because I felt last year I could’ve done a little better,” Karthik told host broadcaster Star Sports after winning the Player-of-the-Match award. “The way I trained was a little different – hats off to the person I trained with. He put me through some things which was very important for me in life as well. I say that only because I was making a conscious effort to tell myself that I’m not done yet. I have a goal and I want to achieve something and I tried my best in terms of preparation.”I made a lot of conscious effort to play white-ball cricket, I don’t play four-day cricket anymore. The quantity of matches has reduced. I have to play that much more matches as practice matches and scenarios. So, I try and do a lot more of that… going to grounds and a lot of people have been with me in this journey when I practice. Those are the hours that you put in with nobody is seeing and those are the most important hours. Because when it comes here, it’s great. The set-up is beautiful, you have a lot of people and they’re helping me a lot, but the real work is done in the lead-up to the tournament, which is what I’ll give a lot of credit to. “Karthik’s preparation in the lead-up to the IPL involved playing in the middle order for India Cements in a T20 tournament at Theni, located about 500 kilometres from Chennai, in Tamil Nadu. This, after he had counter-punched his way to a century in the 50-overs Vijay Hazare Trophy final in December 2021 in Jaipur. And the goal is to return to India’s T20I side and help them win the World Cup although there is fierce competition for various spots.

His century took Bangladesh to their maiden Under-19 World Cup final

Sreshth Shah in Potchefstroom07-Feb-2020When Mahmudul Hasan swept New Zealand captain Jesse Tashkoff for a boundary to fine leg in the 44th over, he became the first non-Indian in the history of the Under-19 World Cup to score a hundred in a semi-final. The next ball, he got out trying to loft the bowler over his head with Bangladesh still 11 from a win.He walked back to the pavilion, but the emotions were mixed. He was happy to deliver in an important game for his country but sad that he had left the satisfaction of finishing the match to other. The rest of Bangladesh, however, felt just one thing: delight. Unbridled joy because his Player-of-the-Match performance secured Bangladesh’s maiden final appearance in the competition.Mahmudul’s highest score in his last eight games was 38. But New Zealand have been a favourite opposition. Three months ago, he went to their backyard and whacked them for a 99 and a century. There’s something about them that gets the best out of him.The chase of 212 on Thursday was tricky – a total neither here or there – that came with the additional pressure of a knockout, but Mahmudul dug in after Bangladesh had lost their openers early, playing risk-free cricket in the company of Towhid Hridoy and Shahadat Hossain, while his partners took the aggressive route.

In the tour of New Zealand, I was on 99 once but got out just one short of the hundred. So this time I didn’t want to stay in the 90s for too long. I saw a ball in my range, and went for itMahmudul on hitting a six to get to his century

The boy who models his batting around Shakib Al Hasan and Rahul Dravid [he wants to be called ‘The Wall’ in his country] played an innings that would make both those men proud; within the squad, his nickname is ‘Mr Dependable’ and on the big stage, he showed why.Mahmudul’s stubbornness at the crease comes from his childhood. As a kid, he was always the youngest within his group playing the game in the bylanes of Chandpur. So all the older boys would just stick him in the field. On the rare chance that he got to bat, he was the last man in. All those hours of waiting for a turn helped him develop what has now become his trademark, a serious hunger for runs. The son of a banker had a different career path laid out by his family, but his desire to succeed on the cricket field threw all those plans out of the window. Now, it’s all bearing fruit.”Bangladesh have been in the semi-finals quite a number of times, but first time to reach the finals, it’s a very special moment,” Mahmudul told ESPNcricinfo after the game. “I just wanted to bat step by step. I told Towhid, ‘let’s score ten runs first and then think about the next ten’. Once our partnership began to bloom, it sunk in that we could actually chase this total down with ease.”The way Mahmudul reached his hundred, by going for the extravagant sweep, instead of nudging the ball around for ones or twos, showed his human side. Scars from the past determined his shot-making at that point. It was uncharacteristic, but he had his reasons.The Bangladesh players and support staff celebrate with a victory jig•ICC via Getty”When I was in the 90s, I was very nervous. In the tour of New Zealand, I was on 99 once but got out just one short of the hundred. So this time I didn’t want to stay in the 90s for too long,” he said with a laugh. “I saw a ball in my range, and went for it.”After reaching his hundred, Mahmudul walked towards the dugout and raised his bat at the crowd, soaking in all the applause that resonated from the numerous Bangladesh fans who had made their way to the college town of Potchefstroom to watch this historic moment. The applause rang out for a solid minute and Mahmudul took strike again to finish the game off. Sadly for him, he couldn’t do it.”I am disappointed not being there till the end,” Mahmudul said. “The team wanted me to stay there till the end, but I ended up playing a rash shot. At that point, I just wanted to finish the game as quickly as possible, and a wrong choice of shot ended my innings. I should have taken a different shot option and relished the opportunity to stay not out while the winning runs were hit.”The time between his dismissal and the post-match press conference was no more than ten minutes, but in between the celebrations, the team dances and the victory run around the JB Marks Oval, he had found time to analyse his innings.As it often is with cricketers in Asia, praise and criticism are like Siamese twins. Mahmudul is soon asked by a Bangladesh mediaperson why he threw his wicket away after reaching his hundred: ‘why does this issue plague Bangladesh cricket’, the gentleman asked.It was a difficult question, one that goes beyond his own game, but Mahmudul responded with a kind of innocent honesty that only teenagers have. “I wanted to hit the winning runs quickly and finish the game off,” he said with a smile. It made everyone at the press conference melt.Bangladesh now face India in the final on February 9. Over the past decade, Bangladesh v India games have perhaps even overtaken India v Pakistan matches for competitiveness and possibly even passion. Mahmudul, however, said that the team wouldn’t let emotion get in the way when the sides meet on Sunday.”Just because it’s a final doesn’t mean we’ll play any differently,” he said. “We have reached this far only because we have played our game in a consistent manner. Expect us to play our normal game. I assure you, we will not take any extra pressure, and things will turn out alright.”There are many Under-19 stars who have fallen away as the years have gone, some struggling to make their first-class teams, some long discarded from the national team plans, some moving to a different career option. Nobody can predict how Mahmudul’s career will pan out but his name is already etched in Bangladesh cricket history. And while he will want to add more chapters to that story, it’s not something that can be erased.

Wrexham made it nine matches unbeaten in the Championship but saw all three points stolen away from them at Deepdale as teenager Harrison Armstrong equalised late on for Preston North End. The Red Dragons had led ever since the fourth minute through a simple Kieffer Moore finish, with James McClean clearing off the line and Arthur Okonkwo making a string of top-class saves before Preston equalised to share the spoils in a 1-1 draw between two sides with play-off ambitions.

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Wrexham came into the match knowing that a play-off push was within their grasp, just three points outside the top six at the start of play. Their hosts Preston have been in and around the play-off picture for much of the campaign and began the day in fifth, only too aware of Wrexham breathing down their necks.

The visitors made the perfect start as Moore opened the scoring after just four minutes. James McClean put in a teasing delivery from the left, which was not dealt with by goalkeeper Daniel Iversen as the Dane could only palm the ball to the feet of the grateful Welshman, who tapped gleefully into the net.

The hosts came quickly back into the match and showed just why they have been so consistent this season, Lewis Dobbin in particular catching the eye. The 22-year-old Aston Villa loanee drove past several Wrexham defenders on a mazy run which was thwarted by a brilliant defensive block.

Wrexham captain McClean then made a key contribution in his own box just before the half-hour mark, as the 36-year-old used brilliant anticipation to clear an effort by Liam Lindsay off the goal-line. Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo had battled hard to keep out a host of balls into the box before McClean appeared in the right place at the right time.

Moore threatened to get through on goal once again at the other end after a defensive slip as the conditions affected both sides, while Wrexham defended stoutly to hold onto their lead at the break. Okonkwo made his greatest contribution as the 24-year-old made a double save from Thierry Small in the final minutes of the half to stun the home faithful.

It was more of the same after the break, as Preston drove forward in search of an equaliser and Wrexham held firm. Small struck a volley against the post, while the Red Dragons could have doubled their lead at the other end as Moore and McClean forced a brilliant double save from Iversen. Okonkwo had to be at his best once again to keep out Jordan Storey, before using every inch of his 6ft 6in frame to tip wide a Lindsay header.

But Wrexham hearts were broken as 18-year-old substitute Armstrong stepped forward to equalise, firing in at the near post at the second attempt to get Preston right back into the game. From there on in it was end to end as both sides searched for a late winner, but the two sides had to settle for a point apiece as Wrexham returned to Wales with a share of the spoils.

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Though his clean sheet was lost late on, Okonkwo was outstanding for Wrexham as they withstood waves of attack by the home side. Preston have been one of the top sides in the division this season but Okonkwo had the answer for almost everything they threw at him. A first-half double save from Small stood out, as did a late stop from Lindsay, as he made six important saves overall. His handling and bravery when coming out of goal to punch the ball were also admirable, though he will have been disappointed that Armstrong managed to squeeze the ball home from the tightest of angles.

The big loser

Certainly outshone by the performance of his opposite number at the other end, Preston shot-stopper Iversen made a poor mistake for Moore's opening goal and almost cost his side in the end. Though he made up for it somewhat with a double save in the second half, Iversen's early mistake was the only glaring error in a fiercely-contested battle between two sides who were both determined to leave everything on the pitch in search of victory.

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Getty Images SportMatch rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐

Managing a football club, particularly one the size of Manchester United, is incredibly difficult because you need to make decisions that line up with the short, medium, and long-term goals that are in place.

For example, it would be hard for the Red Devils to heavily lean on a strategy of signing incredibly young players with potential, with the hope that they turn into a top team in the future, because supporters expect results in the short-term, and rightly so.

This means that INEOS and Ruben Amorim have to be very careful with their squad planning to ensure that there is a competitive team on the pitch in the present, whilst also having a group of players who are for the future as well.

So far this season, United have been competitive on the pitch. They are seventh in the Premier League after 11 matches, with five wins, and are currently unbeaten in five games after their 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur last time out.

One of the players who has been instrumental in the short-term success on the pitch, but is not one for the future, is the incredibly experienced Casemiro.

The Brazil international has been in fantastic form in the Premier League so far this season for the Red Devils, and they need to consider what they will do in the medium to long-term in his position.

Why Man Utd need to find a replacement for Casemiro

Manchester United need to identify their long-term successor to Casemiro because his current contract is due to expire at the end of the season, and he turns 34 in February.

The Red Devils need to make sure that his replacement is a top-quality one, as the former Real Madrid star has been in impressive form for the club alongside Bruno Fernandes in the middle of the park.

Casemiro is already one goal away from his Premier League career-high after netting three goals in ten starts in the division so far, with strikes against Nottingham Forest, Brighton, and Chelsea.

Along with his impressive output at the top end of the pitch, the 33-year-old star has been one of the best midfielders in the division in a host of key defensive metrics.

25/26 Premier League

Casemiro (per 90)

Percentile rank vs CMs

Non-penalty goals

0.44

Top 1%

Assists

0.15

Top 22%

Tackles

3.22

Top 9%

Tackles + interceptions

3.96

Top 18%

Dribblers tackled

1.46

Top 14%

Blocks

1.76

Top 9%

Aerial duels won

2.20

Top 11%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Casemiro ranks highly among his positional peers in the Premier League for tackles, interceptions, blocks, and aerial duels won.

These statistics illustrate why it is important for the Red Devils to find the player who can play in that position in the mid-to-long term, as the Brazilian star may not be at Old Trafford next season.

The only other ‘natural’ defensive midfielder in the squad is Uruguay international Manuel Ugarte, but he has failed to prove his quality since a £42m move from PSG last year.

After the Manchester derby in September, Gary Neville said the midfield is a “massive problem” and that Ugarte is “not good enough”, which speaks to the feeling around his performances for the club over the past 18 months.

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With this in mind, Manchester United could save millions of pounds by unleashing one of their stars in a different position, so that they will not need to splash the cash on a replacement for Casemiro and an upgrade on Ugarte.

Central defender Lisandro Martinez has been back in full training in recent weeks after suffering an ACL injury in February, and he could be a wildcard replacement for Casemiro.

Why Lisandro Martinez could be Man Utd's Casemiro replacement

The Argentina international has been away from the action for nine months because of his long-term injury, but he could be the answer to the club’s mid-to-long-term issues in the defensive midfield position.

Per Transfermarkt, all 89 of his appearances for United have come at centre-back or left-back, with 85 in the heart of the defence, which shows that he has not played as a holding midfielder for the club yet.

However, the left-footed star did start 22 matches as a defensive midfielder during his time with Ajax, before his £48.3m move to Old Trafford, and this means that he does have experience in that role.

Even whilst playing as a centre-back, Martinez has shown qualities that suggest that he would excel in midfield. Take the clip above, for example, as he wins the ball back in the opposition half and holds a high position to break into the box to score a wonderful goal.

The Argentine star would have even more opportunities to pull off plays like that as a defensive midfielder, whilst it would also mean that his lack of aerial prowess would be less exposed, as he has won 55% of his aerial duels or lower in all three of his Premier League seasons, per Sofascore.

24/25 Premier League

Lisandro Martinez per 90

Percentile rank vs CBs

Shot-creating actions

1.34

Top 13%

Pass accuracy

89%

Top 35%

Progressive passes

6.01

Top 11%

Progressive carries

1.18

Top 16%

Key passes

0.46

Top 12%

Passes into the penalty area

0.93

Top 2%

xA

0.07

Top 6%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Martinez excelled with the ball at his feet in the top-flight last term, ranking highly among centre-backs in a host of progressive metrics.

Como scout Ben Mattinson once claimed that the centre-back “could become a world class DM”, and it is easy to see why when you couple his natural defensive instincts with his technical quality in possession.

Ugarte, for example, has averaged only 3.08 progressive passes and 0.81 progressive carries per 90 in the last 365 days for United, per FBref, which suggests that Martinez would offer more than he has in possession in the middle of the park.

With his prior experience in the position, time left ahead of him to develop further at 27, and his relevant attributes for the role, Martinez could be the dream long-term successor to Casemiro at Old Trafford.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 21, 2025

Stuttgart star Angelo Stiller has received an apology after his appearance was mocked by a Go Ahead Eagles player in their Europa League game on Thursday. Second-half substitute Victor Edvardsen was booked shortly after gesturing at the German international's nose during the 4-0 defeat. The Swede was heavily criticised on social media and, after the Dutch club also handed him a fine, he issued an apology.

Uncomfortable scenes in Europa League game

Just three minutes into his cameo, Edvardsen mocked how Stiller, who has been linked with Manchester United and Real Madrid, looked. The incident sparked a clash between the two teams, leading to the former getting booked. After the game, former Inter player Wesley Sneijder said, "I find it sad. Such things are absolutely unacceptable."

Although Stiller was incensed by the incident, Stuttgart sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth chose his words carefully, rather than adding fuel to the fire.

"I saw it, but from a distance it was still difficult for me to assess. It's about Europa League points for Deventer just as it is for us," he said. "So if emotions are running high and then quickly subside, and the referee takes the right measures, then it's not all that big of a deal. Therefore, everything's fine."

Aside from that, the 29-year-old received a huge backlash online for his actions, and subsequently, Go Ahead Eagles have announced he has been fined €500 ($580); along with the player apologising for his very poor behaviour. 

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'I would like to apologise'

A statement from the Eredivisie outfit reads: "Go Ahead Eagles regrets that several incidents have taken place during the duel with VfB Stuttgart. The club therefore renounces this."

And Edvardsen himself announced that he apologised to Stuttgart's players after the contest. 

He said: "I would like to apologise for my behaviour yesterday. Things have been said and done between the two of us that don't belong on a football field. Afterwards, I went to the dressing room in Stuttgart to apologize. I have an exemplary role, and I have to behave accordingly."

Go Ahead Eagles added that the €500 fine will be 'donated to the social branch of the club'. General manager, Jan Willem van Dop, said the Netherlands team were "completely dissatisfied" with how their player conducted himself in the Europa League tie.

He added, "As a club, we are completely dissatisfied with Victor’s behavior and distance ourselves from it. It’s good that he apologised afterward, but it remains a stain on the evening."

Stuttgart fans criticised

In the same media release, Go Ahead Eagles criticized Stuttgart fans for standing in a seated section, despite being warned not to. They added that their behaviour was "unacceptable" and the police had to repeatedly get involved.

It states: "The incident with Edvardsen was not the only incident during Go Ahead Eagles – VfB Stuttgart. Before, during and after the match, unrest arose around the stadium. During Europa League matches, Go Ahead Eagles must make so-called 'Category 1 tickets' available to the opposing team. The German supporters who received these tickets sat in the main stand and were asked several times not to stand during the match. Despite instructions from the security staff, this was not heeded. As a result, the police had to intervene. The behaviour of the German supporters is unacceptable and does not belong in a public stand. As a result, security personnel had to intervene in the home stands as well. Go Ahead Eagles attaches great importance to hospitality, but is disappointed with the disorder in the main stand. It is the responsibility of the opposing team to allocate these cards in a responsible and appropriate manner, which did not happen here. After the match, the police had to intervene again."

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GettyWhat comes next for both Stiller?

Stiller's emergence as one of Europe's best young midfield talents has brought him to the attention of bigger clubs than Stuttgart, which suggests he might soon be playing on a different stage. Manchester United's search for central midfielder who can replace an ageing Casemiro has brought them to his door, but there will be plenty to play ouf over the coming months, especially with a World Cup that could put Stiller even more in the shop window.

Everyone seems to have a different opinion on international breaks. Any Scotland-supporting Glasgow Rangers fans may be loving them at this moment in time, after Scotland beat Denmark 4-2 to qualify for next year’s World Cup.

However, some supporters may not like the break from club football or may not be happy with watching their country play, for whatever reason that may be.

Another reason as to why someone, and possibly Danny Rohl, may not enjoy international breaks is that it means that Rangers stars can pick up injuries without playing for their club.

For example, the German head coach will currently be sweating over the availability of central defender John Souttar, after he was forced out of the starting line-up against Denmark during the warm-up.

The Scotland international picked up an unknown injury before kick-off, after initially being named in the starting line-up, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be available this weekend.

On the same night, Derek Cornelius was forced off after just 30 minutes for Canada in their clash with Venezuela, with what is suspected to be a thigh injury, which makes him a doubt for the clash with Livingston at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership.

Ranking Rangers centre-backs this season

Losing both Souttar and Cornelius would be a blow for Rohl ahead of Saturday’s match because they were the starting centre-back pairing in the 3-0 win over Dundee at Dens Park last time out.

The Canadian centre-back, who is on loan from Marseille, missing the match would be a significant blow because he has been in impressive form for the Gers this season, particularly since Rohl came through the door.

Cornelius has started all three of the new manager’s league matches and won 21 of his 32 duels, per Sofascore, in those matches, helping Rangers to keep two clean sheets and concede just one goal.

The Marseille loanee, with those dominant displays, has been the top-performing centre-back at the club this season, whilst Souttar has started all 11 of the club’s league matches, under Russell Martin, Stevie Smith, and Rohl, per Sofascore.

1

Derek Cornelius

2

John Souttar

3

James Tavernier

4

Emmanuel Fernandez

5

Nasser Djiga

6

Clinton Nsiala

As you can see in the table above, we have placed James Tavernier in third place because he has filled in at centre-back, most recently against Kilmarnock and Roma, and done a reliable job.

Emmanuel Fernandez has started two matches for Rangers since his move from Peterborough. He scored in his start against Alloa Athletic and won 12 of his 15 duels, per Sofascore, in his only Premiership start against St Mirren, which makes it hard to put him too high or too low, as he has impressed in limited game time.

Nasser Djiga, meanwhile, ranks below him in fifth because the Wolves loanee has played 17 times for Rangers this season and was recently described as “rotten” by Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar.

The Burkina Faso international has made several costly errors, including a red card against Dundee in August and an inexplicable mistake, letting his man race clear through on goal, against Club Brugge in the Champions League play-off tie.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Finally, Clinton Nsiala has to rank sixth out of the six first-team centre-back options, including Tavernier, simply because he has not played a single minute of football for the Gers this season.

However, if Souttar and Cornelius are both unavailable for selection against Livingston on Saturday because of the injuries that they picked up on international duty, it could finally be time to unleash the left-footed star.

Why Rangers should finally unleash Clinton Nsiala

The former AC Milan centre-back was seemingly not in Russell Martin’s plans at Ibrox, as he did not feature in a single matchday squad, but Rohl has the chance to change that this weekend.

As aforementioned, Djiga has not had the best of starts to life at Ibrox, hence why Edgar dubbed him “rotten”, and his mistakes for the Gers suggest that another player should be given an opportunity to shine.

If Souttar and Cornelius are both unavailable, Fernandez could come in to replace the former as the right-sided centre-back, after his dominant display last time out in the Premiership against St Mirren earlier this season.

That would leave Rohl in need of replacing Cornelius against Livingston and Nsiala could be the ideal player to step in for the Canada international, as he is the only other left-footed senior centre-back option in the squad.

The 21-year-old centre-back played 11 times in the Premiership under Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson in the 2024/25 campaign, and rarely let the Light Blues down with his performances.

Dundee

1-1 draw

St Johnstone

3-1 win

Aberdeen

3-0 win

Dundee United

3-1 win

Ross County

4-0 win

Hearts

3-1 win

St Mirren

2-0 loss

Kilmarnock

4-2 win

Celtic

3-2 win

Aberdeen

2-2 draw

St Mirren

2-2 draw

As you can see in the table above, the Scottish giants only lost one of those 11 matches in the division, which shows that he was far from a disaster in the senior team.

In fact, former teammate Ross McCausland admitted that he and some of the other players in the squad had described him as “a left-footed Van Dijk” when watching his performances on the pitch for the first-team.

Nsiala, though, has not been given a chance to build on that respectable start to his senior career with the Light Blues, as he has not played a single minute this season.

That is why Rohl should finally unleash the left-footed defender against Livingston if Cornelius is unavailable for selection, as he is a left-footed defender who has proven that he can perform in the Premiership.

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The 21-year-old, given these new injury blows and Djiga’s disappointing form, deserves an opportunity to show that he can play a role for Rohl moving forward, starting with the game on Saturday.

MatériaMais Notícias

Técnicos protagonistas de Santos e São Paulo, respectivamente, Marcelo Fernandes e Dorival Júnior trabalharam juntos e tiveram suas diferenças no passado. Eles são adversários no clássico deste domingo (12).

A dupla fez parceria no Peixe, em 2015. Na época, Marcelo Fernandes era auxiliar da comissão, e Dorival o técnico da equipe.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Peixe agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Santos

➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! São Paulo

Com problemas de relacionamento entre os profissionais, o atual treinador do São Paulo pediu ao então presidente do Santos, Modesto Roma Júnior, que Marcelo Fernandes fosse afastado da equipe técnica. Além de desavenças pessoais, existiam desentendimentos sobre o trabalho.

O mandatário acatou a solicitação de Dorival e retirou Marcelo Fernandes da comissão. Porém, em entrevista, ele minimizou o caso.

– É normal haver uma quebra de relação. Faz parte da vida. Marcelo conversou com o Dorival. O Dorival é o comandante, é um direito que ele tem, nós respeitamos. Só que nós também temos planos futuros para o Marcelo, então ele será aproveitado fora da comissão técnica do futebol profissional – explicou Modesto, ao SporTV, em 2015.

HOJE SÃO OS CARAS DO PEIXE E DO TRICOLOR

No ano em que aconteceram as desavenças, Marcelo Fernandes foi campeão paulista, e Dorival chegou à final da Copa do Brasil com o Santos. Atualmente, eles são protagonistas de seus clubes no cenário nacional.

Fernandes assumiu o Peixe de forma interina, para substituir o uruguaio Diego Aguirre. Desde então, o time está em sua melhor fase no Brasileirão e cumpriu a missão de se distanciar do Z4, momentaneamente. O Alvinegro atingiu, inclusive, a zona de classificação para a Sul-Americana 2024.

+ Veja a tabela completa do campeonato!

Embora a campanha do São Paulo seja ‘mediana’ no Campeonato Brasileiro, Dorival Júnior levou o Tricolor à conquista inédita da Copa do Brasil. Com o nome marcado na história do clube, o técnico derrotou sua ex-equipe na decisão do torneio: o Flamengo.

O JOGO

Com Marcelo Fernandes e Dorival Júnior no comando, Santos e São Paulo entram em campo neste domingo (12), às 18h30. A partida vale pela 34ª rodada do Brasileirão e será disputada na Vila Belmiro.

Manchester United have adopted a new transfer approach as they are now only looking for players who would "die for the badge". The club is determined to restore its former identity and bring back the glory days at Old Trafford, and have launched a bold new recruitment philosophy, one that rewards hunger, humility, and heart over hype.

Cultural revolution inside Carrington training base

Director of football Jason Wilcox has outlined a sweeping shift in mindset, describing how the Old Trafford giants are moving away from superstar signings to recruit "clean-living professionals" with the right mentality. The summer window was a test of his credentials, and it was anything but quiet. United splashed £216 million ($288m) on five new arrivals: forwards Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko, alongside young goalkeeper Senne Lammens and 17-year-old left-back Diego Leon. A new core is being assembled at Old Trafford under Ruben Amorim, and Wilcox is hopeful of a new dawn at United after years of frustration.

AdvertisementAFPDirector of football reveals Man Utd's plans

In an interview on the club’spodcast, Wilcox insists the deals were rooted in discipline and design rather than desperation.

"You have to bring players in that bring something different to the changing room, but the most important thing is that whenever we’re bringing in a player who comes here, they have to want to improve and they have to be a team player, and understand what it means to be part of a successful team," he said.

"It’s not about putting the Harlem Globetrotters (an American exhibition basketball team) together. If I look at the successful Man United teams, there was very functional players that would die for the badge and there were some mavericks.

"When you talk about (Eric) Cantona, when you hear anybody talk about him, he was an ultimate professional. When I look now and I see the car park, the report time is at 9.45am, you see the lads coming in at 8.30am, 8.45am, preparing for training. This is a good sign."

Wilcox believes that United are now recruiting players who embody the spirit of the club and would sacrifice everything to succeed in red. And work is already going on behind the scenes to prepare for another eventful summer in 2026.

"Last year’s summer window was a lot more chaotic than this one," he admitted. "This one was really calm. We knew the plan. We knew which players we were going to target. We had our lists. We knew which areas of the pitch we needed to improve.

"Right now I’m having weekly meetings with the recruitment team on the different profiles, the age bracket, the cost, are they attainable… with Ruben as well. It’s a real joined-up approach when we sign a player. It’s so many people that are involved in the process. The data team are involved in the process. We will then focus all our attention on certain players, and it’s really important that we do the background checks around are they clean-living professionals? This is really important."

Amorim's 'very clear idea' gains traction

After a turbulent start to the campaign, United’s season has steadied under Amorim. The Portuguese coach endured fierce criticism earlier in the season after United managed just two wins from their first seven games in all competitions. But his side are now unbeaten in four league matches following a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest, leaving them eighth in the Premier League but only two points behind second-placed Manchester City. It took nearly a year for Amorim to oversee back-to-back league wins, but Wilcox insists the manager’s project is finally taking shape.

"Ruben’s got a very clear idea. It’s a lot more flexible, the idea, than what people give it credit for," Wilcox added. "We’ve got to start with the end in mind and understand that the game model, how Manchester United are, is really important.

"We have to pull the jigsaw pieces together and put the jigsaw pieces together. We would love to have all the pieces in place where we can see a very clear picture, but whilst we’re building the picture, it’s even more difficult when you lose some football matches, because people start questioning things. But myself and Ruben, Omar, the ownership, we’re really clear on the direction of travel, and this is really important."

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AFPThe road ahead for Man Utd

Last year’s campaign, which saw United record their worst league finish in 51 years and failure to qualify for Europe for the first time in over a decade, forced a complete rethink at the club.

Next up for the Red Devils is a crucial away trip to Tottenham Hotspur, where Amorim’s men will look to extend their unbeaten run and exact revenge after losing the Europa League final to Spurs back in Mat.

In all, 17 contracts were handed out, including to players like Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr and Lea Tahuhu

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jun-2025Auckland left-arm seamer Bree Illing and Otago batter Bella James have been handed their first central contracts by New Zealand Cricket (NZC).The pair, who are currently touring England with New Zealand A, filled up the contract vacancies left by Hayley Jensen and Sophie Devine. While Jensen is recently retired, Devine has opted for a casual playing agreement, having announced her ODI retirement after the upcoming World Cup.Related

Devine to retire from ODIs after the World Cup

Illing, the 21-year-old swing bowler, made her ODI and T20I debut this summer against Sri Lanka and was also Auckland’s highest wicket-taker in domestic cricket last season with an average of 21. James’ contract comes after her batting contributions powered Otago to another Hallyburton Johnstone (HBJ) Shield title. She made her ODI and T20I debuts against Australia in December 2024 and March 2025 respectively.”Bree had an outstanding series against Sri Lanka. To show up the way she did against a world-class batter like Chamari Athapaththu shows she’s ready for international cricket,” New Zealand women’s head coach Ben Sawyer said. “Bella’s been a consistent performer at the domestic level and had a great debut series against Australia last year. She’s got the competencies that we believe will succeed at the international level.”The full list of central contracts, 17 in all, include batters Suzie Bates, Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Georgia Plimmer, Izzy Gaze and Polly Inglis, allrounders Amelia Kerr and Hannah Rowe, and bowlers Eden Carson, Fran Jonas, Jess Kerr, Rosemary Mair, Molly Penfold and Lea Tahuhu.