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Kylian Mbappe's sending off against Alaves can be explained by "the many small fouls" committed against him, according to Davide Ancelotti.

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Mbappe sent off for late lungeAncelotti Jr replaced his father on the touchlineExplains France international's challengeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Mbappe was sent off against Alaves after a brutal, high challenge on Antonio Blanco. Referee Cesar Soto Grado initially brandished a yellow card but VAR intervened, and after reviewing the footage on the pitch-side monitor, Grado upgraded the punishment to a sending off. Ancelotti has explained that Mbappe is remorseful and was likely motivated by the 'small fouls' against him, while reports that he sought out Blanco after the game to apologise, having done so to his team-mates too.

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Mbappe could now be banned for up to three games but the expectation is that he will be suspended for one or two. That would rule him out of games against Athletic Club and Getafe. The report claims that Madrid accept the decision, but quotes sources who have indicated that they are frustrated that VAR was not deployed as effectively against Espanyol. In that game, Carlos Romero was booked for a foul on Mbappe and Real believe the punishment should have been upgraded to a sending off.

WHAT ANCELOTTI SAID

Davide Ancelotti was standing in for his father, Carlo, who was suspended due to yellow card accumulation. He said: “I haven’t spoken to him. First of all, we have to say that Mbappe is not violent, he has asked for forgiveness, he is aware of what he has done.

“It’s a red card and he paid for it. Surely the many small fouls made him react like that. It’s not the way to react but surely what happened.”

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Mbappe will aim to put his sending off behind him against Arsenal in their second leg of the Champions League quarter-final in midweek. Madrid trail 3-0 after a disastrous first leg.

George Balderson’s hundred chased down but Lancashire also qualify

ECB Reporters Network23-Aug-2022Kent 298 for 8 (Blake 81, Stewart 49, Stevens 49, Blatherwick 3-57) beat Lancashire 295 for 9 (Balderson 106*, Bohannon 75, Gilchrist 3-52, Podmore 3-53) by two wicketsA thrilling finish at Canterbury saw the Kent Spitfires qualify for the Royal London Cup play-offs with a two-wicket win over Lancashire, in Darren Stevens’ white-ball swansong at the Spitfire Ground.Kent were in deep trouble on 190 for six, but Harry Podmore hit Luke Wells’ penultimate ball for four to send Kent through to the knock-out stages, after a day of raw, unfiltered tension.Stevens hit 49 in his final List A innings at the St. Lawrence, but he was nearly upstaged by Lancashire’s George Balderson, who played a high-risk innings and was rewarded with an unbeaten 106 from 87 balls. Josh Bohannon was the visitors’ next highest-scorer with 75 as Lancashire recovered from 95 for five to post 295-9. Nathan Gilchrist claimed three for 52 and Harry Podmore three for 53.Alex Blake was Kent’s top scorer with 81 and his century stand with Stevens kept the Spitfires in contention before Podmore finished the job, with Kent closing on 298 for eight.Stevens, who is still hoping to prolong his career, but who has been waylaid this season by shoulder and calf injuries at the age of 46, said: “It’s sad times, it’s my last white-ball game at Kent, but it’s good to be out there. It’s just a shame I didn’t go on and win the game like I wanted to.”Kent now have a play-offs tie against Leicestershire – the county were it all began for him 26 years ago. “You couldn’t have written it could you? It’s a different challenge, a different place to play. We haven’t played white ball cricket there for a long time. We’ll do our work over the next couple of days to figure out how we’re going to play it.”Related

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The hosts needed to win to stand any chance of reaching the quarter-finals, while hoping Yorkshire lost to Hampshire. Lancashire, having already qualified, were trying to overhaul Hampshire at the top of the Group B table.Kent chose to field first and Grant Stewart made an early breakthrough when he had Luke Wells caught behind for a duck in the third over. Gilchrist then bowled Keaton Jennings for 17 and had Steven Croft lbw for nought, but Bohannon and Dane Vilas put on 51 for the next wicket before Podmore removed the latter for 22 after a brilliant diving catch by Hamid Qadri at square leg.When Rob Jones charged at Qadri he was stumped by Ollie Robinson for nine, but Bohannon and Balderson rebuilt the innings as conditions improved.Their stand of 101 was ended when Bohannon skied Qadri to Gilchrist but George Lavelle maintained the momentum with 24 from 13 balls before he spooned Podmore to Alex Blake.Podmore then removed Danny Lamb, caught behind for eight, but Balderson reached three figures when he hooked Stewart for four in the penultimate over.Although Gilchrist subsequently bowled Tom Bailey for nine it was still Lancashire’s highest List A score against Kent and when Jack Blatherwick took two wickets in three balls the target looked a long way off.Ben Compton went for three in the third over of the chase when Lamb took a juggling catch at first slip off and Ollie Robinson lasted just two balls before Blatherwick had him caught behind for a duck.Joe Denly produced a couple of elegant fours but was lbw to Bailey for 13, before the same bowler had Joey Evison caught and bowled for 20. At 53 for four the stage was set for Stevens and with Alex Blake he hauled Kent back into contention as they put on 105 for the next wicket.Back in the year 2000 Stevens had played for Leicestershire against a Kent side that included Wells’ father Alan and he hit successive Wells Junior deliveries for six before falling just short of his half-century, caught and bowled by Croft. He departed to a standing ovation and kissed his helmet before entering the pavilion.Blake then chipped Wells to Jennings, but Harry Finch and Grant Stewart hit back with a 73-run partnership.When Stewart hit Balderson for successive sixes Kent looked favourites, but he fell for 49, caught by Croft off Blatherwick, just as news filtered through that Yorkshire had lost.Podmore joined Finch and whittled away at the target, with every run cheered by the crowd of 2,101, to leave Kent needing three from the final over, but Finch hit Wells first delivery to Vilas.The next two were dots and Wells missed a difficult return catch as Qadri scrambled a single from the fourth, leaving Podmore to drive the winning boundary through the covers. Kent now have a quarter-final trip to Stevens’ home county Leicestershire.

In what has been an incredibly busy January transfer window so far, Manchester City have now reportedly reached an agreement to sign another young defender after Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov.

Man City transfer news

It was clear ahead of the transfer window that Manchester City needed to spend following their toughest run of form under Pep Guardiola. Now, 21 days into the window, we’ve got our answer as to how they were planning on spending that money, welcoming Khusanov and Reis alongside Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush in a deal worth a reported €75m (£63m) this month.

Speaking to the club website after putting pen to paper, Khusanov said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining Manchester City, a club that I have enjoyed watching for a long time.

“This squad is full of the best players in the world, and I can’t wait to meet them and play alongside them. And of course Pep Guardiola is one of the greatest coaches ever and I am so excited to learn from him and improve my game even more.

“This is a very proud moment for me and my family to be joining a great Club like Manchester City and I’m more than ready for this challenge.”

He's an amazing Kovacic replacement: Man City keen on re-signing £42m star

Manchester City’s January spending spree continues, but could the Sky Blues re-sign an in-demand midfielder who never made his debut for the club?

ByBen Gray Jan 20, 2025

Those at The Etihad have wasted no time before shifting their focus towards further reinforcements, however. According to Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City have now reached a verbal agreement to sign Juma Bah from Real Valladolid.

The young defender, should the deal cross the line, could reportedly head straight on loan to RC Lens who Manchester City have an excellent relationship with following their deal to sign Khusanov. In one swoop, Lens would have their Khusanov replacement and City would have another future star.

"Promising" Bah is another one for the future

Whilst there may be some concern that Manchester City have not gone in pursuit of instant improvements this month, what they have done is prepare for the future in what has been intelligent business. Reis, Khusanov and now Bah represent players who have looked destined to step into the spotlight and City have acted before their price tags reflect that.

Described as a “promising” defender by Rising Star XI, 18-year-old Bah has already made his mark on senior football for Real Valladolid, becoming a key part of their La Liga side in the current campaign. Now, however, he could find himself on his way to Manchester City and now on loan to Ligue 1 side Lens in two moves full of potential.

Suddenly, an ageing backline full of options such as John Stones, Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake has youthful exuberance to it. Reis, Khusanov and Bah could be the future of City’s backline and even if they’re not destined to make an instant impact on Guardiola’s side, there’s no doubt that their time will come as is the case for most stars at The Etihad.

Wayne Rooney is in line for a return to management amid reports the ex-England striker could take over as Blackburn Rovers head coach.

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Rooney could take over as Blackburn bossIsmael under pressure after two monthsEx-England star sacked by Plymouth in DecemberFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Despite only being appointed two months ago, Valerien Ismael is under pressure at the Championship side due to their miserable results and reports that Rooney is in the frame to replace him and could be offered the job should they decide to make a change.

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Rooney was sacked by Plymouth Argyle at the end of last year after a disastrous spell in charge that saw them take five wins from 25 matches, leaving them bottom of the Championship. That came after a disastrous 15-game long spell at Birmingham City, with the ex-Manchester United star having previously managed DC United and Derby County.

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Rooney was recently urged by former team-mate Patrice Evra to "stop being a manager" while he is said to be enjoying his time away from the game while he awaits a new job.

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The 39-year-old will be waiting for news on the Blackburn job, with the Ewood Park club taking on Millwall in the Championship this week.

He last played the tournament in 2013 and should be available for five regular-season matches

Andrew McGlashan20-Aug-2022David Warner’s return to the BBL for the first time since 2013 has been confirmed with a two-year deal for his original club Sydney Thunder.Late last month the reported that Warner was going to request permission to play in the new ILT20 league in the UAE rather than the BBL after the cancellation of the South Africa ODI series in January opened up space for Australia’s multi-format players.That put in motion a chain of events that played out swiftly, the outcome of which will see Warner return to the club where he has played two of the three BBL matches in his career. He should be available for five regular-season matches after the final Test against South Africa in early January and then the finals if Thunder make it that far.Warner said he was aware of the bigger picture and how important a successful BBL was to the entire game in Australia.Related

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“I care deeply about the game, and I am conscious that the conditions that I enjoy as a professional cricketer have largely come from other senior players who have come before me,” he said. “That is how the game is structured and I understand that my contribution to the future of the BBL will hopefully benefit the next generation of players long after I am retired.”It is understood that Warner’s deal will match that of the platinum players in the upcoming BBL draft – AUD340,000 – with a portion of that coming from Thunder’s salary cap and the rest from CA.Warner’s signature is a huge boost for the BBL and CA more broadly as they face a legal battle with host broadcaster Channel Seven which largely revolves around the quality of the tournament. It is also likely to be the start of Australia’s leading players being paid far more to appear in the BBL as it attempts to compete with the riches available elsewhere.Discussions around the new MoU between CA and the Australian Cricketers’ Association will gather pace shortly with the BBL salary cap key parts of the negotiations due to the rapidly evolving T20 franchise landscape.

Happy Sunday, #ThunderNation! #WarnerSigns pic.twitter.com/d7YJ9cszM4

— Sydney Thunder (@ThunderBBL) August 20, 2022

It had already not gone unnoticed by Australia’s domestic cricketers how much money was being offered for overseas players – especially in the platinum category – and how it will put them well ahead of the top-paid local players such as Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Mitchell Marsh. With Warner now commanding a similar fee it is inevitable that there will be pay hikes across the board, but that is unlikely to be until next season.On a purely cricketing level, Warner’s deal with Thunder makes plenty of sense. There is the previous link to the club while they were also on the lookout for a top-order batter after Usman Khawaja moved to Brisbane Heat, although Warner will only cover part of the season. He also has strong links to Thunder coach Trevor Bayliss.”Davey’s record on the field speaks for itself and I have no doubt he already has, and will continue to, inspire many, many kids to play and love cricket,” Bayliss said.Warner’s three previous BBL appears have been spread across three seasons from 2011 to 2013. He made a century in his first appearance against Melbourne Stars at the MCG before the following season, where he played for crosstown rivals Sydney Sixers, collecting a duck against Thunder. Then, back with Thunder in 2013, he made a half-century against Sixers, sharing a century opening stand with Khawaja, in a match his team lost.Warner was one of a number of Australia’s players without a BBL deal. Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne signed extensions with their clubs last week, but Steven Smith has turned down Sixers’ initial offer as he considers whether he will want to rest before the tour to India.Mitchell Starc and Test captain Pat Cummins will also rest during that window while it could be that Josh Hazlewood, the No.1-ranked men’s T20I bowler in the world, follows the same path. The chances of Cameron Green being involved will also depend on his Test workload. Scott Boland also currently does not have a BBL deal.

With Graham Potter looking to mark his own stamp on his new side, West Ham United have reportedly already shown one summer signing the door amid interest from Saudi Arabia.

West Ham transfer news

Potter has felt the full extent of the task at hand in recent games, with two defeats either side of victory over London rivals Fulham marking an inconsistent start. However, with the transfer window open, he’s got an instant opportunity to sign much-needed reinforcements and turn West Ham’s season around at last.

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The Hammers boss is scouring for a new number nine.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 17, 2025

On that front, names such as Angel Gomes have already been mentioned. The Lille midfielder has emerged on the Hammers’ radar and could yet turn into a bargain buy with his current contract coming to an end this summer. A player with unfinished business in the Premier League after swapping Manchester United for France not so long ago, Gomes could come back to haunt his former club at West Ham.

On the flip side, one player could be heading for a swift exit this month as West Ham look to undo mistakes made under Julen Lopetegui last summer.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Potter and West Ham have ruthlessly shown Luis Guilherme the door amid interest from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, who have already made contact over a potential deal.

Arriving in the summer for a reported £25.5m, Guilherme has struggled to adapt to life at the London Stadium and could now be heading for a departure a matter of months after joining from Palmeiras on a five-year deal.

"Direct" Guilherme could haunt West Ham

After splashing out in the summer, West Ham have seemingly already lost faith in what was always going to be a long-term investment. Still just 18 years old, it was unlikely the Brazilian was ever going to be a player who made an instant impact on the current side, and the Hammers needed patience that they’ve so far lacked. Now, he could leave and one day come back to haunt them in frustrating fashion.

The winger earned plenty of praise in the summer, including from South American football expert Nathan Joyes, who described Guilherme as “strong” and “direct” in the build-up to his summer switch to West Ham.

Whether it’s Al-Hilal or another club who take full advantage of West Ham’s lack of patience remains to be seen, but Guilherme certainly remains one to watch. The Hammers, meanwhile, must hope to be proven right if the winger does depart this month.

Squad takes week off ahead of series decider at Oval after three-day loss

Firdose Moonda30-Aug-2022Smarting from their defeat inside three days at Old Trafford, South Africa have taken the week off and will break away to the West Midlands before resuming training in London on Saturday.No further details have been provided about their itinerary except that they will “stay together as a group” and engage in team activities including golf rather than have individual time away, as was initially discussed. Speaking after the second Test, Dean Elgar said they would use the time to reconnect, to “pull ourselves towards ourselves”, and “don’t forget why we are here”.The mood is somewhat different to the one the team had after beating England in three days at Lord’s. Players were given the remaining two days off to do as they pleased with the only instruction to “be back at the hotel for an 11 o’clock leaving time otherwise it’s an expensive Uber to Manchester,” Elgar said.Related

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The gap between the second and third Test was initially scheduled for nine days to accommodate the Hundred’s final week. That became 11 days after England stormed to an innings-and-85-run win. South Africa remained in Manchester for what would have been the final two days of the Test and will leave for their getaway on Tuesday.While Elgar emphasised they would like to get away from cricket to a degree, South Africa will not be able to avoid addressing questions over their game, especially as the decider looms. Chief among South Africa’s considerations will be how to juggle the batting line-up after they were dismissed for under 200 in both innings.Rassie van der Dussen has returned home with a finger injury and will be replaced by one of Ryan Rickelton or Khaya Zondo, but both reserve batters could come into contention given Aiden Markram’s poor form.Allrounder Wiaan Mulder, who has been playing at Leicester, has been added to the squad in van der Dussen’s absence, and provides another option in the lower middle-order.

Leeds United could be about to bring back an £11m attacking player to Elland Road, according to one journalist.

Leeds remain patient in January transfer window

The Whites are top of the Championship and on course to win promotion to the Premier League at the second time of asking under Daniel Farke.

However, despite leading the way in the second tier, it is turning into a four-horse promotion battle alongside Sheffield United, Burnley and Sunderland, all of which have bolstered their squads with new signings.

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ByEthan Lamb Jan 29, 2025

Leeds are yet to make a 2025 addition, although Farke previously admitted that a centre-back, attacking midfielder and centre-forward are positions Leeds could still strengthen in, saying: “There are still a few positions we could have a deeper look at if they can improve the squad. But right now, I’m a little bit more calmer with not being in panic mode with the need to have to do something.

“I think it’s fair to say if there is a creative offensive player out there, like a number 10 position, then it is something that could be beneficial for our group.

“Brenden Aaronson has been excellent this season and a key player for us. But we might have a similar player like him in our group. Of course we have players who can play in this role.

“If there is a solution for a creative midfield player it definitely make sense to stay awake. In all the other areas we are covered. The only two [positions] we have to stay awake in my head is the centre-back position… and perhaps a bit in the striker position.”

In recent days, Leeds have taken Liverpool youngster Oakley Cannonier on trial at Thorp Arch, and there have also been links to Newcastle United full-back Matt Targett.

It could go down to the wire in regards to if a new signing is secured by the 49er Enterprises, but a familiar face could well return to Yorkshire, going off a new update.

Jack Harrison could make Leeds return

Sharing a Leeds transfer update for The Daily Mail, relayed by Caught Offside, journalist Ian Herbert said that Leeds want a striker, left-back centre-back, central midfielder and winger.

That winger could well be Jack Harrison, currently on loan at Everton, with Herbert stating the 28-year-old “may be the one heading to Leeds”.

“They [Leeds] badly want a striker – [draw against Burnley] revealed why – and also seek a left-back, centre-back, central midfielder and winger.

“If they had to put it all on one, it would be a striker, but PSR means they could end up with none. Aston Villa’s Emi Buendia didn’t want to go to Leeds, preferring Bayer Leverkusen on loan. Brighton’s Julio Enciso preferred a loan move to Ipswich.

“Jack Harrison, shot on confidence after a torrid period on loan at Everton, may be the one heading to Leeds.”

Things haven’t gone to plan for Harrison during his second season on loan at Everton, failing to score or provide an assist in 21 games in all competitions.

Harrison, who cost Leeds £11m from Manchester City, has also been an unused substitute under new Everton boss David Moyes for the last two wins against Tottenham and Brighton, so a return to Elland Road could make sense for all involved.

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Granted, Leeds ideally could do with a central attacker to rival Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph or a number 10 to challenge Brenden Aaronson, but a fresh returning face in Harrison may have to do for the second half of the season.

Ted Lasso is returning for Season 4, with Brett Goldstein – who plays Roy Kent in the Apple TV+ show – bizarrely comparing that revival to a dead cat.

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Show ended in 2023New storylines & charactersExcitement building among stars & fansFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Back in 2023, as Lasso bid farewell to AFC Richmond and returned to his native United States, it appeared as though a death knell had sounded for the award-winning production. Viewers around the world were left in mourning.

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There were, however, murmurs towards the end of 2024 that a “reboot” was on the cards. It has now been confirmed that Ted Lasso will be returning to streaming services across the globe. The title character, played by Jason Sudeikis, has moved into the women’s game – meaning that there are more stories to be told by new and familiar characters.

DID YOU KNOW?

Goldstein is on board – with a contract option being taken up alongside the likes of Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple and Jeremy Swift – and foul-mouthed coach Kent is ready to turn the air blue once more.

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GettyWHAT BRETT GOLDSTEIN SAID

Goldstein is both excited and surprised that Ted Lasso has been brought back. He told the podcast while using an odd analogy to express his emotions: “I have a friend that I went to university with, and I think about this a lot.

“He had a cat that died. He loved his cat, and the cat was run over, and they buried the cat, buried it. And he was a child. They buried the cat in the garden, and he lay in bed so sad, so upset and crying, and he prayed and he prayed and he wished. ‘I wish the cat would come back.’ And then the cat did come back, and it turned out the cat they buried wasn’t their cat. And I think about that all the time.

“I guess I’m saying I feel like that kid. Like ‘We buried it… We all cried, we had a funeral. Are you saying we can bring anything back?’ It’s too much power.”

Chelsea's stance on signing Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho has been revealed as Manchester United look to offload homegrown players.

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Chelsea's transfer stance on Mainoo and GarnachoMan Utd looking to earn pure profitBlues face Everton on SaturdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Chelsea have been interested in Mainoo and Garnacho since enquiring about the pair in the January transfer window. According to the , the Blues will once again chase the United duo if the players are available in the transfer market this summer. The report adds that the cash-strapped Red Devils might be forced to sell their homegrown players to earn pure profit, which will again help them make fresh signings without disrupting the Profit and Sustainability Rules.

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Ruben Amorim is looking to revamp his United squad after their dismal performance in the 2024-25 campaign. The Portuguese coach reportedly wants to bring in Matheus Cunha from Wolves, with United hoping to pay his £62.5 million ($83m) release clause in instalments. The Red Devils are also believed to be admirers of Ipswich star Liam Delap, whose release clause will drop to £30m ($40m) once the Tractor Boys are inevitably relegated from the Premier League.

DID YOU KNOW?

Cunha has 14 Premier League goals this season for Wolves, while Delap has scored 12 times in the top flight for Ipswich. In stark contrast, United's Hojlund has found the back of the net just three times.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

Enzo Maresca's side will be back in action in the Premier League this Saturday as they host Everton at Stamford Bridge. Man Utd, meanwhile, visit Bournemouth as they desperately look to pick up some league points.