تحدث علاء نبيل، المدير الفني لـ اتحاد الكرة المصري، عن أزمة مباراة الأهلي وبيراميدز، في بطولة دوري الجمهورية مواليد 2007، التي ألغيت بعد احتجاج من مسؤولي بيراميدز على احتساب ركلة جزاء لصالح المارد الأحمر.
وشهدت مباراة الأهلي وبيراميدز، حالة من الجدل بعد اعتراض مسؤولو نادي بيراميدز على احتساب الحكم ركلة جزاء لصالح الأهلي، وتم إلغاء اللقاء.
طالع | ركلة جزاء تتسبب في إلغاء مباراة الأهلي وبيراميدز مواليد 2007
وقال نبيل خلال تصريحات لبرنامج “ملعب أون سبورت” المذاع على قناة “أون سبورت”: “موقف غير رياضي بالمرة، والأندية ليها دور كبير جداً في الأزمات التي تحدث، فريق يعترض ويرفض استكمال المباراة بسبب احتساب ركلة جزاء هذا غير معقول، (إيه اللي إحنا فيه؟ وصلنا للمرحلة دي إزاي)”.
وتابع: “بيراميدز فريق كبير، والنادي الأهلي هكذا، لكن لماذا نصل إلى هذا الوضع؟، والجميع يردد الآن لما لا نصل إلى ما وصلت إليه المنتخبات الأخرى مثل المغرب؟”.
طالع | بيراميدز يوضح تفاصيل أزمة مباراة فريق الشباب أمام الأهلي
وأضاف: “بالطبع سيكون هناك موقف من اتحاد الكرة بشأن تلك الأزمة، توجد لائحة سيتم تطبيقها، حتى لا تتكرر هذه الأزمة مرة أخرى، لأن هذا لا يليق بالكرة المصرية”.
وعن جلسة هاني أبو ريدة رئيس الاتحاد مع جهاز منتخب مصر، أوضح: “هذه لم تكن جلسة، لكن كان تجمعا من أجل دعم منتخب مصر للناشئين تحت 17 عامًا قبل مشاركته في بطولة كأس العالم في قطر”.
وأتم: “المهندس هاني، تحدث مع الجهاز الفني لـ منتخب مصر، عن الاستعدادت للفترة القادمة والمباريات الودية المقترحة، كانت جلسة بطابع ودي ليس أكثر لا يوجد به شيء رسمي”.
Lehmann made 102 to give South Australia a 176-run first innings lead but Labuschagne’s 61 helped erase that lead by stumps
Alex Malcolm27-Mar-2025
Jake Lehmann celebrates his century•Getty Images
A sublime century from Jake Lehmann and two key strikes from Brendan Doggett put South Australia in striking distance of an elusive Sheffield Shield trophy, but a fighting half-century from Marnus Labuschagne ensured Queensland still have a glimmer of hope in the final at Karen Rolton Oval.Lehmann smashed 102 from 151 balls on day two, his third century in as many Shield games, sharing in two key lower order stands with Ben Manenti and Nathan McAndrew to push South Australia’s first innings total up to 271 and establish a 176-run lead over Queensland. It also ensured South Australia would win the Shield on bonus points in the event of a draw, but that result seems unlikely with three days to play. Callum Vidler failed to add to the four wickets he took on the first afternoon but Jack Wildermuth finished with 3 for 39.Queensland’s batters produced a better showing second time around. The surface flattened out significantly with Labuschagne, who was caught off a no-ball on 20, making 61 to help keep the visitors alive as they erased the lead by stumps. But Doggett took the key wickets of Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja to leave South Australia with only seven wickets to take as the surface gets better for batting. Khawaja and Angus Lovell started the second innings steadily with a 39-run opening stand which featured some flowing drives from both players as South Australia’s quicks searched for swing and seam that had evaporated from the surface due to two days of sun.Doggett’s extra pace proved the difference again when he came on first change. From over the wicket, he got one to rear from back of a length at Khawaja who was squared up awkwardly as he nicked it to third slip to fall for 21.Labuschagne played fluently but led a charmed life. He survived a tight lbw decision on 11 off McAndrew. Nine runs later he failed to control a hook shot off Doggett, in the same fashion as Khawaja in the first innings, and was brilliantly caught by a diving Liam Scott at fine leg which sparked wild celebrations. But Labuschagne was asked to wait as the third umpire checked for a no-ball and he was able to stay when replays showed no part of Doggett’s foot was behind the line.In between times, Lovell had patiently worked his way to 38 off 80 deliveries having had his forward defence examined repeatedly. Eventually Scott found a way through with one that nipped back off the seam to have Lovell adjudged lbw. Alex Carey could take partial credit for having Lovell trapped on the crease after keeping up to the stumps to the tall seamer.Labuschagne dug in with Jack Clayton and began to profit as South Australia’s seamers offered width repeatedly. He played a series of delightful cut shots and found the rope nine times in all.Marnus Labuschagne late cuts•Getty Images
Doggett stepped up again to give South Australia a lift. He reared a short ball into Labuschagne’s ribs with catching men in the deep on the leg side. Labuschagne tried to roll his wrists on a controlled pull and got a top edge that carried to Jason Sangha who was well-placed 20 metres off the rope at deep backward square. Doggett looked nervous as the third umpire checked his front foot again but this time a fraction of his heel was behind the line.Clayton and Ben McDermott fought hard late in the day to add an unbeaten 33 and put Queensland ahead by one run at stumps, with Clayton finishing 32 not out.Earlier, Lehmann’s century looked to put South Australia within touching distance of the Shield title. Having started the day on 42 not out he cashed in some loose bowling from Queensland in the morning session.How a drawn final is decided
In the event the Sheffield Shield final ends in a draw, the title will be decided on first-innings bonus points which are accrued across the first 100 overs.
Batting teams earn 0.01 of a bonus point for every run scored over 200 in the initial 100 overs; bowling sides get 0.1 of a bonus point for every wicket in the first 100 overs. For example, the batting side scores 350 all out in 90 overs they earn 1.5 points and the bowling side 1 point.
Should bonus points be tied and the match drawn, SA will win the Shield given they finished top of the ladder and earned hosting rights for the final.
Anything fractionally short and wide was scythed through point with power. Queensland’s bowlers found it impossible to contain Lehmann’s scoring. Any time they got straight he tucked them behind square to rotate the strike. He smoked 15 boundaries to continue his love-affair with Karen Rolton Oval, having scored five of his 14 first-class centuries there at an average of 58.14, including three in his last four innings at the ground.He shared a brilliant 72-run stand with Ben Manenti who finished with 47 off 59 balls with seven fours a six. He looked set for many more until he fell to a stunning catch from Ben McDermott. Manenti smashed a long hop from Mitchell Swepson flat to midwicket but did not elevate it high enough as McDermott leapt up with the right hand at full stretch and plucked it to the amazement of his team-mates and opponents.McAndrew picked up where Manenti left off making an excellent 39 in another valuable 85-run stand which helped Lehmann reach his century.Jack Wildermuth produced two excellent deliveries in the one over to remove McAndrew and Doggett, with both men edging excellent outswingers to first and second slip respectively.McDermott took another outstanding catch, his fourth of the innings, to end Lehmann’s knock on 102 and contain the lead to 176. Lehmann tried to carve Mark Steketee up and over point but got under the stroke too much and McDermott made a difficult catch look very easy running back with the flight from point.
Volante, destaque da equipe sub-17, e que já treinou com elenco profissional, assinou até o fim de 2026
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O Grêmio assinou, na última segunda-feira, o primeiro contrato profissional com o volante Bernardo Zortea, destaque da equipe sub-17. O acordo tem validade até o fim de 2026.
Bernardo é visto como uma das principais revelações do Tricolor gaúcho. Prova disso é que o atleta já participou de atividades com o elenco principal comandado pelo técnico Renato Gaúcho.
Com o novo acordo, o jovem passa a ter multa de 40 milhões de euros para clubes do exterior, e R$ 6,5 milhões para o mercado nacional.
Bernardo estará em campo logo mais com o Grêmio, que recebe o São Paulo pela segunda rodada do Brasileiro Sub-17.
West Ham United boss Graham Potter is under serious pressure after a torrid start to the Premier League season, and Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna has emerged as a reported candidate to replace the under-fire tactician.
Potter has recorded the second-worst win percentage of any West Ham boss in Premier League history since he took charge, with only the infamous tenure of Avram Grant overshadowing his poor record thus far.
Worst West Ham managers in the Premier League
Win percentage
9. Sam Allardyce
30.7%
10. Julen Lopetegui
30%
11. Gianfranco Zola
27.8%
12, Graham Potter
27.3%
13. Avram Grant
18.9%
via StatMuse
Grant was in the dugout for West Ham’s relegation at the end of 2010/2011, and was sacked hours after their drop to the Championship was confirmed. The Hammers would’ve rued their decision not to hire a replacement for the Israeli before they reached that point, and if they’re not careful, history could be repeating itself with Potter.
Since the former Chelsea and Brighton boss took charge, West Ham have the worst Premier League record of any side apart from last season’s relegated three, and only Grant’s West Ham conceded more goals at this stage of the season than any other Irons side in the competition’s history.
West Ham United managerGrahamPotterbefore the match
Potter watched on as his men were dismantled 3-0 by London rivals Tottenham in what was a dominant second half by the Lilywhites on Saturday, with goals from Pape Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Micky van de Ven rounding off a night to forget.
Tomas Soucek was also sent off for a desperate lunge on 54 minutes, so West Ham are expected to be without the Czech fan favourite for their crucial games against Crystal Palace, Everton and Arsenal through suspension.
These are matches which could well determine Potter’s immediate future too, as reports suggest that David Sullivan and co are weighing up potential replacements for the 50-year-old.
Sullivan is personally a fan of Nuno Espirito Santo, according to journalist Alan Nixon, with the tactician also available for hire after being sacked by Nottingham Forest and replaced by Ange Postecoglou.
Coventry City boss Frank Lampard and José Mourinho have also been linked to the West Ham job, as has McKenna.
Ipswich Town managerKieranMcKenna
Wayne Veysey told Football Insider this week that McKenna was a guest of the West Ham boardroom during their 3-0 loss to Spurs last weekend, which will fuel speculation that the 39-year-old is a favourite for the role.
West Ham insider shares 11-word message on McKenna replacing Potter
However, according to West Ham insider Claret & Hugh, quoting their “top transfer source”, it is believed that a move for McKenna is unlikely.
Sharing an 11-word message, the informant simply laughs off links to the Ipswich boss who guided the Tractor Boys to successive back-to-back promotions before they were relegated last season.
They were quick to dismiss McKenna as an option, but would that be a mistake by the West Ham board?
Why West Ham should consider Kieran McKenna
McKenna is young, ambitious and would likely seize the chance to make a return to the Premier League.
He seems to develop players, get the best from limited resources and maintain high standards, as evident by his rise through the lower leagues with Ipswich these last few years.
That kind of leadership could help reset morale at West Ham, unite the dressing room and stabilize performances. While McKenna suffered a relegation last campaign, the gap between the Premier League and Championship is crystal clear by the fact all three promoted teams have gone straight back down in each of the last two seasons.
If the board decide change is needed, McKenna appears ready for a step-up, especially considering he was once a reported managerial target for Tottenham and Chelsea.
تحدث علي جبر، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي بيراميدز، عن المنافسة على بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، ومدربه كرونسلاف يورتشيتش.
وقال جبر، عبر قناة MBC مصر 2: “كل بطولة نشارك فيها نلعب عليها، دوري أبطال إفريقيا تضم أندية كبيرة ومتمرسة فيها ولديها أندية جماهيرية كبيرة مع الأهلي وصن داونز والترجي، ونتمنى التوفيق فيها هذا الموسم”.
وتابع: “بالنسبة لنا حصلنا على الدوري المصري الموسم الماضي، كان حقنا، اللاعبون تعبوا فيه، قدمنا موسمًا كبيرًا في الدوري، وبالنسبة لي حصلنا على الدوري”.
طالع.. مدرب بيراميدز: أتمنى ضم لاعب الأهلي وثنائي الزمالك.. ويكشف حقيقة مفاوضاته مع أندية مصرية
وأكمل: “الدوري هذا الموسم سيكون صعبًا جدًا، وكل بطولة نشارك فيها يورتشيتش يحفزنا”.
واستمر: “أحمد الشناوي يسير بشكل جيد جدًا وأتمنى أن يكون متواجدًا في منتخب مصر، ويوجد أكثر من لاعب في بيراميدز”.
واستكمل: “الأمور غير واضحة بشأن استمراري من عدمه مع بيراميدز في الموسم المقبل، ولكن إن شاء الله مستمر”.
واسترسل: “يورتشيتش عامل أجواء جيدة في غرفة الملابس والدوري المصري، وأتمنى أن يحصد أفضل مدرب في إفريقيا، وقد صنع شخصية للنادي واللاعبين”.
وأتم: “انفعالاته على الخط اعتدنا عليها، فهو يكون خائفًا على الفريق وقلبه معه، وكنا نحتاج إلى ذلك، وسبب من أسباب تتويجنا بالبطولات في الفترة المقبلة هي انفعالاته على الخط، فهي تعطي دافعًا وحافزًا للاعبين، وحتى في التدريبات يفعل ذلك، هذا شيء إيجابي للفريق وليس سلبيًا”.
Liverpool scored their customary last-minute goal on Wednesday evening, with Virgil van Dijk smashing a header from Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner past Jan Oblak to make it 3-2.
And so Liverpool’s Champions League campaign is up and running. Atletico Madrid did well to scrape back from two goals down, with Marcos Llorente yet again a scourge on Anfield’s vociferous fans.
But this time, Diego Simeone’s strategems did not come up trumps, with Arne Slot’s Reds mastering the art of late pressure, applying vicious intensity on their opponents to reel away the victors when just moments before it looked like the spoils would be shared.
Liverpool’s Winning Goals in 25/26
Opponent
Goalscorer
Goal Time
Bournemouth
Federico Chiesa
88′
Newcastle
Rio Ngumoha
90’+10
Arsenal
Dominik Szoboszlai
83′
Burnley
Mohamed Salah
90’+5
Atletico Madrid
Virgil van Dijk
90’+2
Three times already this season, the Merseysiders have squandered a two-goal lead, and that’s a big concern. However, there’s so much to like about this squad, who seem ready to challenge across multiple fronts while defending their Premier League title too.
A host of new signings have been made, but in recent days, it has been the veteran superstars, skipper Van Dijk and talisman Mohamed Salah, who have stepped up to keep the Slot machine pushing forward.
Liverpool's veterans keep on going
It was crucial that Liverpool tied Salah and Van Dijk down to contract extensions at the backend of the 2024/25 campaign. With a hectic summer of spending anticipated, calming forces would be needed to welcome and integrate the newbies.
And they are leading by example. The 34-year-old Van Dijk has been indomitable throughout the opening weeks of the term, while Salah retains his potency, even if his all-round performances have left something to be desired so far.
But not against Los Colchoneros. The Egyptian King, 33, turned back the clock with a bouncing display, assisting and scoring inside six minutes. Alexander Isak was making his debut for the Reds after his record-breaking move from Newcastle United, but it was Salah, so often Salah, who took the plaudits, reminding everyone that he is still the Reds’ go-to man in the final third.
These long-serving heroes have entered the final years of their joint Liverpool journey, and they will soon pass the torch.
Liverpool still plan to invest in an elite centre-back in the coming markets, but the frontline is all but secure, with two players in particular suggesting they can become talismanic figures themselves, playing with an air of Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard’s one-time connection against Atletico in the Champions League.
Slot's own Suarez & Gerrard
We’ve already mentioned him, but Isak arrives at Liverpool with the opportunity to cement himself as a modern great. Anfield’s bosses forked out quite the pretty penny for his signature, and they expect to be repaid in a sea of goals.
Described as an “absolute nightmare” for defenders by Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer, Isak established himself as one of the best centre-forwards in Europe across his three years with Newcastle, and a new chapter on Merseyside promises the opportunity to take that one step further and rival Erling Haaland and Harry Kane as the very best in the business.
Isak is not just a deadly goalscorer but a dynamic and intelligent player. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 8% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, the top 7% for both progressive carries and successful take-ons, and the top 16% for shot-creating actions per 90.
Signs of this were seen under the bright Anfield lights on Wednesday, with Florian Wirtz putting in his best performance in a Liverpool shirt and showing off some delightful link-up play with the new number nine. The Athletic’s James Pearce noted he “played with a swagger” and that “his link up with Isak certainly bodes well”.
Against Atletico, Wirtz had seven touches in the penalty area, created five chances and two big chances, the most for each metric of any player on the field (data courtesy of Squawka).
There’s a budding connection there with Isak, for sure, and it very much could lead the pair toward something similar to that of Gerrard and Suarez in the past.
Before Suarez, there was Fernando Torres. Gerrard played with some fantastic forwards across his illustrious Liverpool career, but the Urugayan might just have been the pick of the bunch, remarking in 2012 that Suarez was the best player he had lined up with.
Eight times did Stevie G serve Suarez a goal, but that number could be dwarfed by Wirtz in providing Isak, so mighty is Liverpool’s project. They are expected to play many games together, Isak and Wirtz, and in a team that is comfortably among the best, the most dangerous in Europe.
Suarez was one of the best strikers in the world during his time at Liverpool. In 2013/14, he scored 31 goals and provided 13 assists in the Premier League, backed by Liverpool’s legendary No. 8, who commanded the midfield and fought tirelessly to open clear lanes toward the danger area, pinging aerial passes and threading through balls through to the maverick in the box.
Xabi Alonso shaped Wirtz into the player he is today at Bayer Leverkusen, and he noted that the attacking midfielder “is a genius”.
Even though the German has endured something of a slow start to life in England, yet to score or assist across five matches in the Premier League and one in Europe, the signs of a world-class player are there to see, and the 22-year-old has the full backing of his manager, having two key passes per game in the Premier League and looked likely and tenacious in the build-up.
With Isak, proven and deadly in the Premier League, now part of the team, Wirtz will expect to hit fluent form sooner rather than later, and fans will eagerly await Sunday’s Merseyside derby, Everton coming to Anfield at noon. One analyst has already remarked that the record signings’ “link-up looks terrifying”.
Just as with Gerrard and Suarez once upon a time, Liverpool now have two new sensations in the attacking third, and they might have what it takes to create a partnership for the ages, one akin to that of before, but this time giving rise to a trophy-laden period in Liverpool’s rich history.
Not Salah or Van Dijk: Liverpool star is now "one of the best in the world"
Liverpool left it late once more to collect a Champions League victory at Anfield over Atletico Madrid.
O Palmeiras finalizou na manhã desta sexta-feira (18), na Academia de Futebol, a preparação para o confronto com o Cuiabá, no sábado (19), às 18h30, na Arena Pantanal, em Cuiabá (MT), pela 20ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. O Verdão deve entrar em campo com cinco desfalques, além daqueles que podem ser poupados.
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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui
Após vídeo no auditório e ativação muscular no centro de excelência, os jogadores aperfeiçoaram cruzamentos laterais e finalizações. Na sequência, houve um descontraído recreativo e, por fim, os atletas aprimoraram movimentações posicionais e táticas sob o comando da comissão de Abel Ferreira.
Os meio-campistas Gabriel Menino e Luis Guilherme fizeram tratamento na parte interna com o Núcleo de Saúde e Performance, enquanto o atacante Dudu realizou trabalhos individuais no campo com a preparação física alviverde. Os três devem estar fora da viagem para Cuiabá.
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Além deles, desfalques certos são Gustavo Gómez e Vanderlan, suspensos pelo terceiro amarelo. Assim, Luan e Piquerez devem assumir as vagas. O uruguaio havia sido poupado do duelo com o Cruzeiro e agora volta para a titularidade na lateral esquerda. Há ainda a possibilidade de nomes como Mayke, Raphael Veiga, Rony e Zé Rafael serem poupados do confronto.
+ Embalado por gol da vitória, Flaco López reencontra adversário preferido pelo Palmeiras
Um provável time do Palmeiras para sábado é: Weverton; Marcos Rocha (Mayke), Luan, Murilo e Piquerez; Zé Rafael (Fabinho), Richard Ríos e Jhon Jhon (Raphael Veiga); Artur, Breno Lopes e Flaco López (Rony).
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Atual vice-líder do Brasileirão com 34 pontos, o Alviverde nunca perdeu no Mato Grosso, com oito jogos, sete vitórias e um empate. No primeiro turno, no Allianz Parque, venceu o Cuiabá por 2 a 1, com gols de Endrick e Flaco López.
+ Como Deyverson deixou imagem de polêmico pra trás e virou ídolo no Palmeiras e no Cuiabá
O Verdão é o segundo time que menos perdeu neste Brasileirão (três derrotas, uma a mais que o Botafogo), tem o segundo melhor ataque (34 gols, um a menos do que o Botafogo) e o segundo melhor saldo de gols (17, sete a menos do que o Botafogo).
A lot of the DC batters got starts but none of them managed to cross 40, with Axar’s 32-ball 39 the highest of the innings
ESPNcricinfo staff19-Apr-2025
Prasidh Krishna picked 4 for 41 and got the purple cap as well•BCCI
After a tough couple of days, the Ahmedabad pitch gave a bit of respite for batters on a hot Saturday afternoon. Karun Nair, KL Rahul, and Delhi Capitals’ (DC) middle-order batters got starts, but none of them crossed 39. Gujarat Titans (GT) used only five bowlers for 19 overs of the innings. Prasidh Krishna, who got hold of the purple cap, pulled the visitors back after a great start with a four-wicket haul.DC leaving out Jake Fraser-McGurk created the new opening combination of Abhisek Porel and Nair. Porel’s boundaries in the first over; a drive on the up over mid-off and a help-along flick behind square, showed that the pitch could be trusted.He fell to a full toss from Arshad Khan and Rahul’s shift in approach kept DC ticking. Rahul cut Siraj and was able to pump him down the ground. His start was ominous but an outswinging yorker from Prasidh trapped him lbw for 28 off 14 balls.Nair, too, got boundaries on both sides of the wicket. He was out in a relatively soft manner, ramping a shortish ball straight to deep third.A pristine cover drive from Stubbs off Prasidh brought up DC’s hundred in the ninth over. But he and Axar Patel were relatively sedate after that during the 53-run stand off 36 balls. They were happy to take Rashid Khan and Ishant Sharma for ones and twos.Rashid bowled quicker and at the stumps in his first two overs. He slowed the pace down in his third as Stubbs took him for six down the ground but then miscued a swipe across the line. Rashid ran back but couldn’t hold onto the catch close to the ring at mid-on. It led to a slog-swept six from Axar next ball.Ishant was struggling in the heat and went off the pitch after two overs. Siraj returned and removed Stubbs, who reverse swept a yorker and the ball lobbed to short third.GT’s death bowlers included a lot of yorker attempts with short balls peppered in between. It nearly worked first ball, but Rashid dropped Axar at the start of the 17th.The DC skipper could not hit a boundary in his last nine balls and was out caught behind. He charged Prasidh and tried to slap a length ball over cover and got an edge. Prasidh was on a hat-trick a ball later, thanks to a brilliant diving catch from Jos Buttler to dismiss Vipraj Nigam.Ashutosh Sharma was the primary boundary hitter in the final overs. He got a six and a four off Arshad early in his innings and hit two sixes off Prasidh later on. R Sai Kishore, whose only over was the final one of the innings, went for just nine, as GT inched past the 200 mark.
It’s not been a great start to the season for Chelsea.
In the Premier League, Enzo Maresca’s side sits in eighth place with two wins, two draws, and two losses from their opening six games.
In the Champions League, they lost to Bayern Munich before beating Benfica, and in the League Cup, they just about got over the line against League One side Lincoln City.
Unsurprisingly, plenty of the Blues’ exciting young stars, like Jamie Gittens, have struggled this year, which makes their decision to sell an upgrade on him in the summer all the more perplexing.
Gittens poor start to life at Chelsea
Chelsea opted to spend around £48m on Gittens in the summer, and while such a fee now seems a little excessive, it didn’t appear too high at the time.
After all, the 21-year-old ended last season having scored 12 goals and provided five assists from 48 games for Borussia Dortmund.
Moreover, Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley even went as far as to claim he was “England’s best left winger in 2024/25”.
Unfortunately, it would seem utterly absurd to make such a claim today, as the Reading-born ace has so far failed to live up to expectations at Chelsea.
As things stand, the dynamic winger has made six appearances for the club, of which three have been starts, and yet he has not scored or provided an assist.
However, it’s worse than that, as, on top of having no end product, the summer signing hasn’t even had moments in which he’s looked promising, let alone good.
In almost all of his appearances, he ends up going missing, and when he does have the ball at his feet, he seemingly always makes the wrong decision.
For example, he failed to have a single shot on target in 70 minutes against Lincoln and gave away the ball with every other touch in his cameo against Benfica.
The performances have been so underwhelming that one content creator has labelled him as “shockingly bad.”
Gittens’ game vs Benfica
Minutes
29′
Expected Assists
0.01
Shots on Target
0
Dribbles (Successful)
3 (1)
Touches
16
Lost Possession
8
Accurate Passes
3/5
Key Passes
0
Duels (Won)
8 (4)
Crosses (Accurate)
1 (0)
All Stats via Sofascore
Gittens’ poor start to the season has left some wondering why the club sold someone who looks like a far better player, someone some have even compared to Bukayo Saka.
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That seems to be the case with Noni Madueke, as even though he had his own problems at Chelsea, it’s hard not to look at him as a clear upgrade on Gittens at the moment.
Now, there will be plenty of you happily pointing out that, like the former Dortmund star, the new Arsenal is yet to score a goal or provide an assist for his new club.
However, ask a fan of the Gunners, or a pundit for that matter, and they’ll happily explain that while the lack of end product isn’t ideal, it doesn’t take away from the fact that, before his injury, the Englishman was a breath of fresh air.
The “mentality monster,” as dubbed by former personal coach Saul Isaksson-Hurst, has brought a level of directness that has been missing from the North Londoners for some time, and was so good in the game against Nottingham Forest that he got a standing ovation.
In fact, he’s been so exciting to watch that some have even suggested he could truly rival Saka for a place in the starting lineup, with former Chelsea and England defender Paul Parker saying: “With the way he plays, I actually think he’s better than Bukayo Saka.”
While that is almost certainly overdoing it, comparing Madueke and Gitten’s underlying numbers from this season makes it clear that the former Blues star is doing far more for his new side than his younger compatriot.
Gittens vs Madueke
Statistics per 90
Gittens
Madueke
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.13
0.28
Progressive Passes
0.53
2.50
Progressive Carries
4.21
5.91
Shots on Target
0.37
0.92
Key Passes
1.58
1.82
Passes into the Penalty Area
0.53
1.82
Shot-Creating Actions
3.09
3.20
Goal-Creating Actions
0.00
0.46
Successful Take-Ons
1.58
1.82
All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 season
For example, even with the easier game against Lincoln, the former PSV Eindhoven star performs far better in key metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, passes into the penalty area, successful take-ons, and more, all per 90 minutes.
In other words, despite playing tougher opposition, the West Londoners’ former winger is putting up far better numbers than their new one this season.
Ultimately, things may well work out for Gittens, but as things stand, it looks like Chelsea made a mistake signing him and selling Madueke.
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Mohammad Isam21-May-2025
Sahibzada Farhan is the PSL’s highest run-getter this season so far•PCB
Sahibzada Farhan has been rewarded for his sterling form in the ongoing PSL 2025 with a recall to the Pakistan T20I side for the three-match series against Bangladesh later this month. Farhan is among eight changes to the side that toured New Zealand in March.Also returning to the side are Hasan Ali and Saim Ayub.Ayub was out of the national side since picking up an injury in South Africa in January during the Test series. He missed all the cricket between that series and the PSL, including the Champions Trophy, and makes his comeback despite average returns for Peshawar Zalmi – 174 runs in ten innings at an average of 17.40 and strike rate of 125.17.Hasan was in the team last in May 2024, and has now forced his way back with 15 wickets in the PSL for Karachi Kings, which places his joint-second with Abrar Ahmed and Jason Holder, and only behind Abbas Afridi, who has 17 wickets. Abbas, meanwhile, is one of the players to have been dropped.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Farhan pretty much forced the selectors to recall him after last playing a T20I in December last year. Playing for Islamabad United, he is currently the PSL’s top scorer with 394 runs at a strike rate of 154.50, and has hit a century and two half-centuries.Also back are Fakhar Zaman, Hussain Talat and Faheem Ashraf, apart from Mohammad Wasim and Naseem Shah, giving the side an experienced and solid appearance.However, there is no place for Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Shaheen Shah Afridi. Babar and Rizwan were dropped from the T20I series in New Zealand earlier this year, when Salman Agha was unveiled as the new T20I captain. Afridi played the T20Is on that tour, but has now been left out.Pakistan squad changes
IN – Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Ali, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Wasim, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub OUT – Abdul Samad, Jahandad Khan, Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Ali, Omair Bin Yousuf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem, Usman Khan
Pakistan’s three-match series against Bangladesh is also going to be Mike Hesson’s first assignment as the Pakistan white-ball head coach after he joined them earlier this month.The three T20Is will be played on May 28 and 30, and June 1.Pakistan squad for T20I series against Bangladesh Salman Agha (capt), Shadab Khan (vice-capt), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Wasim, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub