Dimitri Payet será desfalque do Vasco no duelo com o Palmeiras nesta quinta-feira (13), pela oitava rodada do Brasileirão. O camisa 10 sofre com dores na perna e sequer viajará para São Paulo com o elenco cruz-maltino. A informação é do portal “ge”.
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➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco
O francês já era tido como dúvida desde segunda-feira (10) por conta do problema. Como as dores persistiram, o meia será preservado pela comissão técnica e seguirá fazendo tratamento no Rio de Janeiro.
Além de Payet, quem desfalca o Vasco na partida contra o Palmeiras é Praxedes. O volante eve lesão na coxa direita constatada e não tem condições de jogo. O chileno Gary Medel, que negocia com o Boca Juniors e não deve mais vestir a camisa do Cruz-Maltino, também fica fora do confronto.
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No entanto, o técnico Álvaro Pacheco contará com a volta do atacante Adson, poupado no clássico com o Flamengo por conta de um desconforto muscular. Como o exame não detectou lesão, o ponta treinou normalmente durante a semana e reforça o Vasco nesta quinta-feira (13).
LOS ANGELES — Sometimes, a Dodgers player will check the news and find his name in it, alongside his manager’s. Dave Roberts has told the media—and through them, the fans—that he finds something about the player’s performance unacceptable. The player is rarely surprised.
This week, it has been star shortstop Mookie Betts: “I think he’s pressing,” was Roberts’s diagnosis after Betts went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Game 5 of the World Series to bring his series batting average to .130. “You can see there’s a little anxiousness there.”
This is an unusual approach for a modern manager. This October, Padres skipper Mike Shildt praised right fielder Fernando Tatís’s at-bat quality all the way through his 1-for-12 National League wild-card series. Cubs manager Craig Counsell discounted the idea that Pete Crow-Armstrong was trying to do too much even as the center fielder swung at breaking balls in the dirt. Yankees skipper Aaron Boone spent much of the summer insisting that shortstop Anthony Volpe, who over a two-week stretch in August had more errors (two) than hits (one), had just been unlucky. Six days after the Blue Jays bounced the Yankees from the playoffs, Volpe underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
Meanwhile, last week, Roberts told the assembled media that the Dodgers would not win the World Series if two-way star Shohei Ohtani’s at-bats did not improve.
PHILLIPS: Inside the Numbers of the Dodgers’ Postseason Offensive Collapse
You might expect that sort of public criticism to rankle his players. They say it does the opposite.
“I’ve always loved it,” says third baseman Max Muncy. “When he comes out and says things in statements to the media, it’s not anything he hasn’t told the player before. So the player is never being caught off guard. And sometimes as players, you need to feel that pressure. If he’s just talking to you and he says it, that’s one thing, but if he talks to you and says it, and then you see it on MLB Network, then it’s like, ”
Roberts sees that level of candor as part of his job.
“I think it’s important for them, for the fans and the media to know that I have certain standards and expectations, and it’s not an embarrassment [thing], it's a transparency [thing],” he says. “And I think that they know that I root for them as hard as anyone else, and so when I’m honest with the media, I think that’s why it lands. I am also the first to support them and back them when things aren’t going well, but I do feel that there’s times where I feel like I gotta be honest with what everyone’s seeing, and I just think that I’ve built enough equity with our guys that they know that I’m not just trying to embarrass them.”
Roberts is typically transparent with his opinions during press conferences. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
And everyone agrees that this only works because Roberts is as willing to challenge his stars as he is his scrubs. After the Dodgers fell to the Padres in four games in the NLDS in 2022, Roberts acknowledged, “You look at that dugout versus our dugout, there was more intensity there.” (He later pointed out that this was as much a criticism of himself as the manager as it was of any player.) This season alone he has identified a lack of “edge” in both reliever Blake Treinen and right fielder Teoscar Hernández.
“When you come in, you’re part of a team,” Muncy says. “It’s not a one-man show. And if you’re doing something negative to that team, you’re gonna get called out about it. It doesn’t matter what your number is, doesn’t matter what your stats are, doesn’t matter what your legacy is. If you’re not doing something to help that team win, you’re putting us in a hole, [and he’ll tell you]. And that really contributes to the culture we’ve created.” He adds, “Sometimes you gotta get guys out of their comfort zone if you want to get the best out of somebody.”
Betts, a frequent recipient of public concern from his manager about his mental approach—last year Roberts wondered aloud if Betts’s postseason struggles had gotten to him—seems almost surprised that not everyone does it this way.
“I think he’s just holding us accountable,” says Betts. “I think that’s really important. I don’t care who you are. If you’re Shohei or the last guy on the team, everyone needs to be held accountable. Usually people like Shohei, [most people] don’t really say anything to him. If he messes up, you kind of let him do his thing. You know he’ll fix it. But it doesn’t work like that. You need someone to hold you accountable. If you want to be good, you should probably hold your guys accountable.”
Indeed, Roberts says he goes out of his way to make sure he’s focusing his most intense criticism on his best players.
“I think I’m probably more apt to do it with those guys, because a lot of times they get a lot more grace than the 26th man,” he says.
And they seem to understand his intent. Besides, if the Dodgers are flustered when their manager acknowledges publicly that they are struggling, are they really mentally equipped to play at the highest level? After Roberts lamented what Ohtani’s at-bat quality was doing to the team, the two-way star agreed with him.
“The other way to say it,” Ohtani pointed out in response in Japanese, according to the , “Is that if I hit, we will win.”
The other key, Roberts says, is that he expects his players to do the same to him. From time to time, he says, he’ll make a decision, then return to his office to find Betts waiting to discuss it with him. Enforcing a standard means enforcing it for everyone, including himself. It also means that if the Dodgers lose the World Series this weekend, they will hear about it from fans and from the media—and from their manager.
Chelsea are in conversation with the representatives of a defender as midfielder Moises Caicedo offers his opinion on the potential transfer, according to a new report.
Chelsea play Bournemouth after Leeds United blow
Chelsea travel to Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon desperately seeking a response to their shock midweek defeat at Leeds, with Enzo Maresca’s title credentials under scrutiny after a damaging loss that left them nine points adrift of Arsenal.
The Blues suffered a humiliating 3-1 loss at Elland Road on Wednesday, falling two goals behind by halftime before Pedro Neto’s second-half strike proved insufficient.
The defeat represented their second loss to newly-promoted opposition this season, raising fresh doubts about their ability to maintain consistency and challenge Mikel Arteta for the Premier League.
Bournemouth present a challenge despite their own recent struggles.
The Cherries have endured a miserable November without a single victory, collecting just one point from four games while conceding 12 goals.
Tuesday’s narrow 1-0 home defeat to Everton extended their winless streak to five matches and marked their first loss at the Vitality Stadium all campaign.
Andoni Iraola’s side have plummeted from second to 14th during this barren spell, though they remain only five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea with significant room for optimism.
The hosts have collected 14 of their 19 Premier League points on home soil this season, establishing the Vitality as a fortress until Everton’s breakthrough.
Chelsea arrive as clear favourites based on superior stats and historical dominance, having won 15 of 23 meetings between the two clubs.
However, the visitors face selection headaches, with Caicedo still serving his suspension after picking up five yellow cards.
The Ecuadorian’s absence is a significant blow given his pivotal role protecting the defence, and Caicedo’s presence was sorely missed against Leeds.
Fabrizio Romano says 24-year-old has now played his last game for Chelsea
He doesn’t have a future in west London.
ByEmilio Galantini Dec 4, 2025
Chelsea boast the division’s best away attacking record with 15 goals in seven games, averaging over two goals per match. Yet, their vulnerability without Caicedo was exposed ruthlessly by Leeds, with the midfield lacking its usual protection.
While the £150,000-per-week star continues to sit out, he’s at least making himself useful in other ways.
Chelsea hold talks with Joel Ordonez as Moises Caicedo offers opinion
That is according to TEAMtalk and journalist Graeme Bailey, who report on Chelsea’s serious interest in Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez.
Chelsea have renewed contact with Ordonez’s representatives in recent weeks as they intensify their pursuit of the 21-year-old, with Caicedo also offering behind-the-scenes ‘thoughts’ about his former Independiente del Valle teammate.
The west Londoners are said to have tracked him since before his 2023 move to Belgium, maintaining long-standing interest in the player.
Caicedo and Ordonez developed their friendship during their time together at Independiente’s famed South American academy, and have remained close through international duty.
The Chelsea midfielder now appears to be playing agent, giving his verdict on Ordonez to the club’s hierarchy.
Liverpool represent significant competition for Ordonez’s signature, though.
Arne Slot’s side have monitored him closely over the past year as they desperately seek solutions to their defensive crisis. The Reds initially prioritised Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, but understand he will not depart Selhurst Park during January, forcing them to explore alternative options.
Crucially, both Club Brugge and Ordonez himself are open to a winter transfer, with England emerging as the most likely destination.
Fresh discussions between the player’s camp and Chelsea have taken place recently, building on months of established communication channels, but Man City and Tottenham are also keen.
City and Spurs have shown admiration for Ordonez, closely assessing him in recent weeks as they evaluate their own defensive requirements.
However, Chelsea and Liverpool currently lead the race after laying more groundwork, and perhaps Caicedo’s presence could prove key here in the race for Ordonez’s signature.
Thomas Frank is clearly a clever man. The Tottenham Hotspur manager is a bona fide tactician, and he has credentials in the Premier League after lifting Brentford into the top flight and keeping them there with a flourish.
But the Danish coach’s skills haven’t yet translated to Tottenham, not in the same manner, not with the same snap and grace.
Tottenham are 11th in the league standings, and they have two points from their past five matches. Home ground misery has spilt from last season into the new campaign, and this is forming the crux of a general air of frustration that may threaten Frank’s tenure if he does not find a solution quickly.
Much has been made of the north Londoners’ creative problems this season, but Frank’s resilient and organised defensive structure is also leaving something to be desired, prompting Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici to start searching for reinforcements.
Spurs searching for a defender
Frank’s well-ordered system lends itself to stability in the Premier League. He is not known as an attack-centric coach, but the rises of Bryan Mbeumo, Ivan Toney and Yoane Wissa bear testament to his man-management skills and tactical expertise across the board.
But it’s clear that Tottenham need more high-quality depth at the rear, with questionable recruitment in recent years leading to a lopsided outfit that quite simply doesn’t boast the wider quality to challenge at the very top of the division.
Burnley
28
28.8
West Ham
28
23.1
Nott’m Forest
22
21.3
Leeds
26
19.7
Tottenham
18
19.5
Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are talented centre-halves, but the pool is shallow beneath them, and that’s why Tottenham are gearing up for a winter raid on a Premier League rival.
According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham are preparing an ambitious £40m bid for Brighton & Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke, who has been among the standouts for Fabian Hurzeler this season.
The Dutchman is physical and technically dynamic, and given that he is contracted to the AMEX until 2027, now represents the perfect time to strike.
What Van Hecke would offer Spurs
Van Hecke, 25 years old, has been at Brighton since signing from NAC Breda in 2022, spending his first two years out on loan and since featuring 107 times across all competitions. He was immense last term, earning praise for his “unbelievable season” from his manager.
You may have seen Van Hecke’s name crop up in recent days. He netted a brace during Brighton’s frantic 4-3 defeat to winning machine Aston Villa, emulating both Romero and Van de Ven in that regard.
Standing at 6 foot 2 and with a limber frame, the Netherlands native is fast becoming one of the most dynamic and athletic centre-backs in the Premier League, ranking among the top 5% of positional peers in the division this season for goals scored, the top 21% for shot-creating actions, the top 3% for progressive passes and the top 1% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.
This underscores both his athleticism and proactivity on the ball. In this, he shares traits with Romero, who has scored three times but also assisted two goals across all competitions this year.
But the central point here is that Van Hecke is good enough to start; he would not move to the capital and play under Frank only to languish on the fringes.
Romero is the captain and a real talismanic force for a squad in need of guidance, but given Van Hecke’s enterprising passing and willingness to run, might he threaten countryman Van de Ven’s place in the starting line-up?
Matches (starts)
13 (13)
14 (14)
Goals
3
3
Assists
0
0
Touches*
69.2
86.4
Accurate passes*
53.2 (91%)
62.6 (87%)
Dribbles*
0.3
0.1
Ball recoveries*
3.7
3.1
Tackles + interceptions*
2.3
2.5
Clearances*
3.5
5.1
Duels (won)*
3.4 (51%)
5.6 (60%)
Errors
2
1
Van de Ven simply isn’t winning enough duels this season. He is an elite athletic profile and a force to be reckoned with, but there is gas in the tank he is not burning right now, and a true challenger for his starting spot could jumpstart him into action.
Then again, Van Hecke does have the quality to nail down a berth, with former striker Pierre van Hooijdonk actually describing him as a “positively crazy” defender, something that can work in your favour as a centre-back, if harnessed effectively.
This Romero-esque player could prove a jackpot signing for Tottenham if signed, not only deepening Frank’s options but also enriching the quality of a team that has more to give.
Spurs star is becoming Frank's own version of Kane & he's not even a forward
This Tottenham star is becoming a talismanic force for Frank’s side.
New Zealand is finally set to enter the world of privately owned T20 leagues, with plans afoot to start NZ20, a tournament comprising six privately owned franchises in January 2027. The league’s operating model would be similar to that of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with the tournament receiving the license from New Zealand Cricket (NZC), but managed independently.Plans don’t currently have NZC approval, but if they do secure that, NZ20 will replace the Super Smash, the current six-team competition. That tournament is now two decades old and is played by the local cricket associations in New Zealand: Auckland, Northern Districts, Wellington, Central Districts, Canterbury and Otago. It is managed by NZC, whereas NZ20 will have teams with private owners.According to Don MacKinnon, who heads the NZ20 Establishment Committee, the concept for the league originated from former New Zeeland greats including Stephen Fleming who then engaged with the New Zealand Players Association (NZPA} to gauge whether the time had come for a franchise-based league. MacKinnon, a professional lawyer who heads the country’s Sports Integrity Commission, and has served as a director on the NZC Board, was approached about three months ago to see if the concept was feasible.In a conversation with ESPNcricinfo, MacKinnon said NZ20 was an “extremely viable” project and it was the “ideal” time to launch.”The concept is a pretty simple one really. It’s to see if New Zealand cricket could provide us with a clean window, which in our mind is absolutely essential for a very short privately owned competition, ideally in the peak of summer in New Zealand,” MacKinnon said. “So ideally for a men’s competition in the month of January at potentially a lot of our holiday venues, some of our beautiful grassbanks ground and a short fan-centric, fun type competition, but one played by the very best players in New Zealand and hopefully some internationals.”
‘Super Smash not working’
The absence of a New Zealand T20 league until now has been notable, especially as its players and coaches have been popular in leagues across the globe. But MacKinnon said collective belief among former players was that the time was ripe for New Zealand to create its own domestic brand.Back in 2014 the NZC Board had turned down the idea of such a league because it did not believe it could create a successful product and would “struggle” to compete with the likes of the IPL and BBL. MacKinnon agreed with that decision but pointed out the time now was right to “develop our own unique competition.” He said that NZ20 would not be aping the IPL or BBL.”We are looking at something very boutique, very New Zealand centric, a unique experience for players who come here, as I said, small grounds, a great lifestyle, something that we think players would love to be involved in.”Finn Allen is among the New Zealand players who play overseas in the January league period•Sarah Reed – CA / Getty Images
MacKinnon said the Super Smash was “not really working with the fans” and has become more of a “development” competition for players. NZ20, MacKinnon believes, has the potential to “reenergise domestic cricket” in New Zealand. “What’s different about it? Well, it’s partly driven out of private investment and so you get the ability to be very innovative. You have the ability to have greater capital, to invest in better fan experience both at the ground but also whether you are watching on television or online. We also think that if we get this right, we will attract the very best New Zealand players back into our domestic competitions.”MacKinnon did not disclose whether IPL franchise owners were looking to invest, but said there was strong interest both from India as well as other investors globally. “We’ve also looked really closely at some of the models around the world and particularly the CPL where the league owners and the team seem to have done a great job in moving that competition not only into a point of profitability but also has really engaged fan interest. So that’s one of the models we’re looking at very closely. But by no means the only one.”
NZ players ‘would desperately love’ to play NZ20
The current plan involves starting the men’s tournament in January 2027 followed by the launch of the women’s league in December 2027. The biggest challenge remains finding a clear window with the BBL, SA20 and ILT20 running simultaneously in January. Those tournaments generally involve the participation of several New Zealand international.MacKinnon acknowledged that hurdle, but believed current New Zealand players were keen to participate. “We appreciate we won’t be able to attract everybody that we’d like to have, but the feedback from current New Zealand players is they would desperately love for this tournament to go ahead and would do everything to participate in it.There would be plans to launch a women’s edition later in 2027•Getty Images
“So that’s the first goal. We are designing this competition very much along the lines that we want the Lockie Fergusons and the Finn Allens of this world and the Kane Williamsons playing in it. So that’s the most important goal because at the moment a lot of those players aren’t playing in our Super Smash.”MacKinnon is confident NZ20 can attract “marquee players” if they get the right owners. MacKinnon also highlighted one of its USPs would be to allow players to own a stake in the league. “We also are looking at a model where the players may well have an ownership share of the league,” he said. “And we are doing that because we want an extremely high level of access to player intellectual property. We want to be able to open our players up to the wealth. And to do that, that intellectual property needs to be very readily available.”
NZC approval</h2.NZC approval will have to come swiftly if NZ20 is to take off by January 2027. MacKinnon emphasised that his committee wanted to work with NZC. In fact, the NZ20 committee comprises two members from NZC's board along with representatives from NZPA and members associations.MacKinnon said that NZC had told the NZ20 Committee they were looking at various options. "We have been in constant discussions with the New Zealand Cricket Board over the last two to three months. They have been excellent to deal with. They have been very clear to us that while they're excited by this project, they have other options they're looking at including quite clearly whether they wish to consider trying to get a team into the Big Bash."MacKinnon said he would obviously like NZC to pick NZ20 as the "preferred option" but admitted ideally he would want the final decision to be made as soon as possible. "At the same time we are proceeding on the basis that we believe we will get a license and we are continuing to talk to investors and making progress in that regard. We would love to be in a position by the end of January [2026] to have some real certainty about whether we can make the competition start in January 2027 and that's our timeframe."
Sadaqat picked up two wickets before hitting a 47-ball 79 not out to help defeat India A
Shashank Kishore16-Nov-2025
Maaz Sadaqat finished 79 not out off just 47 balls•Asian Cricket Council
Maaz Sadaqat, 20, has probably never been searched or spoken about as much as he was on Sunday night.Under the glare of a primetime audience in a high-stakes clash against India A, the youngster from Peshawar delivered two decisive punches. His tidy left-arm spin removed Jitesh Sharma and Nehal Wadhera in quick succession, sparking a collapse that saw India A lose 8 for 45 and crumble for 136 all out with an over left.And as if that wasn’t enough, Sadaqat then opened the chase with a sparkling statement of intent, hitting a robust 31-ball half-century in an exhilarating display of batsmanship, guiding Pakistan A to a commanding eight-wicket win with plenty to spare in their second game at the Rising Stars T20 Asia Cup.This was Pakistan A’s second straight win in the competition, which assured them of a semi-final berth.Suryavanshi fires early salvoIndia A were once again propelled by the precocious brilliance of 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the wunderkind who had lit up the tournament with a breathtaking 144 against UAE just two nights ago.On a crumbly surface offering grip and turn, he wasted no time in taking on fast bowler Ubaid Shah, younger brother of Naseem, to give India A the early momentum. His intent helped the team wade through the early loss of Priyansh Arya, who top-edged a pull to mid-on. What stood out was Suryavanshi’s game awareness: he quickly sensed that this pitch wouldn’t suit premeditation, and adjusted accordingly.Vaibhav Suryavanshi did not take much time to tee off•Asian Cricket Council
By holding his shape and trusting his hands, he produced an array of eye-catching strokes: like the crisp inside-out punch over cover, a clean swing over deep midwicket, and a series of razor-sharp pick-ups against spin.His 49-run stand with Naman Dhir ensured India A found a boundary almost every over until the tenth, setting a brisk, early tempo despite the tricky conditions. Suryavanshi even took on left-arm spinner Sufyan Muqeem, before an attempt to launch him over the ropes had him fall for a 28-ball 45.Sadaqat’s Act-IAfter Suryavanshi’s dismissal, India A went 29 balls without finding the boundary. That lull coincided with the introduction of Sadaqat, whose thrifty left-arm spin tightened the screws almost immediately. Using his angles cleverly, he coaxed the ball to drift, grip and occasionally rear up, while subtle changes of pace denied the batters any rhythm.Jitesh, coming off a blistering 32-ball 83 not out against UAE, miscued a lofted attempt to long-off, and Wadhera was stumped after being lured out by one that drifted away late. Between those two blows, Ashutosh Sharma was unfortunate to be given lbw to a delivery that skidded on but appeared to strike him outside the line.Sadaqat finished with figures of 3-1-12-2, setting the stage for right-arm seamer Shahid Aziz to return and wipe out the lower order. From looking set to score 180, India A collapsed to 136 all out.The Irfan Khan-led Pakistan A struck regularly in the second half•Asian Cricket Council
Sadaqat’s Act-IIOn a surface where run-making seemed progressively difficult as India A found out, Sadaqat had clean plans: of taking the attack to the bowlers with the new ball inside the powerplay. And on Sunday, nothing was going to stop him.Reprieved second ball when Wadhera put down a tough chance at backward point, Sadaqat took the attack to left-arm seamer Gurjapneet Singh in his first over. Then with spin introduced in the fourth, he laid into leg spinner Suyash Sharma, hitting him for back-to-back boundaries.Jitesh persisted with Gurjapneet for a third straight over inside the powerplay, but Sadaqat snuffed out any fight from India A by clobbering him for 18 – including a flat-bat six over long-on as Pakistan A brought up their 50 inside five overs. This turbocharge meant Pakistan A didn’t lose momentum even with the loss of Mohammad Naeem.As good as Sadaqat was in front of square, there was so much more to his batting. He welcomed the offspin of Dhir by reverse-sweeping him for a six, racing to a half-century off just 31 balls.On 54, he top-edged Suyash, only to be dropped by Suryavanshi at point. Then on 56, he swung one over long-on, only for Wadhera to sensationally intercept the ball and throw it back into the field of play for Dhir to take the relay. However, the third umpire ruled it in favour of Pakistan. Strangely though, he did not rule it a six and it was given as a dot ball instead.Those two chances aside, there were hardly moments on the field where India A had any semblance of control. Sadaqat remained unbeaten on 79 off 47 as Pakistan A cruised home in style.
Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Moeen Ali, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Spencer Johnson are also being released by the franchise
Nagraj Gollapudi15-Nov-2025Venkatesh Iyer, who made a name for himself and was elevated to the national team following a strong IPL debut season in 2021 for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), is among the players being released by the three-time champions.ESPNcricinfo has learned that Iyer, who was bought for a record INR 23.75 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction by KKR, who used a right-to-match card to get him, is part of a lengthy list of high-profile names who are not being retained by the franchise.The other high-profile players being let go are the South African duo of Anrich Nortje (bought for INR 6.5 crore) and Quinton de Kock (INR 3.6 crore), Australian quick Spencer Johnson (INR 2.8 crore), Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz (INR 2 crore) and England allrounder Moeen Ali (INR 2 crore).Related
RR trade Samson to CSK for Jadeja and Curran
The uncapped Indian pair of Luvnith Sisodia and Chetan Sakariya, who had replaced the injured Umran Malik last season, are also being released.After making a big impression in his debut IPL season – which came after he had starred for Madhya Pradesh in the domestic limited-overs tournaments in 2020-21 – Iyer had a quiet IPL 2022, but was again a star for KKR in IPL 2023, when he scored 404 runs, including a century, to average 28.86 at a strike rate of 145.85 for the season.A key part of the team, he has even led the side on occasion and, last year, was talked about as a possible captain before Ajinkya Rahane was handed the reins. As it happened, Iyer scored just 142 runs in 11 games at a strike rate of 139.22.KKR, who won the IPL in 2024, finished near the bottom of the table the following season. Among the players to perform poorly was de Kock (152 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 129.91), while the likes of Nortje, Johnson, Gurbaz and Moeen didn’t get too many opportunities for one reason or another and weren’t too impressive when fielded.
Chelsea have received a massive Liam Delap boost as the striker is set to make a swift recovery from his shoulder injury. Delap looked set for more time on the sidelines after being forced out of last weekend's game against Bournemouth in the Premier League at the Amex Stadium with a shoulder injury. The English forward landed heavily and looked to be in real pain in the first half of the game.
Fresh injury setback for Delap
After spending close to two months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury at the start of the season, Delap returned to action in November. He featured in Enzo Maresca's starting against Bournemouth last weekend but lasted less than half an hour due to injury. The Chelsea forward appeared to dislocate his shoulder after a heavy fall and was replaced immediately. Delap had caught the eye in the opening exchanges against Bournemouth for his physical approach and was perhaps fortunate not to have been booked for catching Marcos Senesi with a stray arm twice before he had to be taken off.
After the game, Maresca sounded worried about Delap's fresh setback, as the Italian coach had said: "Unfortunately, he has already been out for two months and he has to be out again. We don't know for how long, but it looks quite bad, his shoulder. He has been unlucky. We are also a bit unlucky because we need that kind of a No.9."
According to , Delap did not fracture his shoulder and he is expected to recover from it in the next three or four weeks. This means that in the New Year, Delap will fully recover and will be ready to take the field for the Blues. However, the English forward is set to miss matches against Atalanta in the Champions League, Cardiff City in the Carabao Cup and then Everton, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Bournemouth in the English top-flight.
Providing a positive update on Delap's condition, Maresca had said before the Atalanta clash: "Liam is fortunately not any fracture. We had Liam two months out [earlier in the season]. Joao Pedro plays as a No 9, Pedro Neto too, also Tyrique [George] as a number nine. We try to find solutions. We know Liam needs to play games to be fit and be better and better. Now, unfortunately, he is out again."
Emegha to remain at Strasbourg
Following Delap's injury, reports emerged that the Blues might fast-track Emmanuel Emegha’s arrival from Strasbourg. However, the later reported that Emegha won't be rushed to Stamford and the youngster would rather join the Premier League giants in the summer of 2026, as decided earlier. Now, with Delap's latest update, Emegha is sure to stay in France for six more months.
Chelsea opted to bring back Marc Guiu from his Sunderland loan back in August after Delap's earlier injury, and the plan is to stick with the former Barcelona star yet again to provide cover for Delap. Guiu replaced the injured Englishman against the Cherries, with Maresca explaining that the physical nature of the match suited the teenager more than using Joao Pedro as a makeshift centre-forward.
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AFPPalmer fails to make Champions League squad
Despite starting in the Premier League last weekend, Palmer was not included in the Chelsea matchday squad for their Champions League fixture against Atalanta on Tuesday.
Explaining his decision to omit the starting attacker, Maresca said: "[He] played half an hour the other day, played one hour today. So now it's important that he can build the physical condition."
The Italian coach had earlier called for protecting Palmer as much as possible, as he had said: "We need to protect Cole for sure, 100%. Not only Cole in my personal view, because as I said now, because of the Club World Cup or because we never stop, we need to manage and protect different players. The solution with Cole, I don’t know, now we have a meeting with the medical staff, and we will decide the best solution for him. But it’s also a kind of injury that is not like black and white. It’s an injury that someday you can be better. It’s not that you have pain and tomorrow will disappear. Sometimes you can be better, sometimes you can be worse. That’s why we need to manage day by day."