If Leeds United are to collect a much-needed win on their travels next up in the Premier League away at Nottingham Forest, they will need to make sure they have packed their shooting boots.

Indeed, away from scoring three at Molineux back in September, Daniel Farke’s goal-shy Whites have regularly fired blanks on the road this season, with the 3-0 defeat handed to him last time out away at Brighton and Hove Albion only seeing the West Yorkshire outfit register a weak two shots on target.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has definitely frustrated a large volume of his new supporters, already, by regularly spurning opportunities, with five big chances missed in the Premier League this season coming courtesy of the wasteful ex-Everton marksman.

With both Lukas Nmecha and Joel Piroe not exactly banging the door down to take Calvert-Lewin’s starting spot off him, either, Farke could soon be tempted to throw Harry Gray into the senior mix more regularly, as the teenage sensation continues to frighten Premier League 2 defences in West Yorkshire.

Why Harry Gray should be in the first team

Despite only being 17 years of age, Gray has already received some first-team chances here and there, to begin to live up to his well-known family name, which has also seen Archie Gray go on to be a £40m sale to Tottenham Hotspur.

Leeds will hope they can hold on to the blistering number 45 for far longer than they managed with his Premier League-bound brother, though, with Gray perhaps the long-term fix to all their goalscoring woes.

From only 25 games lining up for both the U18s and U21s, Gray has a ridiculous 15 goals next to his name, leading to the England U17 international already being dubbed as “one of England’s best young prospects” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Of course, he does still have a very long way to go before he’s smashing goals home in the senior picture, with only one senior match under his belt to date.

But, do not be surprised if he’s handed more first-team chances very soon, having also recently penned a new long-term deal to stay put at his boyhood club, particularly if Calvert-Lewin continues to fluff his lines.

Amazingly, Gray isn’t the only goal machine being worked on at Thorp Arch at the moment, as another raw version of the 17-year-old is being brewed behind the scenes to excite Farke.

18-year-old Leeds star can rival Harry Gray

Leeds always seem to have a future talent ready on their conveyor belt, with the likes of Kalvin Phillips also homegrown, before he moved on to Manchester City.

The next starlet set for a big break at Elland Road could well be Lewis Pirie, with the 18-year-old situated in West Yorkshire ever since leaving former boyhood employers Aberdeen behind in 2023 for £200k, which is a wild fee to fork out for a rising star, especially one that was just 16 years of age at the time.

But, much like Gray, Pirie has been turning heads since a very tender age with his unbelievable goalscoring prowess to demand such an investment, with an insane 51 goals managed for club and country during the 2022/23 season, even seeing journalist James Marshment label the Scotsman as “one of the most in-demand young strikers around” when a move was clinched.

He has since slotted into the Leeds academy scene well, too, with his goalscoring promise for the U18s backing up his previous manager Jim Goodwin’s comments that he is a very “exciting” prospect.

Games played

33

Goals scored

7

Assists

1

Already, the five-time Scotland U17 international has fired home seven goals on the youth pitches in West Yorkshire, with three of those seven efforts coming during his first five breakneck outings for the U18s.

He is yet to get off the mark for the U21s, from just four appearances, but his continued rise up the ranks does bear similarities to Gray’s goal-laden ascent.

All this fresh blood excelling in attack away from the senior set-up will surely worry Calvert-Lewin when it comes to his long-term security, as the 28-year-old prays a purple patch comes his way soon, starting with a decisive strike against Forest on Saturday.

"Highly-rated" Leeds gem could now leave "on a free transfer in January"

Leeds United’s rising young goalkeeper could depart the club within the coming months.

ByJames O'Reilly Nov 5, 2025

The Blue Jays are one win away from their first trip to the American League championship series since 2016.

After hammering the Yankees 10–1 in Game 1 of the AL division series on Saturday, the Blue Jays were back at it on Sunday, racing to a 12–0 lead before holding on for a 13–7 win. Toronto’s bats were a big part of the story in Game 2, but rookie righty Trey Yesavage stole headlines with an incredible performance on the mound.

The Yankees failed to show up in either game north of the border and now find themselves with their backs against the wall, trailing 2–0 in the best-of-five series. Here’s a look at three takeaways from Toronto's big win on Sunday.

The Blue Jays Aren’t Intimidated

Toronto came out firing in Game 1, and that continued in Game 2. A 10–1 victory on Saturday led to a 13-run outburst that included a 12–0 lead by the fifth inning. The Blue Jays are not scared of what the Yankees have thrown at them, even with Bo Bichette sidelined.

After scoring eight runs on New York’s bullpen in Game 1, Toronto lit up Yankees ace Max Fried, scoring seven runs on eight hits in three-plus innings. Perhaps most importantly, the Blue Jays’ big bats came to play. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a monster grand slam to drive in four. Daulton Varsho had two bombs, George Springer also went deep and Alejandro Kirk drove in a run after hitting two home runs in Game 1.

The Blue Jays had one of MLB’s best offenses all season. Even with Bichette watching from the dugout, Toronto hasn’t missed a beat.

Trey Yesavage Earned His Spot

A lot was made about Toronto’s decision to give top prospect Trey Yesavage the start in a critical spot on Sunday. It turned out to be a phenomenal call. The rookie righty showed he’s the team’s top prospect for a reason.

In 5 1/3 electric, shutout innings, Yesavage held the Yankees without a hit, walked one and struck out 11, which was a Blue Jays postseason record. He sat in the mid-90s and garnered a ridiculous 18 whiffs, 11 of which came on his devastating splitter. He was excellent all afternoon and fed off the raucous crowd at Rogers Centre.

The 22-year-old is Toronto’s No. 1 prospect, and MLB Pipeline ranks him at No. 26 overall. The 20th pick in the 2024 MLB draft, Yesavage rose quickly through the minor league ranks this season, earning a call-up in mid-September after 25 outings.

Yesavage went 1–0 with a 3.21 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in three big league starts before the playoffs. He struck out 16 and walked seven in 14 innings. It was a gamble to give him a start in such a big spot, but he stepped into the spotlight and owned the moment.

Toronto’s starting rotation ranked 23rd in baseball with just 8.5 fWAR, and it was 24th in FIP (4.46), so there was plenty of room to add another piece. Yesavage is an elite talent that elevates the rotation when he’s locked in. He’s earned that rotation spot after Sunday’s immaculate performance.

It’s Getting Late Early for the Yankees

The Yankees entered the 2025 season looking to finish what they started in 2024 when they fell short against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. They got past the Boston Red Sox in the wild-card round after losing Game 1 and winning the next two, but now find themselves on the brink again.

In two games against Toronto, New York has been outscored 23–8. At one point, it was 22–1 before the Yankees got two runs in the sixth inning on Sunday, then followed that with five more in the seventh. That only came against the back of the Blue Jays’ bullpen after the Yanks dug themselves an insurmountable deficit.

New York’s staff has allowed 23 runs in 16 innings so far in this series, which works out to a brutal ERA of 12.94. Part of that has been Toronto’s relentless offense, but it’s also the Yankees’ pitchers not executing. The franchise didn’t give Fried $218 million to watch him allow seven runs in three-plus innings during a key playoff game. The lefty delivered 6 1/3 shutout innings in Game 1 of the wild-card series but now has a 9.64 ERA in his last five playoff starts dating back to 2022.

Now the series heads to Yankee Stadium, where Carlos Rodón will face Shane Bieber on Tuesday night. The 32-year-old lefty allowed three runs in six innings against the Red Sox in Game 2 of the wild-card series, so he’s already pitched in an elimination game this postseason.

Rodon will need to be at his best because the Yankees already find themselves on the verge of a very long vacation.

MatériaMais Notícias

da jogodeouro： A vitória sobre o Flamengo na final da Libertadores, em Montevidéu, garantiu o terceiro título do Palmeiras na competição continental, o segundo sob comando de Abel Ferreira. Maior campeão entre os brasileiros ao lado de São Paulo, Santos e Grêmio, o Verdão se consolida também como o detentor dos melhores números na taça da Conmebol.

Sexta final do clube na competição, o jogo deste sábado também deixou o Maior Campeão Nacional igualado com o São Paulo em números de finais disputadas. Assim como o rival tricolor, ambas as instituições possuem 50% de aproveitamento, com três derrotas e três taças erguidas.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasLibertadoresApós segundo título da Libertadores, Abel Ferreira deixa futuro aberto no PalmeirasLibertadores27/11/2021LibertadoresFormado no Flamengo, Jorge celebra título da Libertadores pelo Palmeiras: ‘Logo em cima deles’Libertadores27/11/2021LibertadoresHerói do título do Palmeiras, Deyverson se emociona com conquista: ‘Nunca deixei de trabalhar’Libertadores27/11/2021

da pixbet： Com a 23ª participação garantida, a equipe de Abel Ferreira também se isola como o brasileiro com mais participações em Libertadores. Antes empatado com São Paulo e Grêmio, o time paulista tem chances remotas de ainda conseguir vaga à competição, enquanto os gaúchos já estão matematicamente fora.

Em 22 temporadas no maior torneio de clubes disputado dentro da América do Sul, o Verdão soma ao todo 210 partidas, 117 triunfos e 392 gols marcados, números que também credenciam o clube na liderança das três estatísticas entre todos os brasileiros que já disputaram a competição.

O time palestrino também fecha a temporada 2021 continuando com o recorde histórico do clube com mais jogos sem perder fora de casa na Libertadores, com 15 partidas de invencibilidade. A última derrota foi na fase de grupos da edição de 2019, para o San Lorenzo, na Argentina. Desde então, foram dez vitórias e cinco empates longe do Allianz Parque – sem contar as finais de 2020 e 2021, disputadas em campo neutro.

Vale lembrar também que o Palmeiras repetiu o feito de Santos em 1962/63 e São Paulo em 1992/93, sendo os únicos do Brasil que venceram o torneio de maneira consecutiva. Nas ocasiões, o time de Pelé venceu o Peñarol, em 1962, e o Boca Juniors, em 1963. Já o Tricolor de Telê Santana, vencedor em 1992 e 1993, bateu Newell’s Old Boys, da Argentina, e Universidad Católica, do Chile, respectivamente.

Após o título, o Verdão volta a campo na próxima terça-feira (30), diante do Cuiabá, a Arena Pantanal, pela trigésima sexta rodada do Brasileirão. Sem chances matemáticas de título e já garantido na Libertadores de 2022, a equipe encontrará seus torcedores no Brasil pela primeira vez após a conquista do tricampeonato continental.

continua após a publicidade

Fear not, Arsenal fans, the international break is finally coming to an end this weekend.

However, while the return of the Premier League can’t come soon enough, the Emirates faithful have been able to watch a number of their stars excel for their nations over the last week and a half.

One of those who has been particularly impressive has been Bukayo Saka, who scored a wonder goal against Wales and then picked up an assist against Latvia.

So long as he remains fit, the Hale Ender will surely be one of the first names on the team sheet at the World Cup, as his importance to the Three Lions is only eclipsed by his importance to the Gunners.

With that said, while Saka will likely remain the North Londoners’ talismanic number seven for as long as he’s playing, Mikel Arteta and Co may already have the perfect long-term heir in one of the most exciting talents in the country.

Arsenal's recent number sevens

Despite the amount of change the squad has been through, Arsenal have only had three first-team players wear the number seven shirt since 2016.

The first of those was Alexis Sanchez, who took the number ahead of the 16/17 season following the departure of Czech international Tomas Rosický.

The former Barcelona ace was already an undeniable superstar for the Gunners at this point, having produced 37 goal involvements in 41 games the season prior.

However, with his new number on his back, the Chilean international reached another level, scoring 30 goals and providing 18 assists in 51 appearances, totalling 4230 minutes, in the 16/17 season.

That comes out to a staggering average of a goal involvement every 1.06 games, or every 88.12 minutes. If that wasn’t enough, he also scored the opening goal in the club’s 2-1 FA Cup Final triumph over Chelsea that summer.

However, all good things must come to an end, and midway through the following season, he moved to Manchester United in a swap deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan come the other way.

The Armenian international took the seven shirt off the departing winger, but, interestingly, had to wear 77 in Europa League matches because two players are not allowed to wear the same number in the same campaign.

Unfortunately, while the Yerevan-born player is undeniably talented and has been brilliant in Italy, he failed to deliver in North London and, within a year and a half, was sent on loan to AS Roma, with just nine goals and 13 assists in 59 games for the club.

The loan was made in the summer of 2020, and in July, the seven was handed to one of the club’s own: Saka.

While he hasn’t had a season as explosive as Sanchez’s 16/17, the Hale Ender has become a reliable source of goal involvements as well as someone who can step up in the big moments.

Moreover, and arguably just as crucial, he has also become the face of Arteta’s project and rejuvenation of the club, with him netting his 100th Premier League goal involvement in just his 200th league appearance before the international break.

In all, the Gunners’ “legend in the making,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored 73 goals and provided 72 assists in 270 games for the club, totalling 20448 minutes.

In other words, since his first-team debut, the dazzling winger has averaged a goal involvement every 1.86 games, or every 141.02 minutes, which is made all the more impressive by the fact he spent much of his early career at left-back, or being played all over the place.

So, it’s clear that, so long as he can remain fit, Saka will almost certainly remain Arsenal’s number seven for potentially the next decade or so, and in even more good news, the academy looks like it’s producing someone who could be his long-term heir.

Arsenal's future number seven

There is certainly an argument to be made that Ethan Nwaneri could end up being Arsenal’s future number seven, as most of his games last season came off the right, in place of Saka.

Chalkboard

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

However, it has become increasingly clear this season that the club view him as a central player, and anyway, there is now another, younger Hale End gem who looks like he could thrive out wide and eventually make the number his own: Max Dowman.

It is hard to think of another academy gem who has received as much media attention as the 15-year-old, but it’s not just fans and pundits waxing lyrical about him.

For example, at the start of last season, Kulig claimed the teenager was the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal”, and then last November, Hale End expert Will Balsam called him “the biggest talent in England.”

It might all sound somewhat hyperbolic, but his numbers from last season suggest it might not be.

In just 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, he scored 19 times and provided five assists, which comes out to an average of 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes.

Moreover, he played brilliantly in pre-season, winning a penalty against Newcastle United, and then did the same at home to Leeds United in the league, with respected analyst Ben Mattinson pointing out that he “hasn’t even done his GCSE’s but he’s humiliating Premier League players.”

Finally, while there is a case for his future being in the middle of the park, his best attributes seem to be his agility, ability to beat opposition defenders, and his ability to burst into the penalty area, all of which feel like key skills for a top-class winger.

On top of that, his first team experience has come off the right, and he is currently playing out wide and thriving for England’s U19 side.

Finally, if the Gunners want to have him and Nwaneri in the team in the future, leading the way for Hale End, then it makes sense to play the latter in the middle and keep the former on the wing, where he can make the most of his incredible gifts.

Ultimately, Dowman is not going to take the number seven shirt from Saka in the foreseeable future, but given how young he is, there is every chance he becomes the 24-year-old’s long-term heir at the Emirates.

Arteta can drop Gyokeres by unleashing Arsenal star who's emulating Haaland

Viktor Gyokeres should be under pressure to perform at Arsenal.

By
Matt Dawson

Oct 15, 2025

Planning a January bid for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, Manchester United are now “confident” that the City Ground outfit will accept their offer.

Joining from boyhood club Newcastle United in the 2024 summer transfer window, Anderson has become a crucial part of the Forest first team. Last season, he was an ever-present midfield force as Nuno Espirito Santo guided the club to Europa League football.

Anderson has retained his place in the Forest first-team for the new season, even as the club have suffered a poor start to the Premier League 2025/26 campaign. Anderson, who made his international debut for England earlier this year, is unsurprisingly on the radar of many clubs in the top flight.

Signed for £35 million, Anderson was quickly viewed as a brilliant piece of business from Forest. In turn, the Midlands side could be set for an immense profit if rumours about his future materialise into something more serious.

Anderson to join Man United?

As per TEAMtalk, Man United are readying a “giant” bid for Anderson in the upcoming winter transfer window. The Red Devils have long held an interest in the midfielder, with it being reported that the club view him as a “prime and realistic target”.

Since joining the club in November 2024, Man United manager Ruben Amorim has endured a tough time at Old Trafford. Generally, the Portuguese has struggled for consistency, though three wins and a draw in their last four Premier League games suggests that Amorim has, finally, found a balance within his side.

Setting up in his traditional 3-4-2-1 system, Anderson would be a perfect profile for Amorim’s philosophy. Still in his early 20s, the former Scotland youth international could be an ideal successor to Casemiro who, whilst still capable, is getting older.

According to TEAMtalk, Anderson would be “very keen” on a move to Old Trafford. INEOS, who are planning a bid of around £60 million, feel that would be enough to get a deal over the line.

As comfortable in the tackle as he is at playing a ranging pass forward, Anderson’s excellence in the midfield would brilliantly complement Amorim’s current options, as he looks to guide the Red Devils back to a place within the top six, to which they have become so accustomed over the years.

Man United increasing efforts to sign £42 million talent

England’s leading multi-format cricketers, including Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer and Jos Buttler, could be forced to miss the two-Test series against New Zealand in June, due to a clash with the knock-out phases of this year’s IPL.The trio, all of whom play for Rajasthan Royals, are the most prominent IPL players in England’s Test set-up, although Chris Woakes (Delhi Capitals), Sam Curran (Chennai Super Kings) and Jonny Bairstow (Sunrisers Hyderabad) could also be affected if their respective franchises reach the final four of the competition.Mark Wood is another potential absentee, if he gets picked up in Thursday’s IPL player auction, as is Moeen Ali, who was released by Royal Challengers Bangalore at the end of last season, and whose absence from the final two Tests of the ongoing India tour is due, in part, to the prospect of two further months away from home if he is signed by another franchise.Currently, the IPL has yet to announce either the dates for this year’s tournament, or the venue, but it is likely to be held in India, starting around April 10 through to the first week of June.That would have implications for England’s build-up to their two-Test series against New Zealand, which is scheduled between June 2-14 and is not a part of the World Test Championship, having been added to the ECB’s summer schedule in mitigation for their likely absence from the WTC final, which is scheduled for June 18-22.Related

• Chris Silverwood: Test cricket remains a priority for England despite IPL demands

• 'There are no expectations' – New Zealand stars play down hype ahead of IPL auction

• IPL or Lord's Test? New Zealand Cricket to take 'pragmatic approach' with its players

• IPL 2021 auction: Who will the Super Kings, Capitals, Punjab Kings and Knight Riders target?

• Maxwell hopes to join forces with 'idol' de Villiers

On Tuesday, the IPL sent out an email to the franchises, seen by ESPNcricinfo, listing out the availability of players from top countries. Along with those from Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland, England players were also listed to be fully available for the IPL, but with a caveat.”In the event of ECB Selectors wishing to select a player for the 1st Test v New Zealand whose franchise has made it through to the knockout stages of the Tournament, but who is not featuring in the starting XI, the relevant franchise is requested to release such player early so that they can participate in the Test Match,” the IPL email read.The ECB has adopted a more flexible attitude to the IPL in recent years, with the tournament’s high intensity and quality being credited as significant factors in England’s recent rise in white-ball standards, culminating in their World Cup victory in 2019.To date, no ECB centrally-contracted player has missed a Test match to take part in the IPL, despite frequent clashes with the English summer schedule in the early years of the tournament.However, the ECB’s rest-and-rotation policy for the ongoing tours of Sri Lanka and India has been designed to factor in the prospect of IPL involvement for their key players, particularly with the T20 World Cup due to be staged in India at the end of the year.Stokes and Archer both missed England’s two Tests in Sri Lanka in January, while Bairstow, Curran and Wood have been on leave in the UK during the Chennai leg of the India tour.South African players’ availability unclearSome of South Africa’s IPL players could also be impacted by the white-ball series against Pakistan at home in April. With the series scheduled between April 2-16, Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje, Delhi Capitals’ prominent pace partnership, are among those who are set to miss the opening few weeks of the tournament, along with Quinton de Kock (Mumbai Indians) and Faf du Plessis (Chennai Super Kings).Cricket South Africa is yet to confirm the window that South African players will be available for in the IPL. But that would not have an impact on the likes of allrounder Chris Morris, who is likely to be one of the players to ignite a bidding war once again. Morris was one of the most expensive buys at the 2020 auction, after being bought by the Royal Challengers for INR 10 crore ($1.4 million USD approximately), but does not hold a central contract with the national team.Lesser availability could impact Shakib, MustafizurThere are no such issues concerning Australia and New Zealand players. Cricket Australia has confirmed that it will issue No-Objection Certificates to all its players from April 1 for the entire IPL, including for those that would otherwise be playing in the Sheffield Shield, while New Zealand Cricket has also made its players available for the entire tournament.Players from South Africa, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, however, will not be fully available. While Sri Lanka Cricket are yet to confirm dates, the Bangladesh Cricket Board has said that “any players selected will be unavailable from May 19 or will leave before if any other series is scheduled during IPL window.”That could impact the prospects of the Bangladesh duo, Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman, who are understood to have attracted interest from a few franchises in the lead-up to the auction.

ينتظر عشاق كرة القدم الإفريقية، معرفة موعد إجراء قرعة دور ربع النهائي (دور الـ 8) من بطولتي دوري أبطال إفريقيا وكأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية 2025.

ويشارك من مصر، في بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا، الأهلي وبيراميدز، وتأهل الثنائي لدور الـ 8 بعدما تواجدا في المركز الثاني للمجموعتين الثالثة والرابعة.

ومن المقرر أن يلتقي الأهلي مع أحد متصدر المجموعات الأخرى، وهم الهلال السوداني، الجيش الملكي المغربي والترجي التونسي.

وعلى الجانب الآخر، فريق بيراميدز، سيلاقي أورلاندو بايريتس الجنوب إفريقي أو الهلال السوداني أو الجيش الملكي المغربي.

طالع | “أسد”.. حساب كأس العالم للأندية يعلق على صفقة الأهلي الجديدة

وفي بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية، يتواجد فريقا الزمالك والمصري، حيث تأهل الثنائي من المجموعة الرابعة الذان كانا يتنافسان فيها.

وجاء الزمالك في المركز الأول، وسيواجه، إما شباب قسنطينة الجزائري أو نادي ستيلينبوش الجنوب إفريقي وأسيك الإيفواري.

بينما المصري الذي حل وصيفًا في المجموعة، سيلتقي مع اتحاد العاصمة الجزائري أو نهضة بركان المغربي أو سيمبا التنزاني. موعد قرعة دور ربع نهائي لـ دوري أبطال إفريقيا وكأس الكونفدرالية

وكشفت صحيفة الصباح التونسية، أن الاتحاد الافريقي لكرة القدم “كاف”، قرر إجراء قرعة ربع نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا وكأس الكونفدرالية، يوم 17 فبراير القادم في العاصمة القطرية الدوحة.

Barcelona’s long-awaited Camp Nou rebirth has stretched a full year beyond schedule, yet the club will not enforce the €1 million-per-day penalty clause against construction firm Limak. Between bureaucratic hurdles, structural surprises, financial strain, and internal dissent, Barca now prioritises finishing the stadium over reclaiming hundreds of millions in fines as fans grow increasingly frustrated.

• Multiple delay's in Camp Nou's renovation

  Barcelona’s Camp Nou renovation, once positioned as a flagship achievement of the Espai Barca project, spiralled into a saga of delays, criticism and missed milestones. The project has now drifted a year beyond the original November 29, 2024 deadline, yet the club will not enforce the €1m-per-day penalty clause included in Limak’s contract, reports.

  This decision arrives after months of concerns surrounding the project’s management. One of the earliest internal ruptures occurred when Jordi Llaurado, the board member overseeing Espai Barca, resigned following president Joan Laporta’s choice of Limak as the construction partner. Llaurado opposed the selection – he believed Camp Nou’s reconstruction warranted a top-tier, perhaps publicly traded firm subject to strict regulatory oversight. Limak, in contrast, submitted its bid late, failed to meet certain formal criteria, and reportedly scored the lowest in technical evaluations. The former board member also refused to attend the vote, signalling his disapproval, and resigned weeks later in protest.

  Now, the club face the consequences of that choice. Camp Nou remains partly closed, its phased reopening far slower than promised. Having just returned to Camp Nou for their first game last week, Barcelona continue to play matches in a stadium still surrounded by cranes, incomplete roofs and unfinished concourses, undermining the initial pledge of a sparkling return for the club’s 125th anniversary. And despite the long delay, Laporta has made it clear that invoking the penalty clause is “out of the question,” insisting that the project’s setbacks stem from circumstances beyond Limak’s control.

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• AFP
  

  Why Barcelona refuses to demand the fines

  Barcelona argue that many of the delays arose from factors that no contractor could have fully prevented – bureaucratic bottlenecks, permitting challenges, and labour inspections that caused repeated stoppages. The City Council’s prolonged approvals forced work to halt for weeks at a time, while EU safety requirements and municipal restrictions on continuous construction shrank operational hours.

  Beyond the red tape, the site itself produced new complications, according to various reports. Construction teams discovered high-voltage cables requiring a full rewiring, hazardous materials that mandated specialised removal, and significant drainage issues in the pitch area that pushed the turf regrowth back by months. Meanwhile, global disruptions, from a major steel supplier’s bankruptcy to shipping delays linked to geopolitical tensions, further slowed progress.

  Extreme heat waves in Catalonia brought mandatory labour stoppages under new Spanish regulations, and noise-control laws blocked the possibility of 24-hour shifts that could have accelerated work. Subcontracting delays in the VIP zones, still incomplete and without final facades or luxury seating, extended the timeline further. The enormous roof which required 1,400 tons of steel cabling remains one of the biggest components now pushed into 2026.

  Laporta insists these conditions make litigation unwinnable, and that pursuing over €200 million in fines would damage the relationship with Limak and jeopardise completion. The club argues that its priority must be guaranteeing the stadium’s full 105,000-seat reopening by mid-2026, not entering a lengthy legal battle that could stall progress.

  Adding to the controversy, the Catalan Labour Inspectorate recently fined an Extreme Works subcontractor €1m for employing 79 undocumented workers on site, an incident that has sparked further scrutiny of oversight standards and casts another shadow over the project’s execution.

• Fan outrage and internal pressure mount

  Barcelona has repeatedly missed the self-imposed return dates. From the 2024 anniversary target to the 2025 Joan Gamper Trophy and a planned reopening for the Valencia match that was abruptly transferred back to the Johan Cruyff Stadium over last-minute permit complications. Montjuic’s Estadi Olimpic, the temporary home since 2023, has offered little comfort: reduced capacity, muted atmospheres, and away supporters frequently out-chanting the home crowd.

  Frustration reached boiling point when a viral video showed a fan confronting Laporta directly, accusing the leadership of making empty promises. Online forums have produced forensic breakdowns of the delays, with some analyses attributing a majority of setbacks to preventable planning errors rather than uncontrollable externalities.

  Internally, the strains are equally evident. Fixture scheduling for La Liga and the Champions League has become a logistical ordeal, with multiple departments forced to react to each shift in construction timelines. VIP clients are now voicing dissatisfaction due to unfinished lounges and premium zones, jeopardising key revenue streams.

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  Financial consequences for Barca and the road ahead

  Reduced capacity at Montjuic has cost Barcelona tens of millions annually in lost matchday revenue – money desperately needed amid ongoing debt and salary-cap constraints. Delays also erased potential earnings from events such as Champions League openers and commercial activations tied to the stadium’s reopening. Overrunning material and labour costs have inflated the renovation budget well beyond initial projections, intensifying the strain on a club already navigating a €1.3 billion debt.

  By waiving over €200 million in possible penalties from Limak, Barcelona has sacrificed a potential revenue buffer. Meanwhile, the €1m government fine over undocumented workers added yet another financial burden to a project already plagued by unforeseen expenses.

  Yet the Espai Barca renovation is not without progress. Partial reopening has allowed Barcelona to host select La Liga and Champions League matches at Camp Nou once more, and an open training session earlier this month offered a glimpse of life after the cranes are gone. Sustainability objectives, such as 18,000 square metres of solar panels, large-scale material recycling, and water-reuse systems, remain on track despite delays to their installation. Still, the road to full completion stretches into 2026.

da heads bet： Newcastle United have now reportedly been offered the opportunity to finally sign James Trafford in a deal that would see Tino Livramento head in the opposite direction to Manchester City.

da poker： The Magpies certainly have a lot to think about ahead of 2026. With new sporting director Ross Wilson in place, they’ll be hoping to avoid the chaos of missing out on top targets to hand Eddie Howe some much-needed reinforcements.

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Howe’s side enter this weekend’s clash against Man City in desperate need of three points, having entered the international break off the back of a shock 3-1 defeat at the hands of Brentford. Currently sat as low as 14th in the Premier League, the Newcastle boss reiterated that he’s looking for a response from his players on Saturday night.

There would be no better way to get back on track than a victory against a side with Man City’s quality, but then it’s about consistency for the Magpies. On the pitch, they must turn things around in preparation for what could be a busy January transfer window.

Already, reports are claiming that they’re still interested in signing Trafford and could be handed an interesting opportunity to do so in 2026.

Newcastle offered chance to sign James Trafford

As reported by TeamTalk, Newcastle have now been offered the chance to sign Trafford by Man City, who are looking to strike a swap deal involving Livramento. The Citizens were interested in the versatile right-back in the summer, but were priced out of a move thanks to the Magpies’ eye-watering £80m price-tag.

Now, just months later, it looks as though City are once again interested in a move for the England international and are already willing to cut ties with Trafford to make a move happen.

The shot-stopper returned to the club with the hope of finally becoming their number one, only for Gianluigi Donnarumma’s arrival to bring an end to those plans. Left to watch on from the bench ever since, he could certainly do with another call from those in Tyneside.

That said, whilst Newcastle’s admiration for Trafford is clear, it remains to be seen whether he’s valued higher than Livramento in Tyneside. The goalkeeper has been described as “incredible” by Pep Guardiola, but even that may not be enough to convince Newcastle to sacrifice their star defender.

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Australia have been bowled out for 191, 195 and 200 in three of their four innings so far this series

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Dec-2020Australia captain Tim Paine lamented his side’s ongoing batting woes after they sank to an eight-wicket defeat at the MCG against India, which put the series on an even footing at 1-1 with two Tests to go.The home side scraped to 200 – for the first time in the series – in their second innings, but could go no further than that, setting India a target of just 70, which was achieved with ease. That followed first-innings totals of 191 and 195 in the two matches, with Melbourne being the first time since 1988 that Australia have not had an individual half-century in a home Test.Tim Paine congratulates Ajinkya Rahane after India’s win•Getty Images”We are very disappointed, we played pretty poor cricket, pretty sloppy cricket, for the majority of the match,” Paine told the host broadcaster after the match. “That’s to take nothing away from India; they put us under pressure and forced us into making a number of mistakes, especially with the bat, and in the field, and when you do that against good side it makes it very hard to win.”You’ve got to give the Indian attack credit, they’ve bowled beautifully to us, there’s no doubt about that. We haven’t adapted as well as we would have liked. As a batting group, there’s no doubt we are very disappointed with what we’ve put up in the first two Test matches, but there’s still two to go so we’ll work hard and try to rectify it for the next Test.”Related

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Australia would be desperate for the return of David Warner, who has spent time netting at the MCG during this match while he awaits his return to the bio-secure Test bubble, as he continues his recovery from the groin strain suffered in the ODI series. During the Test, Australia coach Justin Langer said Warner was not certain for the third match but the continued batting problems of the incumbents may force the selectors’ hands.One glimmer for Australia was the performance of Cameron Green in the second innings, as he made a composed 45 in nearly three hours at the crease.”Think he’s started his career really well,” Paine said. “We knew the talent he’s got, we can see the temperament he’s got, and with more and more Test cricket he’s going to blossom into a pretty outstanding player, which is exciting for us as a team and the Australian public to watch.”