The last few months have been a rollercoaster of emotions for Newcastle United.

We don’t dwell too much on that transfer saga during the transfer, but despite the form of new fan favourite, Nick Woltemade, the Toon have struggled to find consistency.

In the league, Eddie Howe’s men have won just two of their first eight games but in the Champions League, they are soaring high.

Defeat to Barcelona is no embarrassment and since then they have bounced back well, beating Union Saint Gilloise 4-0 in match week two and then seeing off Jose Mourinho’s Benfica 3-0 on Tuesday evening.

This was one of Newcastle’s best performances of the season, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes both on the scoresheet.

While Howe was missing Sandro Tonali, it was arguably no surprise that one of the best results of the campaign came when Anthony Elanga and Joelinton were both on the bench.

Elanga has failed to score since his mega-money £55m move from Nottingham Forest while it does look as though we’ve now seen the best of Joelinton in black and white.

Newcastle's Joelinton problem

After suffering a 2-1 defeat to Brighton last weekend, Howe rang the changes for the visit of Mourinho’s men.

Jacob Murphy – who assisted Gordon’s strike – came in for Elanga on the right flank while in midfield it was all change.

Jacob Ramsey and Lewis Miley came into the team at the expense of the unavailable Tonali and the out-of-form Joelinton.

The Italian is likely to walk back into the team once he returns to full fitness but the future of their Brazilian warrior is less certain.

The £40m man’s time in the north east has been that of a movie. He joined as the club’s record signing during the Steve Bruce era and was initially acquired as a centre-forward.

Yet, after bagging just two goals in his debut Premier League campaign with the Toon, an alternative solution was thought of.

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Howe’s arrival at St James’ Park coincided with Joelinton’s transition to become a central midfielder. Since then, he’s been a wonderful asset to the club. He’s been a mainstay, missing just nine top-flight games last term.

He was also vital as Newcastle ended their trophy drought in 2024/25. Journalist Craig Hope remarked that the 29-year-old had his “greatest game in black & white” during the final at Wembley.

Yet, 2025/26 has been a tale of woe for such a much-loved figure. The nadir of his season so far came in that game against Brighton.

Hauled off at half-time, he was criticised by various sections of the media, including Toon reporter Mark Douglas who said that he is now “nowhere near his best”.

While Joelinton’s downfall is sad, for the sake of Newcastle’s season, Howe needs fresh blood and that’s exactly what he got against Benfica on Tuesday.

Newcastle's Joelinton solution

During their 3-0 win in midweek, Howe turned to a midfield trio we have never seen play together before.

Bruno Guimaraes kept his place in the middle of the park but he was joined by summer signing Ramsey and young Miley.

Ramsey has missed a lot of football since moving to St James’, largely due to injury, and did perhaps struggle on Tuesday. The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder noted that the former Aston Villa man ‘did not fully grasp his opportunity’.

Yet, Miley certainly did. In fact, he’s grasped his opportunity incredibly well in the last two games. Hailed as “the next young English superstar” by BBC Sport’s Pat Nevin, it’s easy to see why comparisons to fellow academy graduate Elliot Anderson have begun to be made.

It was Miley who produced the assist for Woltemade’s goal against the Seagulls a few days ago and it was Miley who ran the show in the middle of the park against Benfica.

The aforementioned Ryder summed up his performance well, writing that ‘the teenager stepped up to the challenge with ease. He battled well against seasoned European campaigners and passed with purpose and showed no fear.’

No fear is precisely what the 19-year-old has showcased since bursting onto the scene. After all, it was the young Englishman who dazzled PSG as a 17-year-old during Newcastle’s last Champions League venture.

Miley’s career has been rather stop-start since then due to injury, but the few cameos we’ve seen from this week are a timely reminder of just how good a player Howe has on his hands.

His performance against Benfica was remarkably complete, something the numbers help substantiate.

He completed 90% of his passes and completed 100% of his pass attempts inside his own half, dictating the play beautifully. While he did not pick up an assist on this occasion, he did register a key pass and also had two shots.

Miley also demonstrated what a marvellous ball winner he is, winning both of his aerial battles and winning 50% of his ground duels.

This performance, in particular, should have made him undroppable for the game versus Fulham on Saturday. In the process, he may well put a permanent end to Joelinton’s Newcastle career too.

For the Brazilian, this should be the end of his time as a regular starter and it would not be a surprise if new sporting director Ross Wilson soon deemed him surplus to requirements.

كسر تيجاني ريندرز، لاعب خط وسط مانشستر سيتي صمته بشأن قرار بيب جوارديولا بجلوسه على دكة البدلاء ضد ليفربول في الدوري الإنجليزي.

وأكد ريندرز أنه كان يشعر بأنه مدلل في السنوات الأخيرة ولا يشكو من الجلوس على مقاعد البدلاء، ويرغب اللاعب بمواصلة تأقلمه مع الحياة في مانشستر سيتي.

وكان ريندرز قد انضم لمانشستر سيتي بتوقعات كبيرة، وقد تطور خط الوسط بانضمام لاعب ميلان السابق بعد رحيل كيفن دي بروين، وسجل وصنع خلال الأشهر الأولى في الموسم.

أقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو| جوارديولا يوجه رسالة إلى جماهير برشلونة قبل مباراة منتخب فلسطين وكتالونيا ودياً

وقال ريندرز في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “جول”: “الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز رائع ومازلت أستمتع كل يوم في مانشستر سيتي، هناك الكثير مما يجب مراعاته في التدريب، وكيفية استعدادنا تكتيكياً مع اللاعبين الموجودين لدينا”.

وأضاف عن قرار جوارديولا بجلوسه ضد ليفربول بديلاً: “كان قرار المدرب”.

واختتم عن المنافسة هذا الموسم على مختلف المراكز في مانشستر سيتي: “إنه موسم طويل جداً، إذا نظرت لفريقنا، يمكن لأي لاعب أن يكون أساسياً، لقد كنت مدللاً بعض الشيء في السنوات القليلة الماضية، هذا جزء من التواجد في نادي كهذا وينتهي بك الأمر أحياناً على مقاعد البدلاء”.

Lancashire have apologised for an incident at the Old Trafford Test between England and India where a fan was ejected from the ground after he refused to cover his Pakistan team t-shirt.Farooq Nazar, the fan in question, posted a video on social media documenting the sequence of events, which started with a request from a member of the security staff that he cover the shirt, a replica of Pakistan’s traditional green limited-overs kit.The security guard, who identified himself as working for Lancashire, said he had been sent by “control” to ask for the shirt to be covered. Nazar refused. He was subsequently escorted away by police officers and, according to a statement from Lancashire, “asked to leave the stadium by stewards and police officers due to unacceptable behaviour directed towards the stewarding team”.In the days since – the incident took place on the last day, a Sunday, of the Test – the club conducted an internal review and apologised for “any upset and offence caused which was not intended and will review its procedures for handling similar situations in the future”.Lancashire, however, explained that a separate incident at the ground between a set of Indian and Pakistani fans on the Saturday of the Test influenced their handling of the situation with Nazar.”Firstly, we wish to make it clear that there was no intention to remove the individual simply for wearing a Pakistan cricket shirt,” the club said in a statement. “The approach taken was informed by an incident on Saturday, during which a group of supporters waved a Pakistan national flag, leading to tensions with nearby Indian fans. In that case, our stewards were able to de-escalate the situation by respectfully asking the individuals to put the flag away, which they did without hesitation.”In light of this context, our team adopted a precautionary, safety-first approach on Sunday. A stand supervisor politely asked the individual to cover his shirt in the interest of his own safety and to avoid any potential escalation. Despite several courteous requests from the supervisor and the response team, the individual repeatedly declined to comply.”Earlier, the ECB CEO Richard Gould had said Nazar was known to the ECB from previous years.”There may well be a context [to what happened] and I know the ground is looking at that, and we’ve also referred it along to the Cricket Regulator to make sure that they’re aware,” Gould said.Relations between India and Pakistan, have been at a low following a brief military skirmish between the two countries in May. Those tensions have filtered into relations between the BCCI and PCB; the two sides have not played a bilateral series since 2012-13 and no Test cricket since 2007-08. Their participation in ICC events hosted by either country has also recently become an issue, with a neutral venue added in to stage their games as part of a hybrid solution to the issue.Earlier this week, an India veterans team refused to play their Pakistan counterparts in two games – including the semi-final, which they forfeited – of a legends tournament in Birmingham.

Cricket Australia contracted quick follows the same path as WA and Australia team-mate Cameron Green in a bid to end his repeated stress fractures

Alex Malcolm24-Aug-2025Australia quick Lance Morris will miss the entire 2025-26 season, and is expected to be out of action for 12 months, after opting for the same surgery that Cameron Green underwent last year following another stress fracture in his lower back.Cricket Australia confirmed on Sunday that the centrally contracted Morris, 27, would undergo pars stabilisation surgery in Christchurch to address an ongoing lumbar bone stress injury after being ruled out of the ODI series against South Africa. He had also been due to feature in the four-day matches on Australia A’s tour of India.After lengthy discussions between Morris, CA medical staff and the surgeons, he will follow the same path that Green took last October. Fellow Australia quick Ben Dwarshuis, India star Jasprit Bumrah, New Zealand quicks Matt Henry and Kyle Jamieson among many others have had the same procedure with screws and a titanium cable fused into their lower back to stabilise the stress fracture and prevent future occurrences.Related

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“I feel this is the most logical way to realise my full potential and return to my very best cricket for the Scorchers, Western Australia and Australia long into the future,” Morris said. “I also take great confidence in others who have undergone similar procedures and returned to their best. I plan to work hard through my recovery and return when the time is right.”The surgery is performed by New Zealand based surgeons Rowan Schouten and Grahame Inglis who have two decades of experience performing the surgery on fast bowlers with a staggering return to play success rate. Former Australia team physio and now full-time CA injury case manager Nick Jones has vast experience in the rehab following the surgery having worked through it with Green and another Australia quick Jason Behrendorff back in 2019.It is a significant step for Morris who has had an incredibly frustrating run with injury. Since bursting into Test calculations at the start of the 2022-23 summer when he took 26 wickets in four Sheffield Shield matches while bowling at speeds over 150kph, he has not managed to play more than three first-class games without interruption since.He has been carried as a Test squad member during the Australian home summers and went on the Test tour of India in 2023. He featured in three Shield matches at the start of the 2023-24 home summer and made his ODI debut in February 2024 following an uninterrupted BBL but strained his side in his second game in Canberra and played just one ODI last summer.Lance Morris has been around Australia squads with only limited appearances•Getty ImagesHe played two Shield games at the start of last summer under careful management before playing eight BBL games out of 10 for Perth Scorchers. He played two more Shield matches at the end of the summer and took 5 for 26 in his last Shield game in March against New South Wales but has not played since.Morris’ management throughout the past two years since earning his first CA contract in 2023 has been a source of debate between CA, his state Western Australia and the fast bowler himself.There have been times when he has been feeling fully fit but regular MRI scans in his lower back have shown recurring areas of concern for CA medical staff which ruled him out of the 2023 Ashes and the 2024 white-ball tour of the UK.”It’s been a bit frustrating,” Morris told ESPNcricinfo in September last year. “I guess you call it a stress fracture, but when we scan it, it doesn’t have the natural characteristics of a usual stress fracture. So there was some confusion at first around exactly what it was.”The tricky one for me was I didn’t actually have any back pain when I was bowling.”He is also a bowler who has performed better, at first-class level especially, the more he has played but it has been difficulty to strike the balance of getting a string of games together without risking injury.There will be a hope that the surgery allows him to get some continuity as it has done for a number of fast bowlers globally. But with the exception of Henry recently, who does not bowl at the express speeds of others, many of the fast bowlers who have undergone the procedure have still had their red-ball loads capped with the recent management of Bumrah by India a prime example.Australia are very keen to have Morris fit and firing ahead of a brutal period of international cricket from October 2026 to November 2027, which includes three away Tests against South Africa, four home Tests against New Zealand, five away Tests against India, a home Test against England to mark the 150th anniversary of Test cricket a possible World Test Championship final, five away Tests against England and an ODI World Cup in South Africa.Fast bowling depth will be vitally important with Australia’s attack on the cusp of a significant transition. Mitchell Starc turns 36 in January while Josh Hazlewood turns 35 in the same month while skipper Pat Cummins turns 33 in May 2026.Morris and fellow injured West Australian CA contracted quick Jhye Richardson, who is 28, are in the ideal age bracket to come into the team when the big three finish up with Australia’s 2024 Under-19 World Cup winning quicks including Callum Vidler, Tom Straker, Charlie Anderson and Mahli Beardman just starting the transition from U-19 to first-class cricket.

Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente was bemused following the release of Lamine Yamal from the squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, stating that he had "never seen anything like it." Yamal was released from the Spain squad after he underwent invasive radiofrequency procedure to treat his pubic discomfort, with the Barcelona star set to be out for the next seven to 10 days.

• Yamal released from Spain squad

  Yamal was released from the Spain squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Turkey, which has left the Spanish football federation (RFEF) "surprised". The federation released an official statement on the same on Tuesday.

  The statement read: “The RFEF Medical Services wish to express their surprise and dismay upon learning at 1:47 p.m. on Monday, November 10, the day the official training camp with the national team began, that player Lamine Yamal had undergone an invasive radiofrequency procedure to treat his pubic discomfort that same morning. This procedure was performed without prior notification to the national team's medical staff, who only became aware of the details through a report received at 10:40 p.m. last night, which indicated a medical recommendation of rest for 7-10 days. Given this situation, and prioritizing at all times the health, safety and well-being of the player, the Royal Spanish Football Federation has made the decision to release the athlete from the current call-up. We are confident that he will recover well and wish him a speedy and full recovery.”

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  De la Fuente rocked after learning of Yamal's medical activity

  The latest episode is sure to reignite the feud between the RFEF and Barcelona. In an interview with on Tuesday, De la Fuente made his thoughts known on Yamal's withdrawal from the Spain squad. “There are procedures that take place outside the Federation's control," he said. "That's what happens, we have to accept it. I've never experienced a situation like this before. I don't think it's very normal. It has surprised us all. You don't have any news, you don't know any details, and on top of that, it's a health issue, so you're left surprised.”

  Last week, the Spain head coach took a firm stance on his decision to call up Yamal, appearing to take a swipe at Barcelona boss Hansi Flick. The pair have been locked in a war of words since September, when Flick accused De la Fuente and the RFEF of “failing to take care” of Yamal and other players after the teenager picked up a knock while on international duty.

  "I think the answer is obvious. I watched his last game, and I believe he’s in perfect condition," De la Fuente stated at a press conference. "His coach said he was ready to play. He's getting back to being the player he always has been, and we celebrate that. He will stay with us as long as we consider it appropriate.

  "Watching the game the other day, Lamine is fit to play. We have two very important games and we need to field our best players. We have two hugely important matches to qualify for the World Cup, the stakes are massive and we want the best players with us."

• No 'tension' between Flick and De la Fuente

  On Sunday, RFEF president Rafael Louzan revealed that while there were minor disagreements between the national team and Barcelona, there were never any concerns about the matter escalating. He claimed that "Luis de la Fuente has a very good relationship with everyone," while also admitting that Flick "wants his players in perfect condition." He concluded by stating that the verbal exchanges between Flick and De la Fuente were nothing more than "just minor disagreements that wouldn't escalate because, from our point of view, there was no tension."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Barcelona cautious about Yamal's fitness issues

  According to journalist Fernando Polo, Barcelona are exploring several treatment options to manage Yamal’s pubalgia – a chronic groin injury that can cause persistent discomfort, with the radiofrequency therapy performed on the youngster on Monday reportedly angering the RFEF.

  The treatment involves delivering a controlled electrical current through fine needles, guided by X-rays or ultrasound imaging, to target and suppress the nerve signals that cause pain. The minimally invasive procedure does not usually require hospitalisation.

  Barring any further setbacks, it is likely that Yamal will be fit and available for the clash against Athletic Club on November 22.

Liverpool have now reportedly taken their first step in the race to sign Bundesliga defender Konstantinos Koulierakis, who has been compared to Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven.

The Reds have been back to their best in the last week, beating Aston Villa to end a four-game losing run in the Premier League before suffocating Real Madrid at Anfield to stop the rot once and for all. Victory over the Spanish giants certainly came at a good time too, with a trip to the Etihad to face Manchester City now awaiting Arne Slot’s side this Sunday.

The Dutchman spoke about the Real Madrid win and looked ahead to Liverpool’s clash against Man City this weekend, telling reporters: “It was impressive because we played against an incredible side that is in an unbelievable run of form. So to beat them is very positive but we can say we beat them because of a set piece. We have scored four in the Champions League.

“If we had scored as many in the Premier League we would have more points than we have now, but we have scored none and conceded five. If that is your balance you are not going to pick up many points.

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“Sunday is another game coming up against a very strong team. We have lost too many points in the Premier League but in the Champions League we are doing well. We need to do better and that is what we are going to try and there’s a lot of games coming up for us to show that.”

Meanwhile, as they return to winning ways on the pitch, those at Anfield have reportedly taken their first step towards what would be quite the win away from the action.

Liverpool take first step in Koulierakis race

As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Liverpool have now sent scouts to watch Konstantinos Koulierakis, who has been compared to Spurs’ Van de Ven. The latest Wolfsburg defender to impress, Koulierakis is still just 21 years old and standing out despite his side’s poor start to the Bundesliga campaign.

The Greek defender wouldn’t be the first centre-back to swap Wolfsburg for the Premier League, either. Of course, Van de Ven is now thriving at Spurs and Maxence Lacroix is also a stand-out at Crystal Palace these days. Now, Koulierakis could be the next in line to make the switch and to the biggest club yet in Liverpool.

Described as “powerful” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Koulierakis could end Liverpool’s search for a centre-back in 2026 and act as an immediate replacement for Ibrahima Konate if the Frenchman fails to sign a new deal at the club.

What we learned: Liverpool 1-0 Real Madrid

MatériaMais Notícias

O Vitória venceu o Novorizontino por 2 a 1, no estádio Jorge Ismael de Biasi, o Jorjão, em Novo Horizonte (SP), pela 36ª rodada da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro. O resultado deu ao Leão da Barra o acesso antecipado à Série A do Brasileirão 2024, o primeiro time a conseguir a classificação.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Com a derrota, o Novorizontino segue na sétima colocação com 57 pontos – a três do G4 – e vê o sonho de uma vaga na primeira divisão no ano que vem mais distante. Já o Vitória é líder e chegou aos 69 pontos; além do acesso, o Rubro-Negro pode garantir também o título ainda nesta rodada, em caso de empate ou derrota do Criciúma na terça-feira (14).

CINCO LANCES QUE MARCARAM A PARTIDA

>!GOL DO TIGRE! O Novorizontino começou pressionando e conseguiu seu gol aos 18’/1ºT. Geovane avançou com a bola pelo meio e chutou de longe. O goleiro Lucas Arcanjo deu rebote, e Rômulo aproveitou a falha do goleiro para abrir o placar. Tigre do Vale na frente!

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>!TUDO IGUAL! Já nos acréscimos da primeira etapa, aos 49 minutos, veio o empate do Vitória. Após boa troca de passes, Zeca recebeu a bola pela esquerda e cruzou para a área. Léo Gamalho dominou e, com frieza de centroavante, deixou tudo igual no Jorjão!

>!QUE LOUCURA! Já no segundo tempo, aos 12 minutos, Douglas Baggio aproveitou bobeira da defesa do Vitória e quase marcou o segundo do Novorizontino. Após indecisão entre o goleiro Lucas Arcanjo e o zagueiro Wagner Leonardo, o capitão do Tigre ficou com a sobra, bateu de fora da área, e a bola para no travessão!

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>!ARCANJO SALVADOR! A redenção do goleiro Lucas Arcanjo veio aos 37’/2ºT. Felipe Marques arranca com campo livre no contra-ataque e fica cara a cara com o goleiro do Vitória, que se adianta e faz uma defesa espetacular! Gol perdido pelo Novorizontino.

>!PARA FECHAR O CAIXÃO! Já aos 50’/2ºT, Zé Hugo teve campo livre e foi derrubado pelo goleiro Georgemy. Penalti para o Vitória! Na cobrança, Welder faz o gol e carimba o acesso do Leão da Barra!

COMO FOI O PRIMEIRO TEMPO?
O Novorizontino não demonstrou medo do líder do campeonato e partiu para cima do Vitória desde o início da partida. A pressão dos mandantes, que criaram as melhores chances, fez efeito aos 19 minutos, quando Rômulo abriu o placar. No entanto, os visitantes aproveitaram um dos raros momentos no qual controlaram a posse de bola e, já nos acréscimos, chegaram ao empate com Léo Gamalho antes do intervalo.

E A ETAPA FINAL?
O segundo tempo foi muito movimentado, com grandes oportunidades para ambas as equipes. O Novorizontino perdeu chances com Douglas Baggio e Felipe Marques e, então, o Vitória aproveitou o último lance da partida para marcar de pênalti com Welder.

O ACESSO DE ONDE VEM? DESSA TORCIDA, QUE CANTA E VIBRA!!!! ESTAMOS DE VOLTA A SÉRIE A!!!! O LEÃO ESTÁ DE VOLTA A ELITE DO FUTEBOL!!! AQUI É VITÓRIA!!!! MUITA RAÇA, GARRA E APOIO ATÉ O FINAL!!! POR NOSSA HISTÓRIA!!!! POR VOCÊS!!!!! ❤️????????

????️: @felphsf7 e @viniolivier #PegaLeão… pic.twitter.com/r01M98tj1e

— EC Vitória (@ECVitoria) November 12, 2023

O QUE VEM POR AÍ
Ambas as equipes dão sequência à briga pelas primeiras posições da Série B na próxima rodada. O Novorizontino enfrenta o Londrina fora de casa, no Estádio do Café, na sexta-feira (17), às 21h30 (hora de Brasília). No sábado (18), às 17 horas, o Vitória recebe o Sport no Barradão, em jogo que pode ser decisivo para o título do Leão da Barra.

➡️ Confira a tabela da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro

FICHA TÉCNICA
NOVORIZONTINO 1 x 2 VITÓRIA
Local: Estádio Jorge Ismael de Biasi, em Novo Horizonte (SP)
Data e hora: 12/11/2023 (domingo), às 18 horas (de Brasília)
Árbitro: Alisson Sidnei Furtado (TO)
Assistentes: Fabio Pereira (TO) e Cipriano da Silva Sousa (TO)
Quarto árbitro: Thiago Lourenço de Mattos (SP)
VAR: Carlos Eduardo Nunes Braga (RJ)
Público e renda: não divulgado
Cartões amarelos: Ligger (22’/1ºT), Roberto 16’/2ºT, Geovane (20’/2ºT) e Georgemy (50’2ºT) para o Novorizontino;
Cartões vermelhos: não houve
Gols: Rômulo (19’/1ºT) (1-0), Léo Gamalho (49’/1ºT) (1-1) e Welder (53’/2ºT) (1-2).

NOVORIZONTINO: Georgemy; Adrinao Mina, César Martins e Ligger (Bryan, aos 31’/2ºT); Willean Lepu (João Afonso, aos 39’/2ºT), Geovane, Marlon e Roberto (Reverson, aos 21’/2ºT); Douglas Baggio, Ronaldo (Rodolfo, aos 31’/2ºT) e Rômulo (Felipe Marques, aos 21’/2ºT). Técnico: Eduardo Baptista.

VITÓRIA: Lucas Arcanjo; Zeca, Camutanga, Wagner Leonardo e Matheusinho; Matheus Trindade, Dudu e Giovanni Augusto (Matheus Gonçalves, aos 0’/2ºT); Osvaldo (Zé Hugo, aos 39’/2ºT), lury Castilho (Welder, aos 39’/2ºT) e Léo Gamalho (João Vitor, aos 0’/2ºT). Técnico: Léo Condé.

Tudo sobre

Série BVitória

Lionel Messi is being backed to emulate the achievements of eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo by also reaching 1,000 career goals. Portuguese superstar CR7 is closing in on that figure while plying his club trade for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr. Argentine GOAT Messi is also being tipped to hit that notable milestone after signing a contract extension in MLS with Inter Miami.

Ronaldo closing in on four figures: Still going strong at 40

That is the opinion of former Netherlands international Wesley Sneijder, who left Real Madrid in the summer of 2009 as Ronaldo became another ‘Galactico’ at Santiago Bernabeu. He went on to hit 450 goals for Los Blancos, becoming their all-time leading scorer.

Having also represented Sporting, Manchester United and Juventus – while finding the target on 143 occasions for Portugal – Ronaldo has passed 950 total goals. He has made it clear, at 40 years of age, that he will not be retiring until four figures have been reached.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALWill Messi & Ronaldo both reach 1,000 career goals?

There is no sign of Messi slowing down either, with another MVP-worthy season being enjoyed in the United States. He won MLS Golden Boot honours in 2025 and has helped to fire Inter Miami into a Conference semi-final in the MLS play-offs. He has 42 goals to his name this season and over 900 for club and country in a record-shattering career.

Messi will be staying in South Florida until at least 2028, meaning that he too could make 1,000. Sneijder expects the South American to join Ronaldo in that exclusive club. The Dutchman has told : “I think that's the next goal for both of them, 100%. Cristiano won’t stop before reaching the thousand goals. Messi has signed another two year deal. He will definitely reach one thousand goals as well.

“It's nice that we are still talking about this rivalry with one in MLS and the other in Saudi. They are two big stars and now they’re chasing a different goal of reaching 1,000 goals. Amazing. Maybe we see about counting their assists to find out who can get to 2,000 first.”

GOAT debate: Sneijder tired of 'stupid argument'

The Messi versus Ronaldo GOAT debate continues to rage, with that discussion dividing opinion among many, but Sneijder is reluctant to nail his colours to any individual mast. He said of two iconic figures with 13 Ballons d’Or between them: “For me it’s always been a stupid argument because they are two completely different players.

“Who is better, Johan Cruyff or Pele? Pele or Maradona? We shouldn't compare them. They are both amazing. You know what I always do? Since I’ve retired, I’ve been asked this question maybe 200 times so 100 times I vote for Messi and 100 times I vote for Ronaldo.”

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Getty/GOALArgentina vs Portugal: Can either win the 2026 World Cup?

Messi and Ronaldo may have one more on-field battle left in them, with both expected to grace next summer’s World Cup finals. Argentina head into that competition as defending champions, but Portugal have their sights set on a global crown that would allow their talismanic captain to complete his medal collection.

Sneijder said when asked who will be celebrating at the end of a major international tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico: “It is so hard to say! Portugal have a very strong team. For me they are one of the favourites so then I would say Cristiano Ronaldo has the stronger chance of winning the next World Cup compared to Lionel Messi.

“It was a great World Cup for Argentina in Qatar but they were a bit lucky as well. I think overall Portugal are a better team.”

Title holders Argentina have already secured their place at FIFA’s flagship event, with Messi expected to form part of their squad despite questions being asked of whether he is ready to slip into international retirement.

Portugal are on the brink of booking their qualification, heading into clashes with the Republic of Ireland and Armenia, with Ronaldo claiming that he does not need a World Cup triumph in order to cement his legacy.

Alex Bregman is one of the hottest names still available on MLB's free-agent market. Earlier this week, MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported that the Boston Red Sox are among the most likely landing spots for Bregman, along with the Detroit Tigers.

Bregman, 30, has spent each of his nine MLB seasons with the Houston Astros. He's unlikely to return to the Astros, however, after the team signed Christian Walker to a three-year, $60 million deal.

Bregman has a relationship with Red Sox manager Alex Cora after he was the bench coach in Houston in 2017. In an appearance on , Cora was asked what a player like Bregman would do for the Red Sox.

"Well, I can not go into specifics on the free agent," Cora said as Bregman remains unsigned. "But I think he's a pull hitter that puts the ball in play and is a good defender. The intangibles are the intangibles, we all know that. He's a winner, since LSU and all the way to the Astros."

Cora was then asked where Bregman, or a player like Bregman (as the manager couldn't talk pointedly about a current free agent), would play positionally, as there could be defensive overlap with Boston's longtime third baseman Rafael Devers.

"Rafy Devers is our third baseman," Cora responded. "Alex was a Gold-Glover at third base, and we all know that, but in 2017 I had a conversation with him. He needed to play third because of [Carlos] Correa and [Jose] Altuve. I always envisioned Alex as a Gold-Glover second baseman."

"You know, his size, the way he moves, it felt like 'you will be a second baseman' but he has played third base at a high level so we'll see where he ends up."

Bregman also has a strong relationship with the manager of his other reported top suitor, A.J. Hinch of the Tigers. Hinch managed the Astros from 2015 to '19 and has newfound success in Detroit after the Tigers made an improbable playoff run last season.

No matter where Bregman ends up, he'll be a welcomed addition.

Chicago White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi will be sidelined for four to six weeks with a non-displaced fracture in his right hand, the team announced Thursday. He will likely miss Opening Day.

Benintendi was hit in the right hand by an 87-mph fastball from Cleveland Guardians pitcher Logan Allen in the first inning of spring training action on Thursday. He left the game and did not return.

Benintendi's fractured hand will not require surgery.

The veteran outfielder is in the third year of a five-year, $75 million contract he signed in 2023. He tied a career-high with 20 home runs last season, but hit just .229, which is the worst batting average of his career outside of the COVID-shortened 2020 baseball season.