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He may not have been at his brilliant best this season, but Erling Haaland continues to deliver the goods for Manchester City, with the Norwegian sensation having still powered home 29 goals in just 39 games in 2024/25.

The fact that such a record has almost gone under the radar indicates the high bar that the 24-year-old had set in his previous two campaigns at the Etihad, having notably fired in 52 goals in only 53 appearances in the treble-winning season.

As this term has showcased, the former Borussia Dortmund man can’t do it all on his own, with the next highest scorer that of Phil Foden on just ten strikes in all competitions.

Thankfully, January arrival Omar Marmoush has already begun to fire with four goals in his first ten games for the club, yet further attacking recruits could well be needed to hand Pep Guardiola a fearsome forward line once again.

With Jack Grealish among those who could reportedly depart at the end of this season, that need for increased quality has only been heightened, with recent reports indicating that summer moves are already being made.

Latest on Man City's transfer search

It remains to be seen just how active Guardiola and co will be this summer, having already splashed out on four new arrivals in January, with the £59m capture of Marmoush the statement signing among the quartet.

Games (starts)

7

Goals

4

Assists

0

Big chances created

3

Key passes*

1.1

Pass accuracy*

83%

Tackles*

1.1

Interceptions*

0.4

Successful dribbles*

0.4

If the latest claims are anything to go by, those winter additions could well be merely the beginning of a total squad overhaul at the Etihad, with City making up for lost time after only recruiting Savinho and free transfer returnee Ilkay Gundogan, last summer.

As per reports in Spain, the reigning Premier League champions may well have already made moves to sign Real Madrid sensation, Rodrygo, in what would be another marquee swoop for the club.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The suggestion is that City officials have met with the Brazilian’s father regarding a summer move, with the Etihad side perhaps looking to capitalise on any potential uncertainty over the winger’s future at the Bernabeu, amid the presence of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr.

The 24-year-old – whose current deal is set to expire in 2028 – has been touted for an exit ever since Mbappe arrived in the Spanish capital last year, having notably been linked with Guardiola’s side in the recent past.

Any potential deal for the former Santos starlet could well evoke memories of another South American signing from Madrid, in the form of Sergio Aguero.

Why Man City could sign their next Aguero

It was just over 14 years ago that the title hopefuls forked out a reported fee of £38m to prise a 23-year-old Aguero from LaLiga, with the Argentine departing Atletico Madrid having scored 101 goals in 234 games for the club.

A brace on debut against Swansea City kickstarted what would prove to be a glorious decade for the now-retired striker in Manchester, with the ageing marksman departing in 2021 with a club-record total of 260 goals to his name.

The signing of another exciting forward in Rodrygo could potentially represent another major success story, with the versatile attacker among “the best players in the world”, according to manager, Carlo Ancelotti.

While not a striker by trade, the 5 foot 9 speedster has emulated Aguero by operating through the middle on occasion for Los Blancos, having racked up 113 goals and assists in 258 games for his current side.

Much like the prolific Aguero, the Madrid man’s finishing prowess is “terrifyingly good”, in the words of journalist Sam Tighe, having previously been a thorn in the side of Guardiola’s men.

In just nine meetings with City in the Champions League, Rodrygo has already chalked up four goals and two assists to date, including a crucial, last-gasp brace in stoppage time in the 2022 semi-final thriller.

That impact will have certainly caught the eye of Guardiola, with the City boss even branding his potential future signing as the “danger man” amid their playoff tussle last month.

With the ability to play on either flank or through the middle, Rodrygo could make up a mouthwatering attacking unit involving himself, Haaland and Marmoush, with such a signing perhaps what is needed to elevate the Citizens back to the top of the domestic and European game again.

Having witnessed the success of plucking Aguero from the Spanish capital, what would be the harm in repeating the trick once again?

Big upgrade on Foden: Man City want to sign "world-class" £108m star

Manchester City are looking to upgrade on Phil Foden with this standout buy.

ByKelan Sarson Mar 25, 2025

Career-best 229 not out revives Nottinghamshire after three days of being second-best

ECB Reporters Network14-Jun-2023Joe Clarke turned his first red-ball century for 21 months into a maiden double-hundred as Nottinghamshire denied Warwickshire victory in an LV= Insurance County Championship match that the visitors had dominated for the first three days.Thanks to Clarke’s marathon unbeaten 229, spanning eight hours and 38 minutes, Nottinghamshire clawed back a deficit of 416 on first innings after following on to deal a blow to Warwickshire’s title ambitions.The Bears move above Hampshire and Essex to go second in the Division One table with the 12 points they take from the draw but have ground to make up on defending champions Surrey, whose extraordinary win over Kent at Canterbury gives them a 32-point lead, albeit from seven matches to Warwickshire’s six.Clarke was dropped at slip on 128 in the morning session – a difficult chance though one that needed to be taken on a slow, flat track where opportunities for the bowlers were in short supply. There were not many errors otherwise from the former England Lions player, who hit 35 fours and a six from 365 balls faced.Chris Rushworth led the Warwickshire attack manfully, taking three for 73, with Hasan Ali two for 68 but the resolve shown by Nottinghamshire’s lower-order batters in occupying the crease in support of Clarke was crucial.Clarke, whose 12 first-class hundreds in his first three seasons at Worcestershire earmarked him as a future star, has struggled for consistency since moving to Trent Bridge. He posted three centuries in his first season in 2019 but only three more in 55 innings since then but there was no doubting his quality on this occasion.Having resumed with a deficit of 149 and the second new ball available two overs into the final morning, Nottinghamshire knew that if they could emerge from the opening session without sustaining too much damage, their chances of seeing out a draw would rise appreciably.With the help of that one important slice of luck for Clarke, they achieved their objective, reaching lunch with just one casualty and Warwickshire’s advantage down to 75. The one man out was Steven Mullaney, the Nottinghamshire skipper, who was bowled offering no shot as Rushworth, the country’s leading wicket-taker, found rare deviation off the pitch in the 10th over with the new ball, which zipped back to hit off stump.The fifth-wicket stand had matched the fourth in adding exactly 100 runs, Mullaney having batted for more than two hours for his 48 runs.The Clarke let-off came three overs later, the batter slashing at one outside off stump from Will Rhodes in a moment of vulnerability out of character with the rest of his innings. To be fair to Rob Yates, who missed the chance at slip, the ball came off the edge at head height with enough momentum to reach the boundary even after passing through his hands to his right. Nonetheless, Nottinghamshire would have been six-down for 292 had it stuck, so it felt like a big moment.Unruffled, Clarke took two off the next ball to go past his previous best for Nottinghamshire (133), before restoring his equilibrium with another classically executed straight drive for four. He swept Danny Briggs for the first six of his innings and was on 166 from 341 for five at lunch. Warwickshire, having come up with a game-plan overnight to take the six remaining wickets in two sessions, were already significantly behind schedule.Rushworth made things happen again after the interval, bowling Tom Moores with a ball that perhaps kept a tad low. At 361 for six, the home side were still 55 behind, with Warwickshire now sensing an opportunity.But Clarke found another resolute partner in Calvin Harrison, who was playing in only his second Championship match yet was unfazed even as Warwickshire at times brought every fielder close in.It was with thanks to Harrison keeping his nerve as solidly as Moores and Mullaney before him that Clarke was able to bide his time, sweeping his 318th ball faced to the boundary off Danny Briggs to go to 203, a moment that saw sustained applause from the home team balcony but at first a mere tap of the gloves between the seventh-wicket pair before Clarke, determined to see the job through to the end, briefly raised his bat in acknowledgement of the spectators.Nottinghamshire moved into the lead for the first time in the match shortly afterwards and were 20 in front at tea with 36 overs to play, still time for Warwickshire to seal a win if they could break the seventh-wicket partnership soon afterwards.Yet another important chance was missed, with the lead just 40 and 30 overs remaining, when Harrison, on 33, miscued a pull against Rushworth but was dropped on the long leg boundary by Olly Hannon-Dalby, and it was enough for Warwickshire skipper Will Rhodes to offer his handshake on a draw at 5pm, Harrison finishing on 38 not out having helped add 103 runs in two hours and 19 minutes at the crease.

Ivan Perisic is set to join Barcelona on a free transfer, with Hansi Flick eager to reunite with the Croatian winger following his PSV exit.

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Perisic could join Barcelona as a free agentFlick pushing for reunion with Croatian wingerVeteran seen as versatile squad optionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Perisic is expected to become one of Barcelona’s first summer signings. After a standout season with PSV, where he scored 16 goals and provided 11 assists, the veteran winger departed the Dutch club as a free agent and has reportedly attracted interest from Flick and the Barca board.

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The German manager, who coached Perisic during Bayern Munich’s treble-winning 2019-20 season, is reportedly pushing for the reunion. He values Perisic's experience and versatility, seeing him as a low-cost but high-impact addition to bolster a squad in transition. Sporting director Deco is reportedly keen to get the Croatian on board. Perisic is said to be enthusiastic about the move, viewing La Liga as a perfect stage for what could be his final chapter at the top level.

DID YOU KNOW?

Perisic won the Champions League in 2020 under Flick at Bayern, playing a key role in their treble-winning campaign. On the international stage, he has enjoyed a prosperous career with Croatia, finishing as a runner-up at the 2018 World Cup, securing third place in 2022 and reaching the final of the 2023 Nations League.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR IVAN PERISIC?

Perisic featured for Croatia in their recent 2026 World Cup qualifiers, scoring in the 68th minute during a dominant 5-1 win over Czech Republic on Tuesday. With his national team duties now over, the veteran winger is expected to turn his focus to finding a new club. Barcelona, who are actively reshaping their squad in the transfer market, are hopeful of finalising the deal in the coming days, with the 36-year-old likely to reunite with Flick.

Who's hot, who's not? GOAL ranks all 30 teams across Major League Soccer

The Philadelphia Union are officially putting pressure on the Vancouver Whitecaps. Bradley Carnell's men secured a stoppage-time victory against Charlotte FC over the weekend, while the Canadian outfit fell to the Columbus Crew in an Eastern Conference clash.

Philly is back at the top of the Supporters' Shield, with a two-point lead over the Whitecaps – though Vancouver has a game in hand.

Matchday 19 of the MLS campaign featured some big performances, highlighted by the Eastern Conference lighting up. All top-five teams in the conference all secured big wins, highlighting just how competitive this is becoming just over midway through the season.

In the West, San Diego FC defeated MNUFC in a battle between No. 2 and 3, while Austin FC came from behind to knock off RBNY as they crept into the final playoff spot.

With the Gold Cup break now on the way, teams will have a brief period to rest up and get healthy before games restart in 10 days.

Who's leading the pack, and who's falling short of expectations? GOAL presents the latest 2025 MLS Power Rankings.

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Imagn30CF Montreal

Prior Ranking: 30

Results: Defeated Houston Dynamo 3-1

Ramifications: Huge performance and a much-needed win for the Canadian side. In their first victory across all competitions in their last six games, they were completely dominant, with Prince Owusu and Jalen Neal getting the goals.

They're still last in the East, but this was a big performance.

Advertisement29Los Angeles Galaxy

Prior Ranking: 28

Results: Drew CITY 3-3

Ramifications: This was Gabriel Pec's best performance of the season, as the 2024 MLS Newcomer of the Year bagged a brace, including what he thought was a late winner. But the theme of poor defending once again took over. LA had three points on the cards, but conceded a 95th-minute equalizer.

Has to be frustrating for Pec, though, who carried them throughout the match.

28St. Louis CITY SC

Prior Ranking: 29

Result: Drew LA 3-3

Ramifications: Joao Klauss's hat-trick secured a point in a match in which they arguably deserved nothing – so, in that context, this is a good result for CITY. The Brazilian forward found the back of the net in the 35th, 47th, and 95th minutes, bringing his 2025 goal total to five.

It hasn't been the best of campaigns for him, but this was a brilliant performance from the veteran forward. For CITY, though, they're still 14th in the West and without a permanent head coach.

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27Toronto FC

Prior Ranking: 27

Result: Did not play

Ramifications: Remain 14th in the East on 13 points through 17 matches

Pakistan seamer was one short when he was injured in 2022 and next week against SL he may finally get his fix

Umar Farooq13-Jul-2023Shaheen Shah Afridi is “excited” to make his long-awaited Test comeback after missing a year of red-ball cricket. He is set to play Pakistan’s first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on July 16 and it was at this venue exactly 12 months ago he suffered a troublesome ligament injury in his right knee.Afridi took three months to recover and made a comeback in the T20 World Cup in October in Australia before being sidelined again as he aggravated the same injury. He missed the entire home series against England and New Zealand but made a successful return in January 2023, when he led Lahore Qalandars to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) title. In all this time, he has not played a competitive game with the red ball.””I am very excited to be making my Test comeback in the country where I was injured,” Afridi was quoted on the PCB website. “Injuries are part of an athlete’s life, but it is good to be back. I enjoy red-ball cricket a lot, and I am one wicket away from a century of Test wickets, which would be a big achievement for me.Related

Afridi interview: 'Speed doesn't matter' as much as taking wickets

Shaheen returns to Test squad for SL series; Hurraira, Jamal get maiden call-ups

Afridi takes four wickets in the first over of a T20 in England

“It seems like yesterday when I was injured. I will be making my Test return at the same ground where I was injured. I was talking to our physiotherapist about it. It is a matter of pride to represent Pakistan in any format, and I enjoy playing for Pakistan. I hope we will have a good beginning to this cycle of the World Test Championship (WTC), and we will qualify for the final, something we have missed in the last two iterations.”In his last Test before injury, Afridi took 4 for 58 to bowl Sri Lanka out for 222 in the first innings. But he bowled just seven (of 100) overs in the second innings. He left the field after appearing to be in discomfort on day three. He is now on 99 wickets from 25 Tests.His return to international cricket hasn’t been easy. Despite being injured and being advised rest for six weeks, Afridi ended up on tour with the rest of the Pakistan team to the Netherlands and later Dubai for the Asia Cup. The rehab didn’t work. His injury got worse and only then did the PCB decide he needed specialist care and flew him to London.Since returning to white-ball cricket in October last year, he has featured in only 16 international matches so far – less than a third of Pakistan’s total matches since July last year.Shaheen Shah Afridi claimed 22 wickets in 14 games for Notts at the T20 Blast•Getty ImagesPlaying in the T20 Blast this summer in the UK, he finished as Nottinghamshire’s highest-wicket-taker with 22 strikes in 14 games at an economy rate of 8.4. There was also a possibility that he might play a few four-day games for the county, but it didn’t materialise.”It takes time to get used to red-ball cricket after playing with white ball,” Afridi said. “But the Karachi camp proved beneficial for me. Test cricket demands patience, and you have to work in partnerships with fellow bowlers. Over the last year, I have played more white-ball matches, but when I was playing in the United Kingdom, I bowled extra overs after matches – even with the red ball – to meet the desired workload.Afridi couldn’t help but look back over how long he has been waiting for his 100th Test wicket. “I was only one wicket away, and the new ball was about to be available [in the Test against Sri Lanka last year]. I was planning to utilise the new ball to reach that milestone, but I got injured before we got the new ball. So, I have had to wait a lot. It is very tough to be away from cricket, but time has helped me learn a lot, which will help me perform well for Pakistan across formats.”There was some talk during Pakistan’s home season in 2023 that Afridi had lost a little bit of his pace post his comeback, but he isn’t fussed. “Speed doesn’t matter as much but if there has been a dip, it will improve with time,” Afridi had said in May.

Ollie Robinson the only fitness doubt after suffering back spasm in Leeds

Vithushan Ehantharajah11-Jul-20231:40

Could Stokes be like a ‘Ryder Cup captain’ for England?

England have kept faith with Jonny Bairstow as their wicketkeeper-batter after naming an unchanged squad for the fourth Ashes Test at Emirates Old Trafford.Victory over Australia by three wickets at Headingley saw England cut into Australia’s lead, making it 2-1 in the series with two to play. Bairstow, however, endured another tough game, scoring 12 and 5 and missing more catches behind the stumps.Having started the series with a run-a-ball 78, the Yorkshireman has scored just 63 more runs and is currently averaging 23.50 from six innings. A far cry from his form last summer of 681 runs at 75.66.ESPNcricinfo LtdHowever, it is his form as keeper which has led to talk of a recall for Ben Foakes, who Bairstow replaced after returning from a serious break of his left leg which ruled him out for eight months. Bairstow has missed numerous chances in the series so far, including a missed stumping – opportunities that may have swung things England’s way in the first two Tests.Following that first innings at Edgbaston, his most notable contributions have been carrying off a Just Stop Oil protester on day one of the second Test at Lord’s, before finding himself at the centre of controversy on day five when he was stumped by Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey after leaving his crease for what the Englishman believed was the end of the over.The decision to retain Bairstow in a 14-man group and not recall Foakes is a show of support from captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. Bairstow still has plenty of credit in the bank given how he inspired England’s upturn in form last summer and there is belief he can make an impact in the fourth Test, which begins in eight days’ time, and help England square the series.”Jonny Bairstow is someone who wants to contribute to the team all the time,” James Anderson wrote in his column in The Telegraph. “There just needs to be a bit of patience from everyone.”He is working as hard as he can to help the team and if he keeps doing that he will be fine. You are allowed to have a bad game as a player. If he just gets a couple out of the middle of the bat or takes a blinding one-handed catch, it will send his confidence through the roof. He has the support of the lads.”We will help him as much as we can to keep his spirits up because we know what a devastating player he can be.”Related

England hope Bairstow stumping cloud can have Ashes silver lining

Old Trafford Test: can Australia fit in both Marsh and Green? What about Warner?

Switch Hit: Wood, Woakes, Woohoo!

Wood's pace leaves Australia a new challenge

Another decision to consider is whether Ollie Robinson is able to shake off the effects of back spasm sustained in Australia’s first innings. It is likely he will drop out for James Anderson, who was rested for the third Test. There is also a wait to see if Mark Wood will be fresh enough to retain his place in the XI after a player of the match display in Leeds given his workload during his first red-ball match of 2023.Another consideration will be the No. 3 position. Both Harry Brook and Moeen Ali fulfilled the role with limited returns at Headingley, but Brook’s vital 75 at No.5 in the successful fourth-innings chase of 251 could mean Moeen retains the role, allowing Brook to occupy his preferred position.England squad for fourth men’s Ashes Test: Ben Stokes (capt), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Manchester United target Bryan Mbeumo's was the Premier League's most clinical goalscorer in the 2024-25 season according to xG.

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Brentford exceeded expectations by eight goalsWood & Cunha also lethal according to the dataCity's Savinho league's most wasteful finisherFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

An analysis of the Premier League's xG data by Grosvenor Sport reveals Mbuemo's tally of 20 league goals came from chances that should have generated just 12.3 goals. Chris Wood and Matheus Cunha were the next best in front of goal, out-performing their expected tallies by 6.6 and 6.4 goals respectively.

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City's summer signing Savinho was the most profligate player in the league, as he bagged just once from an expected haul of 5.0 goals. Everton's Dominic-Calvert-Lewin was in the bottom three for the second season running. The injury-prone striker underperformed by -3.7 goals, compared to -5.9 in 2023/24. Cameron Archer rounded out the bottom three, as he returned just two goals on an expected tally of 5.7.

DID YOU KNOW?

Grosvenor Sport's analysis looked at the performance of all players with 800+ minutes in the Premier League this season. Other notable performances included Mohamed Salah, whose 29 goals came on a whopping 25.2 xG, proving the Liverpool forward was both efficient and relentless in getting on the end of chances, while Phil Foden had the largest drop off in performance compared to the previous year. The 2023/24 PFA Player of the Year still managed to outperform his expected haul this term, logging a +1.8 return compared to +8.7 the year before.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR BRYAN MBUEMO?

That level of efficnecy has made Mbuemo one of the most sought after players in this summer's transfer window. For the past few weeks, it seemed nailed on that the Brentford star would be making the switch to Manchester United, however, Thomas Frank's appointment at Tottenham has increased speculation that the winger would be swapping West for North London.

Kuldeep climbs four spots to occupy 10th place on the bowlers’ list

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Aug-2023India opener Shubman Gill has reached a career-high fifth place in the ICC men’s player rankings, following his exploits in the recently-concluded ODI series against West Indies. Gill, who scored 126 runs from three matches including a match-winning 85 in the series decider, rose to 743 rating points and is now within touching distance of the fourth-placed Imam-ul-Haq (745) and third-placed Fakhar Zaman (755). Pakistan’s Babar Azam, with 886 rating points, is still well ahead at No.1 on the ODI list.Also making significant gains in the ODI rankings was Gill’s opening partner Ishan Kishan, who jumped nine places to 36th. Kishan scored fifties in all three matches, to end with 184 runs and the Player-of-the-Series award.Among the bowlers, wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav and seamer Shardul Thakur made the biggest impressions. With seven wickets from three matches, including figures of 4 for 6 in the first ODI, Kuldeep climbed four places to occupy the 10th spot in the bowler rankings. Thakur, who was the leading wicket-taker in the series with eight scalps, rose to No. 30 on the list.While West Indies didn’t have a lot going for them in the ODIs, several of their players have made jumps in the T20I rankings. Nicholas Pooran (14th) and Rovman Powell (32nd) were the biggest movers on the batting list, while fast bowler Alzarri Joseph (13th) and spinner Akeal Hosein (14th) made strides among the bowlers.India’s Tilak Varma, who made his international debut in the ongoing T20I series, entered the batting rankings at No.46, following scores of 39, 51 and 49* from his first three matches.

Xabi Alonso had to settle for a disappointing draw in his first game in charge of the Spanish giants

Real Madrid had their chances but failed to convert them as they slumped to a drab 1-1 draw with Al-Hilal to start the Xabi Alonso era in underwhelming fashion. Los Blancos should have won it on a number of occasions but squandered multiple opportunities – including a last-ditch penalty – which saw them settle for a draw in their Club World Cup opener.

Al-Hilal were the more expansive side early. They attacked down the Madrid right, putting pressure on debutant Trent Alexander-Arnold. Renan Lodi almost gave them the lead after a mistake by the ex-Liverpool man, but was a yard offside when he slotted the ball into the bottom corner.

Los Blancos took the lead after a poor 30 minutes. Youngster Gonzalo Garcia found the net, ghosting in at the far post and rather scuffing the ball over Yassine Bounou for Madrid's first goal under Alonso after a fine pass from Rodrygo. But Al-Hilal responded. Raul Asencio foolishly gave away a penalty, and Ruben Neves converted.

Madrid showed more attacking intent in the second half. And they were almost rewarded early. Vinicius Jr got involved for the first time, darting down the left and cutting it back for Arda Guler, who smashed a first-time volley off the bar.

Real then had a golden opportunity to win it in second-half stoppage time when Federico Valverde stepped up to the penalty spot. But Bounou guessed the right way and stifled his shot. This was hardly a terrible showing, but far from the start Alonso would have wanted.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from Hard Rock Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Thibaut Courtois (6/10):

Sent the wrong way on Neves' penalty. Made a few nice saves, otherwise.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (5/10):

Not the best debut. Some of his passing was loose, and he was badly exposed defensively.

Raul Asencio (5/10):

Gave away a silly penalty and never settled into the game.

Dean Huijsen (8/10):

A very assured showing. Won most of his duels, played some incisive forward passes from the back, and looked composed beyond his years.

Fran Garcia (6/10):

Scampered up and down the left, but some of his positioning was poor. Allowed Joao Cancelo plenty of joy on that wing.

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Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10):

A bit loose in open spaces, but much more effective when he dropped into a deeper role in the second half.

Jude Bellingham (6/10):

Covered plenty of ground and showed more effort than in the final days of last season, but wasn't on the ball much.

Federico Valverde (5/10):

Full of legs, put a couple of efforts on goal, and covered the right side effectively. Rather ruined it all by missing a late penalty.

AFPAttack

Rodrygo (8/10):

Picked up a lovely assist and was a real threat down the right wing.

Gonzalo Garcia (7/10):

Scored the opening goal, and was lively throughout. Likely won't be a regular, but did his job here.

Vinicius Jr (6/10):

A bit mixed. Enjoyed some dangerous moments, but was equally disappointing at times. And booked for diving.

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Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Arda Guler (7/10):

Excellent off the bench. Could have scored and created plenty of chances.

Lucas Vazquez (6/10):

Covered well at right-back. These might be his final days as a Madrid player.

Brahim Diaz (5/10):

Not particularly effective, and missed a few good opportunities to connect with his team-mates.

Victor Munoz (N/A):

No time to make an impact.

Luka Modric (N/A):

On very late.

Xabi Alonso (6/10):

Not a bad start – even if he didn't get a win. Madrid were better defensively, and looked really good at times. But the result isn't great.

Seamer received no assurances about selection before being named in New Zealand’s provisional World Cup squad

Matt Roller12-Sep-2023Trent Boult is “very happy” to be back playing international cricket ahead of the World Cup in India, but said that New Zealand Cricket (NZC) had never given him any guarantees about selection for the tournament when he negotiated a release from his central contract last year.Boult won his 100th ODI cap in New Zealand’s defeat to England at the Ageas Bowl on Sunday, taking 3 for 37 to mark his first international appearance since last year’s T20 World Cup semi-final against Pakistan. Hours later, his name was included in the provisional 15-man squad announced by New Zealand for next month’s 50-over World Cup.”It was great to be back in familiar surroundings,” Boult said ahead of Wednesday’s third ODI at The Oval. “It was a very good feeling, chucking back on the black ODI kit – and on the side, the individual milestone of 100 games added to that feeling as well.”When Boult stepped away from his central contract last year, he did not seek or expect assurances from NZC about selection for the World Cup but made his ambitions to play in the tournament clear, telling ESPNcricinfo earlier this year that he had “a big desire” to return to the ODI fold.Related

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Trent Boult: 'It felt bizarre to have a Test on down the road and not play in it'

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David Willey does the donkeywork as thoroughbred Archer returns to haunt his World Cup dreams

Livingstone 95*, bowlers help England level series in rain-shortened contest

“Your spot is never guaranteed, and the decision was made over a year ago,” Boult said. “I decided to step aside and fully appreciated that giving my contract back would open the door to other players to come through. Selections were prioritised for the contracted 20 [players] in New Zealand and I fully appreciated that.”The decision was solely made around time away… with a young family, I couldn’t travel as much. It just became too hard. I prioritised my time with them and gave myself a chance to play some cricket around to world, to see what I could learn.”Selection for the World Cup was never guaranteed and I was never expecting it to be. I had to work for it and I’m very happy to be here. I just hope I can add value and take the tournament very deep, like we have in the last couple of attempts. I feel like we can really push this tournament to the final stages and give it a good crack.”New Zealand were runners-up in the last two 50-over World Cups and Boult admitted he still finds it hard to let the tied 2019 final go. “What was probably a little bit hard was coming back, after a year, to play for New Zealand, and it’s a rain delay and it’s the only game playing on the big screens at the ground,” he joked. “That pushed me a little bit.”The ODI World Cup is that big tournament that everyone wants to be a part of. I’ve been part of a couple so far and although there seems to be a world event every year, this ODI World Cup has always got a special feeling around it… once we touch down in India, I’m sure the feelings will be pretty strong with a lot of excitement.”