Andy Gorvin’s two wickets in the penultimate over of the day leaves leaves Northants 49 for 3 and trailing by 190 runs

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay17-May-2025

Four Glamorgan batters passed 50 to put the hosts in a dominant position for a three-day finish against Northamptonshire at Sophia Gardens.A 141-run partnership between in-form Ben Kellaway and Sam Northeast, scoring 95 and 67 respectively, asserted the lead for the hosts to go with Kiran Carlson’s 54 and Timm van der Gugten’s 61 either side of lunch in a ruthless performance to get the hosts to 424.Andy Gorvin took two wickets in the penultimate over of the day to rue Northants’ chances of a sustaining final 14 overs, leaving the visitors 49 for 3 and trailing by 190 runs.Glamorgan resumed on the morning of day two at 82 for 3, recovering from a wobble of three wickets for two runs the previous evening with Northeast and Carlson carrying on from their day one foundations. Carlson the stroke player of the two reached his 50 in no time, flicking a short ball from Julian Broad for 4, a rare loose delivery for the 3-fer taking bowler, rectifying his mistakes from day one.Carlson frustrated he couldn’t kick on however as he flicked a leg-stump directed delivery directly to square-leg who had been positioned there before the dismissal delivery.The 96-run partnership ending didn’t stop Glamorgan’s momentum however. Kellaway, on the back of three progressively improving career-best scores in three consecutive matches showed deft touch with late cuts off both seam and spin, combined with destructive hitting over long on to come close to catching his skipper up before lunch.A 134-run first session completed with a gritty third 50 of the season for Northeast assured Glamorgan’s dominance in the all-important first couple of hours.Northing would change after lunch unlike on day one. The hosts carrying on their fast-scoring momentum, Kellaway passing 50 with a quick single off loanee, Calvin Harrison, only introduced into the attack in the 58th over.Kellaway’s second consecutive century looked imminent, the only slight of giving his wicket away coming on 89 when Lewis McManus sparingly diving full stretched off a top-edged-hook, that until Harrison found one to rise on the youngster attempting to cut just short of his milestone.With Northeast falling shortly after for a frustrating season best, unable to kick on to three figures, it brought two new batters and seemingly momentum for Northants, still nothing changed.Chris Cooke and van der Gugten next to add a partnership just shy of 100 to the crease proved the pitch to be nullified for when the visitors would eventually get a chance to use it again. Cooke looked aggrieved to give his wicket away on 36 despite a valiant contribution and Northants continued to catch well when the chances did come to wrap up the Glamorgan innings before long, unfortunately the damage done.With a 239-run deficit heading into their second innings after winning the toss, Ricardo Vasconcelos went early. Just 14 overs to survive, James Harris in just his second over removing the opener. The Glamorgan veteran then allowed Luke Procter to settle and score freely until a double-change brought a mini-collapse before close, the Northants top order struggling once more, with the captain the exception.

Ange Postecoglou will be hoping that he can claim his first win as Nottingham Forest manager this afternoon when his side travel to face Burnley at Turf Moor.

The Aussie has already lost his first two outings in charge, losing 3-0 against Arsenal last weekend before falling to a late defeat against Swansea City in the Carabao Cup.

Igor Jesus’ first-half double gave the Reds a 2-0 lead at the break, but three second-half goals from the Championship side knocked the Premier League outfit out of the competition at the first hurdle.

However, the clash against Scott Parker’s side today presents a quick opportunity for the 60-year-old to gain his first victory in the role after taking over from Nuno Espírito Santo.

The volume of additions made by Evangelos Marinakis has handed the new boss key depth in various areas of the squad, with one of the new additions deserving of his first league start.

Why Douglas Luiz needs to start against Burnley

Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz joined Forest on loan with an obligation to buy from Juventus during the summer window, subsequently injecting needed quality into the heart of the side.

He’s had to bide his time in the East Midlands, failing to appear in a single minute of first-team action before Wednesday’s cup defeat in South Wales.

The 27-year-old featured in the defeat for an hour, but demonstrated his composed nature – something which could make him a valuable asset against the Clarets later today.

He won 100% of the duels he entered, whilst also being fouled four times – the most of any player on the pitch – with the opposition often unable to dispossess the former Aston Villa man.

Luiz also completed 86% of the passes he attempted, creating one big chance in the process, showcasing his excellent ability in and out of possession.

However, he shouldn’t be the only player handed his first Premier League start for the Reds, with another talent impressing in the defeat to the Swans in midweek.

The Forest player who can unlock Ange’s first win

After securing Europa League football in 2024/25, there was always going to be added pressure on Forest to be competitive in all of the competitions they entered.

European football, for the first time in 30 years at the City Ground, will give a generation of supporters memories to last a lifetime, but also open the door to adding a third star to their badge.

The ability to qualify for such a competition has undoubtedly aided the club in the transfer market, allowing for numerous high-profile names to make the move to the East Midlands.

Luiz will undoubtedly be one of the biggest, given his recent stints across Europe, but Dilane Bakwa is another player the hierarchy managed to get a deal completed for in the same window

The French youngster joined in a deal totalling £30m from Ligue 1 side Strasbourg on deadline day, adding further depth and quality into the club’s already threatening frontline.

However, like Luiz, he’s had to be patient to get his chance to shine, subsequently making his Reds debut off the bench against Arsenal at Emirates, seven days ago.

Bakwa, who’s been labelled “menacing” by journalist Antonio Mango, made his first start on Wednesday and grabbed his chance with both hands – completing 100% of the dribbles he attempted.

Minutes played

62

Touches

38

Pass accuracy

86%

Dribbles completed

100%

Passes into final third

4

Chances created

2

Ground duels won

100%

Big chances created

1

He also registered four passes into the final third, whilst creating two chances for his new teammates and often looking a real threat when driving at the opposition’s backline.

The 23-year-old has bags of pace in his arsenal, potentially making him a key player in Postecoglou’s attacking-minded system – as seen in midweek with the Reds’ second goal.

The right-winger has yet another chance to stake his claim for a regular starting role this afternoon, with the youngster more than deserving of the opportunity to start his first Premier League game.

If he and Luiz both start against Parker’s men, there’s no reason as to why Ange can’t claim his first win as manager – kick-starting his reign and allowing the fanbase to forget about their Carabao Cup disappointment.

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Keaton Jennings has stepped down as Lancashire red-ball captain with immediate effect, with the club sitting bottom of Division Two in the County Championship. Marcus Harris, the club’s Australian overseas signing, will take over as interim captain.Lancashire are winless after five games of the Championship season, having drawn four and lost one. They succumbed to a three-day defeat against Northamptonshire at the weekend, prompting the club’s management to issue an apology to supporters on Tuesday morning, in which director of cricket performance, Mark Chilton, described their form as “not acceptable” and said Lancashire would “make necessary changes” to improve the situation.That has led to Jennings relinquishing the captaincy in Championship cricket, although he will continue to lead the Blast side. Appointed in 2023, he was the team’s leading first-class run-scorer last year, with 1006 at 45.72, but couldn’t prevent relegation. So far this season, he has made 337 runs at 33.70 with two half-centuries.Related

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“It’s been a huge honour to lead Lancashire Cricket in the Championship over the last couple of seasons, a club with rich history that I hold dear to my heart,” Jennings said. “This has not been an easy decision, however after reflection and conversations with the management, I believe the team will benefit from a change of captaincy.”My passion and commitment to serving Lancashire has not and will never change. Our current position in the table is not reflective of our commitment as a team and club to winning. I recognise the best way for me to serve the club is to continue to score big runs at the top of the order and put in match-winning contributions. I feel as though the team will benefit from this change and it will help to drive us forward.”I will of course provide Marcus with as much support as he wants throughout the rest of the County Championship. I know that the team is focused on our collective goal of getting Lancashire back to winning four-day cricket.”Harris is currently the leading Championship run-scorer in either division with 749 at 83.22, including three hundreds. He will be assisted in charge of the red-ball team by vice-captain, Josh Bohannon, and James Anderson, England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker who is expected to make his first appearance of the season in the next round of games, starting on Friday.Chilton added: “Keaton has given his total commitment to the captaincy since taking over in 2023 and remains a key figure in the dressing room.”His experience and professionalism will continue to be invaluable, and I would like to thank Keaton for his service as Lancashire’s County Championship captain in recent years. We hope that the change in captaincy will allow him to concentrate fully on his batting and take some weight off his shoulders.”Marcus will provide an alternative perspective to leadership and, although relatively new to the group, he has worked with Dale [Benkenstein] before, and everyone has seen his impact on the team’s performance in the first five games of this season. We are also hopeful that James Anderson can get back on the field adding vast experience and leadership into the side.”Lancashire’s head coach Dale Benkenstein is under growing pressure•Getty Images

Foremost among Lancashire’s issues so far this season has been an inability to take wickets at home – in three games at Emirates Old Trafford, they have only bowled the opposition out once. Their next two fixtures are against Derbyshire, at home, and Leicestershire, currently second and first respectively in Division Two.John Abrahams, chair of the cricket development committee, said the board retained faith in the coaches, led by Dale Benkenstein.”The Lancashire Cricket Board remains fully behind the coaching group, and we want members to know that the club will do whatever the cricket department needs to effect change quickly,” Abrahams said. “We continually look at different ways we can improve the squad, whether that be loan or permanent additions to the squad.”We are also working closely with the grounds team to look at how we can perform better at Emirates Old Trafford, having experienced the challenging conditions to bowl teams out twice.”I’d like to thank the members for their continued support of the club, and we all hope to see a change of fortunes for the team in the next couple of weeks in the County Championship, ahead of the Vitality Blast starting at the end of this month.”

Liverpool staved off the Everton threat to maintain their perfect record in the Premier League, winning the Merseyside derby

And Everton really did threaten. Liverpool blew their city rivals out of the park in the first half, romping to a two-goal lead thanks to fine strikes from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike, but haven’t looked convincing when defending a lead this term, and Idrissa Gueye’s powerful finish set the nerves jangling.

These two were the stars of the show, and it’s curious that the latter should have started his Liverpool career on such strong footing, as he looks undroppable right now.

Liverpool haven’t been at their best so far this season by any stretch, but then they have stormed into a perfect lead at the top of the league table, and they won their Champions League opener against Atletico Madrid too.

With players like Ekitike packing a new punch to the squad, there’s plenty reason to be optimistic for the term ahead.

Hugo Ekitike's start to life at Liverpool

When Liverpool announced the initial £69m signing of Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer, it looked for all the world like FSG had closed the door on an ambitious effort for Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak.

But that hasn’t been the case, with the goalscoring duo united under Arne Slot’s wing at Anfield. The 25-year-old Isak is billed as the more refined and accomplished, having ripped the Premier League apart at the seams over the past several years with the Magpies and joined the club for a British record fee, but four goals and an assist for the Reds mark a rather fruitful start for Ekitike.

Isak, who completed his transfer on deadline day, made his league debut for Liverpool against Everton, coming off the bench in the second half.

Last season, he was the villain down Anfield Road after scoring the winning goal in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool, bagging what proved to be the most important of a 27-strike haul. Now, he is Liverpool’s.

The Swedish superstar will be expected to bring the goals in their droves this term, and Ekitike’s fast start only heightens the noise around the decision to bring both to the fold.

If the plan is to weave the duo into the same starting line-up, one would likely be required to drop onto the left flank. That would appear to be Ekitike, and should that happen, it would come at the expense of Cody Gakpo’s berth, with the Dutchman playing out a quiet game against the Toffees.

Why Slot should drop Cody Gakpo

Gakpo has impressed throughout the opening weeks of the campaign, invariably placed on the left wing and posting a goal and two assists across his first two Premier League outings of the campaign.

However, the well of potency has since dried up, and he toiled somewhat against the resilient Jake O’Brien, albeit winning the ball back in the build-up to Gravenberch’s opening goal.

FFC’s 6/10 match rating for Gakpo was determined after an assessment of what was an indifferent display, but one which also demonstrated the deeper tenacity of his skillset, with data platform Sofascore revealing he won four duels, made three clearances and created two passes across his hour on the field.

Curiously, Gakpo also looked to cut inside when Ekitike drifted wide. The 26-year-old shimmies inside with regularity anyway, but you can’t help but wonder if this is a tactical tweak on Slot’s part.

There were indeed a series of sequences which saw Gakpo and Ekitike move interchangeably. These movements were performed with practised coordination, and that makes a comment on Slot’s orders as Isak warms to life on Merseyside.

Might it be a system in the works to accommodate both Isak and Ekitike in the same starting line-up? The Frenchman’s vast ground-covering display certainly suggests that this could be so, with former goalkeeper Ben Foster remarking during the contest that he “looks like prime Fernando Torres”, so complete and deadly did he look in the final third and around it.

Gakpo, conversely, was quiet, with his 41 touches across the match the fewest of any Liverpool forward starting from the opening whistle. This actually put him behind the shot-stopping Alisson Becker for touches on the afternoon, who might have conceded but didn’t actually have all that much to do, making only one save besides and two punches to deal with aerial threats.

Given that Gakpo has been a fixed feature in the starting XI for Liverpool so far this season, and has perhaps petered out after an electric start, it might be time for Slot to make a change, having already shown a newfound willingness this term to enforce rotation as he hasn’t before, sticking with the same bunch for most of the title-winning 2024/25 campaign.

While a midweek clash against Championship side Southampton, struggling after their relegation from the Premier League, will see the boss ring wholesale changes, there’s a chance next weekend against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park for Ekitike and Isak to be unleashed in a partnership, thus pushing Gakpo to the bench.

This, if anything, is a glowing testament to Liverpool’s strength in depth. And Gakpo, should he be dropped, will pop up with pivotal moments over the year.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Sep 19, 2025

West Bromwich Albion are now without a win from their last three games in the Championship.

Ryan Mason’s Baggies did look to be very close to an elusive win in the challenging second tier against Leicester City last time out; however, after Samuel Iling-Junior’s first goal for the promotion chasers had handed them a 1-0 advantage over Marti Cifuentes’ Foxes.

Yet, it wasn’t to be for Mason’s unlucky hosts come the full-time whistle, as various spurned chances came back to bite them courtesy of a Nathaniel Phillips’ own goal.

The former Tottenham Hotspur coach turned Baggies manager could now be prepared to change up what attackers take to the field for his side’s encounter later today versus Norwich City to ensure goal-shy displays don’t become frequent, with Isaac Price potentially facing the chop.

Price's showing vs Leicester in numbers

While the Northern Ireland international has received plenty of plaudits for his performances this season so far, he has also gone slightly off the boil over West Brom’s choppy last few Championship clashes.

Indeed, the former Everton youth product went through the entirety of September without picking up a single goal or assist, which is a notable drop-off when weighed up next to his outrageous form in August.

Games played

4

3

Goals scored

3

0

Assists

1

0

Price is unfortunately a victim of his own success here, with his three goals and one assist in August hard to keep up across a full season, as has been seen in his lacklustre offering the following month.

Mason’s experiment to throw Price in as a second striker alongside Aune Heggebo also didn’t work against Leicester, with the 22-year-old going to miss a big chance, even when handed the responsibility of leading the line.

On top of that, he didn’t link up with the Norwegian well enough to get him regularly involved in play, with the number 19 only managing a weak eight touches of the ball in total next to his new strike partner.

It could be that Mason is now preparing to drop Price from the first team altogether for the trip to Norfolk, with this Baggies goal machine primed for his first league start of the season ahead of the hot-and-cold number 21.

Mason's "special" Price replacement for West Brom

Away from Price sticking out with his three league strikes last month, West Brom haven’t been the easiest on the eye to watch so far this season.

Since putting three past Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham, the Baggies have only managed to find the back of the net a weak four times across their next five league encounters, with Josh Maja now potentially thrown into the mix to make West Brom a troubling threat in attack once more.

Mason is likely just erring on the side of caution with his injury-prone number 9 so far this season, hence his lack of starts to date, with his goal-laden campaign last season devastatingly derailed by an injury in January.

Still, he could be the spark now needed to enhance West Brom’s firepower in attacking areas, with this well-taken finish last campaign coming against Wednesday’s opponents, Norwich City, coincidentally going down as his ninth goal in total.

By the time he was sadly stricken with injury, he would boast a mightily impressive 12 strikes from 25 league clashes.

Games played

25

Goals scored

12

Scoring frequency

Every 173 mins

Assists

2

Big chances created

6

It’s not just his explosive goalscoring form that will catch Mason’s eye here, however, with the former Sunderland centre-forward also amassing six big chances created across this span of league games.

This could result in Maja supplying Heggebo with chances galore moving forward, with the Brann menace’s goalscoring prowess – firing home a lethal 11 goals in the Eliteserien in 2024 alone – hopefully then coming to the forefront.

Hailed as “special” by Carlos Corberan when the Spaniard was still occupying the Hawthorns dug-out, it does feel like a waste not to try and get the best out of Maja again, with Norwich perhaps on the receiving end of the 26-year-old’s clinical edge later on, as Mason attempts to get West Brom’s faltering season back on track with tweaks here and there.

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1 ByKelan Sarson Sep 28, 2025

Although Arsenal went top of the Premier League with victory over West Ham United, it was another afternoon to forget for Martin Odegaard as his injury woes continued.

Arteta admits Odegaard injury "not positive"

It was a season of injury woes for Arsenal as a whole last season. So much so that much of their summer spending centred around adding quality in depth to Mikel Arteta’s squad. But whilst that has helped put an end to several concerns, Mikel Arteta still has one major Odegaard concern after the Norwegian left the pitch injured for a third-consecutive game on Saturday afternoon.

It looked as though Arsenal’s summer spending was all coming together against West Ham. Odegaard, Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres all shared the stage and any concerns that Arteta hadn’t let go of the handbrake seemed destined to end before Odegaard’s injury spoiled the party.

Arteta, as frustrated as anyone, provided an update on the midfielder in his post-match reaction – saying: “With Martin it was a clash, knee to knee. It’s not looking very positive at the moment. Immediately he was uncomfortable. I just spoke to him, he’s not positive about it, he’s got a brace on, we’ll have to wait and see from the doctors.”

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Arsenal shared an update on Odegaard on Sunday, revealing he has sustained ‘a medial collateral ligament injury to his left knee’ and has withdrew from international duty with Norway.

The big question will be just how long Odegaard misses. He’s already been forced to sit out of three games in all competitions and an injury expert has now revealed the worst-case scenario for the Arsenal captain following another setback.

Injury expert reveals worst-case Odegaard scenario

Reacting to the injury, injury expert Physio Scout took to X to reveal Odegaard could miss up to six weeks of action with a Grade 2 MCL injury, believing a Grade 3 is unlikely.

Should Odegaard miss six weeks of action, he would miss seven games up until the next November international break, including Champions League fixtures against Atletico Madrid.

Fulham vs Arsenal

October 18

Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid

October 21

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace

October 26

Arsenal vs Brighton

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Burnley vs Arsenal

November 1

Slavia Praha vs Arsenal

November 4

Sunderland vs Arsenal

November 8

Not an ideal situation, but Arteta and Arsenal have shown they have the squad to cope.

Manchester United have bounced back from their 3-1 defeat away to Brentford last Saturday by beating newly promoted Sunderland 2-0 at Old Trafford. Ruben Amorim needed those three points to alleviate the pressure that has been continuing to build over the last week.

The Red Devils took a lead early on, thanks to a sublime effort by Mason Mount. United’s number seven took his chance well, with a great first touch before firing into the back of the net to put his side ahead.

Just after the 30-minute mark, United doubled their advantage. This time, it was Benjamin Sesko who found the back of the net, getting onto the end of a flick on from a long throw. It means he’s now scored two goals in as many games for his new side.

United’s win also saw goalkeeper Senne Lammens, starting his first game since a deadline-day move, pull off several excellent saves. He kept Granit Xhaka out in the first half and made a late save with his feet to keep United’s clean sheet intact.

It was certainly a better day at the office for the Red Devils, with two of the standouts being Mount and Sesko.

Mount and Sesko’s stats vs. Sunderland

Since truly getting over his injury issues, Mount has been a key player under Amoirm. This term, he’s started the majority of games in the Premier League, with his performance against Sunderland showing exactly why United’s manager likes him so much.

His goal was very well-taken, with his perfect first touch controlling Bryan Mbeumo’s pass at knee height, before swivelling and firing past Robin Roefs.

It was an excellent team move for United, which consisted of 18 passes before Mount put the ball in the back of the net.

Sesko’s performance also stood out. His goal was simple, but encouraging for United fans. He occupied the six-yard box well and reacted quickly enough to turn the ball in. The two goals in as many games that he’s now scored will surely do wonders for his confidence.

Well, David McDonnell, chief Manchester United writer for The Manchester Evening News, seemed to think highly of Sesko’s efforts. He gave the Slovenian star a 7/10 for his afternoon’s work, describing his finish as a ‘classic poacher’s goal’.

As well as Mount and Sesko performed against Sunderland, there was someone who was arguably even better.

The standout United player vs. Sunderland

Aside from the two United goalscorers, there was a player who really stood out. Of course, Lammens made some decisive saves on debut, but even he was overshadowed by his Red Devils teammate.

It was a big day for former Sunderland loanee Amad, and he certainly delivered against the club where he truly made a name for himself a couple of seasons ago. Operating at right wing-back, the Ivorian star was a huge threat going forward.

The stats from the game certainly show how dangerous he was. Amad created three chances, more than both Mount and Sesko.

He also completed 100% of his passes and won eight ground duels with a 57% win rate. In contrast, United’s number seven won one out of five and their new striker just five out of 12.

Amad stats vs. Sunderland

Stat

Number

Pass accuracy

100%

Passes completed

38/38

Touches

62

Touches in the opposition box

5

Ground duels won

8/14

Ball recoveries

6

Chances created

3

Stats from Fotmob

Indeed, McDonnell was hugely impressed with Amad’s contribution against the Black Cats. He gave the attacker a 7/10 rating, the same as Sesko, and said he was a ‘constant threat down the right side’ for United against his former club.

It was a fantastic performance from the 23-year-old. He shone at right wing-back last season, and whilst it has been a slow start to this campaign, that performance against his former club will surely do him the world of good.

Now, Amorim will be hoping Amad can build on that performance after the international break, when United face arch-rivals Liverpool.

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Barcelona came close to missing the Champions League after UEFA threatened sanctions over financial fair play breaches. President Joan Laporta confirmed the club narrowly avoided sporting punishment by negotiating a reduced fine. The move highlights how far Barca have come financially, though challenges remain as the club continues rebuilding its economic stability.

• Barcelona narrowly avoided Champions League ban after UEFA scare

  Barcelona president Laporta has revealed that the club faced the real possibility of being banned from the Champions League due to financial irregularities. The Catalan giants had already broken UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules for the second consecutive season, paying a €15 million (£13m/$16m) fine after an initial breach in 2024.

  The threat of suspension, Laporta admitted, forced intense negotiations with UEFA to prevent a sporting sanction. His board inherited a financially troubled club under Josep Maria Bartomeu, with debts running high and strict La Liga regulations to comply with. The use of financial levers, which drew UEFA’s attention, was crucial in navigating this precarious situation.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Laporta explains negotiations that saved Barca from sanctions

  Speaking during the General Assembly, Laporta revealed that the use of several economic levers almost got the team suspended from the UEFA Champions League for a year. In fact, he had to negotiate directly with UEFA to ensure that such a sporting sanction was not applied, as the levers were necessary to navigate the difficult financial situation the club inherited.

  "UEFA wanted to punish us by not allowing us to play in the next Champions League. And the fact that Barcelona isn't a limited company and can't increase its capital was one of the arguments we used to get UEFA to reduce the fine for breaching financial fair play from 60 million to 15 million. They also wanted to sanction us by not allowing us to play in the next Champions League."

• Financial levers and TV rights sale key to stabilising club finances

  Laporta defended the use of several economic levers, explaining they were designed to prevent a mass exodus of members and stabilize the club’s finances. 

  “The levers were intended to prevent an extraordinary outflow of members and alleviate the situation we found ourselves in four and a half years ago,” he said. “Strictly speaking, leverage is not a capital increase. It is simply a transfer of assets for a specific period of time, which are then recovered."

  He added: “In exchange, you receive a certain amount of money. We transferred 25% of our television rights to a fund, which brought us €600 million. This amount, which represented around €35 million, will be returned to the club after 25 years. It is a transfer of assets that will be recovered after a certain period of time. This allowed us to save the club,” he concluded.

  This financial strategy illustrates the fine line the club has walked between compliance and necessity. With careful planning, the Catalan giants avoided UEFA’s strictest punishments, allowing their squad to remain eligible for Europe’s premier competition despite operating under significant economic constraints.

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• US fixture brings extra income despite player concerns

  The 63-year-old also discussed the upcoming La Liga fixture against Villarreal in the United States. While not entirely comfortable with moving games abroad, he emphasized the financial benefits.

  “We are not enthusiastic about taking our team far, but as President Gaspart said, it is necessary to obtain atypical income. Promoting our image in the markets has allowed us to have more sponsors. And we will surely take advantage of the opportunity to expand our image in the US, an increasingly important market where it also plays the next World Cup. Expanding the image generates sponsors.

  “Deco and Flick are the first ones who want to preserve the good physical condition of the players, but they go to Saudi Arabia (for the Spanish Super Cup) to earn money that otherwise would not be earned. And in Miami, exactly the same. La Liga will benefit, and with it all the other teams, with extra income, but Barca and Villarreal, who are the ones who play, will benefit more.”

Kate Scott left Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Michah Richards in hysterics after suffering an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction while fronting CBS Sports’ coverage of the Champions League. The incident occurred on October 22, with a panel made up of former Premier League stars seeing the funny side of their host being left a little red-faced.

Wardrobe malfunction: What happened to Scott?

During the build-up to another busy evening of elite European competition, Richards and Co took the opportunity to welcome former USMNT star Clint Dempsey into their ranks. He is, of course, a familiar face to American audiences. Some playful fist-bumping took place between those preparing to offer expert insight and analysis.

Scott looked to get in on the act, but had to lean over the desk in order to reach Dempsey’s outstretched arm. In doing so, she ended up ripping the top that she was wearing. The 44-year-old quickly realised what had happened and managed to grab the garment in question before it slipped any further.

AdvertisementRichards' trouser tear left CBS Sports panel in tears

She looked a little sheepish when returning to her chair and blurted out: “Oh! I just broke my top!” Scott invited a member of CBS Sports’ production team onto set to help her out, with those sitting alongside her showing no sympathy whatsoever.

Henry, Carragher and Richards burst into fits of laughter, with the latter seeing his booming chuckle echo around the studio. Former Manchester City and Aston Villa defender Richards said: “Now you know how it feels! Give us a stretch then.”

Richards has suffered his own on-air clothing issues down the years. When covering Barcelona’s clash with Portuguese side Benfica in January, he popped a button clean off his shirt when jumping in the air to celebrate a dramatic 96th-minute goal from Raphinha in a thrilling 5-4 victory for Barca.

Prior to that, in October 2023, Richards ripped the crotch in his trousers when attempting to mimic the iconic goal celebration of World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe. Said incident left Scott and Carragher in tears, with the ex-Liverpool defender saying: “I’m not sure who is being cancelled, but someone is!”

Who is Kate Scott married to & does he have beef with Carragher?

Fans around the world found Scott’s latest gaffe funny, with several making playful jokes on social media at her expense. The CBS Sports crew have built up a legion of loyal supporters, with their behaviour always entertaining.

The odd unfortunate headline has been made, with Carragher once questioning the loyalty of Scott to her boxing trainer husband Malik Scott. A man that has previously worked with world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder has since told of a supposed feud: “Jamie and I always see each other, so it's not an intimidating thing. It's just a respect that men have with each other. That's all it is. I respect him, he respects me, and my wife respects him, and he's going to respect my wife. And he does respect my wife. There’s no grudge with Jamie at all. I love that whole panel.”

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Promise of more Champions League carnage to comeQuestionable comments and wardrobe malfunctions are always a possibility when Richards and Carragher are involved, with Arsenal great Henry having told  of trying to produce entertaining television: “The main thing is that it is us. It is really us. People think I am putting on a face, but that is how I am. That is me. The most important thing is that we are friends. Nobody is acting.”

The show’s producer, Matt Curtis, added on that subject: “If people are guarded, if they’re worried about how long they have to talk or what happens if they mess up, there is an air of tension. Hopefully we’ve taken that away from them. We’ve tried to create an environment where they feel comfortable being themselves.”

There is the promise of more carnage to come, with CBS Sports set to continue with their Champions League coverage through to the final of that competition at the 67,000-seater Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary on May 30, 2026.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians iniciou neste domingo (27) a preparação para o duelo de volta contra o Estudiantes, pelas quartas de final da Copa Sul-Americana. A novidade foi uma atividade especial montada pela comissão técnica corintiana com a zaga titular do Timão.

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+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Timão com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

Os zagueiros Gil e Murillo realizaram um complemento de posicionamento defensivo com o auxiliar técnico Maurício Copertino. Murillo tem presença incerta para o duelo de terça-feira (29) pois está em negociações com o Nottingham Forest, da Inglaterra. O atleta de 21 anos ficou no banco durante o empate com o Goiás, no sábado (26).

A equipe inglesa foi a única a apresentar proposta oficial ao Corinthians, e os clubes estão em estágio final de negociação, acertando valores e porcentagens. O Torino, da Itália, pode oficializar seu interesse no atleta nas próximas horas.

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Segundo apuração do Lance!, o valor conversado gira em 13 milhões de euros (R$ 68,4 milhões na cotação) mais 3 milhões de euros (R$ 15,8 milhões) a serem recebidos por meio de bonificações. A direção corintiana deseja manter parte do percentual que possui em relação ao profissional, que hoje é de 80%. A ideia é repassar 60% ao Forest e permanecer com 20%. Os 20% restantes pertencem ao jogador e ao estafe dele.

+ Veja tabela e simule os jogos do Timão no Brasileirão

Neste domingo (27), os atletas que atuaram por mais de 45 minutos diante do Goiás realizaram um trabalho regenerativo na parte interna do CT. Os demais participaram de um trabalho de enfrentamento em campo reduzido com os jogadores. Os goleiros se revezaram entre esta atividade e um treinamento específico para a posição com os preparadores Marcelo Carpes e Luiz Fernando dos Santos.

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A delegação corintiana viaja na tarde de segunda-feira (28) para La Plata. Com vantagem mínima, o Timão pode empatar na Argentina que garante vaga à semifinal da Copa Sul-Americana.