India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate says Sanju Samson is still adjusting to his role in the middle order

Shashank Kishore23-Sep-20253:50

Aaron wants India to save Bumrah for final overs

Jasprit Bumrah has taken only three wickets – with an economy rate of 8.36 – in three games in the 2025 Asia Cup, but the India team management is satisfied with his performances, considering the “exceptionally tough job” he’s been given in the UAE.Bumrah has bowled three overs in the powerplay – and his fourth at the death – in every game so far. Before India’s tournament opener against UAE, the previous time he bowled three out of the first six overs of a T20I was in 2019.”He’s doing a very tough task,” India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said on the eve of the Super Four game against Bangladesh. “You don’t see many bowlers in this format bowling all three overs in the powerplay. So it’s quite strenuous as well. But we feel it’s the right amount of work going into the Test match [against West Indies] and obviously the importance of this competition as well.”Related

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After taking 1 for 19 against UAE and 2 for 28 in the group game against Pakistan, Bumrah went wicketless and conceded 45 in the Super Four game against Pakistan. “It wasn’t his most polished performance against Pakistan the other night,” ten Doeschate said. “But we also understand that he’s doing an exceptionally tough job to bowl the first three overs, the two [fielders] out, and the last over and the second last over where guys are going as well.”There’s going to be days where he doesn’t get wickets and he’s going to go for runs. But in terms of how we set up the team, obviously with two seamers and going spin-heavy, we feel at the moment that’s the best job.”Bumrah has bowled 11 overs in the Asia Cup so far – he was rested for India’s final group game against Oman – and is likely to bowl another 12 if India get to the final. Ten Doeschate indicated he was unlikely to be rested for another game in this tournament.”It’s very unlikely that you [India] go into the last game knowing you’ve qualified,” ten Doeschate said. “So I’d say it’s unlikely that he’ll get a rest. Also bearing in mind we have a Test match starting [next] Thursday. So it’s actually quite good preparation in terms of workload management … So if we have the luxury to have that option [of resting Bumrah] in the last game, we can look at it. But I’d say we’re going to pick our best team for every game. He obviously fits into that picture.”Sanju Samson is getting used to life at No.5•Associated Press’Samson still figuring out how to play at No. 5’The other player with an unfamiliar role at the Asia Cup is Sanju Samson, who’s batting in the middle order despite having had most of his success for India – and in the IPL – in the top three.Samson didn’t get to bat in India’s first two matches. He was sent in at No. 3 in the dead rubber against Oman in Abu Dhabi, where he top-scored with 56 off 45 balls on a pitch that most Indian batters struggled to get going. He was back down at No. 5 in the Super Four game against Pakistan, and made 13 off 17 before he was bowled attempting to pull Haris Rauf.”There’s two outings now, two decent chances and he’s still figuring out how to play that role,” ten Doeschate said of Samson in the middle order. “I think the wicket was a little bit tired in the Pakistan game. But certainly with the way Shubman [Gill] and Abhi [Abhishek Sharma] are going at the top and you’ve got your captain batting at three and the way Tilak’s [Verma] played, we’re really looking for a No. 5. So we believe Sanju is the best man for that job and we’ve got no doubt that he’ll figure out how to play that role in the future.”Ten Doeschate said the format of the Asia Cup with little room for error also meant there was little room for giving chances to the bench strength – Jitesh Sharma and Rinku Singh haven’t played a game yet. “The boys are doing excellent work with training and you probably have to look at bilateral series more realistically as a chance to get guys in to show what they can do and also to give guys a chance to show how flexible they are with their positions.”But certainly now with the format of this competition, four games, two wins doesn’t even guarantee you going through. So it’s not like you can take your foot off the pedal at any time and that’s been an unfortunate consequence of what we’re trying to achieve by trying guys in different positions.”India go into Wednesday’s game against Bangladesh as favourites. Both teams won their first Super Four game, and whoever picks up two points will be primed to make the final. “Our general principle is – respect everyone, fear no one,” ten Doeschate said. “It’s more about our process and what we’re trying to achieve. We actually thought we were a bit scrappy against Pakistan. We weren’t happy with that performance. We just had a team meeting now and as we always do, we try to address the things we feel we can be better at and more clinical at.”We respect Bangladesh. I think they’re a side on the rise. They’ve kind of adapted their cricket as well to the new style of T20. Some nice attacking players up front and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”

Former Arsenal defender Gael Clichy has proposed a new points-based plan to bring an end to the Premier League’s reliance on set pieces and encourage more attractive football. The ex-France international is frustrated with the direction English football has taken but he has stopped short of criticising his old club, who lead the way when it comes to corners.

• Free kicks, long throws and corners back in vogue in 2025-26

  Free kicks, long throws and corners have all surged in popularity in the 2025-26 Premier League season. Once seen as a sign of weakness for a team to put so much emphasis on being proficient at set pieces, often due to a lack of quality from open play, those very tactics are now widespread across the division, with all 20 clubs getting in on the act.

  However, with free kicks, long throws and corners now back in vogue, football fans have become split on whether the new-found dependency is good for the game or a terrible habit which needs to be banished. While some see the set-piece craze as a breath of fresh air, others feel the game has become uglier as a result.

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  Ex-Gunners ace Clichy proposes plan for more attacking football

  Clichy, who spent eight years with Arsenal between 2003 and 2011, is very much a believer that English football has gone backwards, but he reckons he has now come up with a solution which will inspire more teams to play attacking football.

  In an interview with he said: “Unless we change the rules to encourage teams to play offensive football (that could become a problem). Say you are losing 4-2 but scoring a third goal in a game counts as 0.5 points. It means you can still get something out of it rather than a team defending, which is counterproductive to the love of the game.

  “Every time there is something in place, it is hard to make changes. When you talk about what I just said about 0.5 points or a throw-in becoming a kick-in, people are going to laugh but remember a few decades ago when you could pass the ball back and forth with the goalkeeper (picking the ball up)? The person who proposed (changing that) that probably got laughed at too, because change is uncomfortable.”

• Former left-back refuses to criticise Arteta for changing Arsenal's style

  Leading the way when it comes to corners are Clichy’s old club Arsenal, who – under the guidance of manager Mikel Arteta and led by the aerial skill of defender Gabriel Magalhaes – strike fear into their opponents every time the ball goes out of play. However, while Clichy believes Arteta has made Arsenal far more physical than they were under former manager Arsene Wenger, he has refused to criticise the Spaniard for changing the club’s style of play.

  “Mikel has changed how people see Arsenal,” Clichy continued. “In the Premier League, if you are disrespecting the physicality of the game and the set-play moments, you have a big problem. Mikel has done what he felt was needed for Arsenal to win.

  “They are first and you still have people arguing that they don’t play the Arsenal way. It doesn’t make any sense. The Arsenal way is to win trophies. Pretty or not, the fans will be happy.

  “We keep on talking about Wenger’s Arsenal playing really good football 20 years later. This is not the same game. It is not the same league. It is not the same generation of players. People who still think Man United need to play with the same DNA of (Sir Alex) Ferguson and are comparing that side to the current one. It is not the coach who is wrong. It is the people who are still comparing these teams.

  “If Arsenal win 1-0 with a set piece, then that is all we need to know. We need to accept the coach has a different vision. In the end, you need to win because then pretty much everyone will say it is good enough.”

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  Arsenal's next match: Arteta's men face Tottenham in north London derby

  Arsenal will be hoping to continue their set-piece prowess when the Premier League returns this weekend following the conclusion of the international break. Arteta’s men – who are currently top of the table – play host to Tottenham in the north London derby at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Thomas Frank’s Spurs are currently fifth in the standings and eight points (18) behind their fierce rivals (26).

Leeds United boss Daniel Farke is coming under increasing pressure after his side moved closer to the relegation zone, and Brendan Rodgers is now a contender to take over at Elland Road.

Despite a decent start to the Premier League campaign, the Whites have begun to feel the reality of how difficult it is to claim a regular stream of results in the top-flight as other clubs begin to get their act together after indifferent performances.

Nottingham Forest fit that bracket and took Leeds apart last weekend at the City Ground, leaving the Yorkshire outfit one point above West Ham United and two above the Tricky Trees, who are beginning to show signs of life under Sean Dyche.

With pressure mounting on Farke to deliver results, he responded post-match by indicating that his side have to be better when it comes to fine margins, something that can so often determine whether newly-promoted sides are able to stay in the top division.

He told BBC Sport: “Football games on this level are decided with small details. We have to make sure we are more switched on. We concentrate on the things we can influence and should have defended the cross situation. It was crucial.

“We didn’t follow their full-back and that can happen, but not after we’ve just celebrated. We lost two 50/50 duels, and then the cross comes in. We could have defended the situation more competitively.”

Journalist Graham Smyth labelled the Whites’ performance “desperately poor” and some supporters are now at the point of demanding change at Elland Road.

In that case, who could come in to replace Farke at Leeds? Ian Ladyman has let slip one potential contender that could come to the forefront if that scenario were to take place.

Leeds could replace Daniel Farke with Brendan Rodgers

According to Daily Mail football editor Ladyman, Leeds could replace Farke with former Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers after he left the Scottish champions following a public fallout with Dermot Desmond last month.

Suggesting that the Irishman may well be a candidate to take over at Elland Road, he explained: “Now we are eleven games in and Leeds are on a bit of a sticky run with only win in six and games against Aston Villa, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool to come the other side of the international break.

How has Brendan Rodgers fared in the Premier League?

Matches

302

Wins

139

Draws

71

Losses

102

Points claimed

488

“Farke doesn’t deserve the sack, far from it. But that doesn’t mean he won’t get it. And the moment Brendan Rodgers left Celtic a couple of weeks ago, every manager in the lower half of the Premier League became a little more vulnerable.”

Intriguingly, he averaged over two points per game in his second spell at Celtic, adding another two Scottish Premiership titles, a Scottish Cup and a Premier Sports Cup to his haul of 11 trophies while in Glasgow.

Leeds could sign a talented Championship star in January

Of course, his time at Liverpool and Leicester City is still fresh in the memory, and the Carnlough native may be the sensible choice to replace Farke at Leeds due to his ability to turn the tide via his man-management skills.

The Atlanta Braves took another gut punch on Wednesday night in Los Angeles, as the club squandered a 5-0 lead and lost to the defending-champion Dodgers on a walk-off home run by Shohei Ohtani. The defeat dropped the Braves to an MLB-worst 0–7 to begin the season.

But that's not all.

In beginning the '25 campaign 0-7, Atlanta’s postseason hopes have entered the danger zone. According to MLB analyst Ryan Spaeder on X, no team has ever made the postseason after starting the year 0-7.

Just four years removed from winning the World Series and two years since winning 104 games, Atlanta entered the '25 season with championship aspirations. Making the playoffs for an eighth straight time was already going to be an arduous task though, given that '23 National League MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. and ace pitcher Spencer Strider are both sidelined as they continue to recover from season-ending surgeries this past season.

The Braves are also without All-Star catcher Sean Murphy, who has been on the Injured List since spring with a cracked rib, and '24 breakout pitcher Reynaldo Lopez, who was placed on IL earlier this week with shoulder inflammation.

And just when it seemed like things couldn't get worse, Jurickson Profar, the team's $42 million free agent pickup this offseason, was suspended 80 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

But the Braves aren't 0-7 simply because of injuries and a suspension. The club is 0-7 because, surprise, they simply aren't playing well.

Atlanta has scored just 14 runs, the third-fewest in the majors, and ranks dead-last in MLB with a team OPS of .485. Braves pitchers have surrendered the fourth-most earned runs in the sport. Fully whole or not, that's not a recipe for winning.

But all hope is not lost. According to MLB.com, 14 teams have started the season with four or more losses and still advanced to the postseason. Three of those teams started the season 0-6. The Braves can also look to a division rival for an example of a recent success story. The New York Mets started the '24 season 0-5 and proceeded to make a run to the National League Championship Series.

All this to say, it's a long season. Teams can flip a switch. The Braves know that better than anyone. The '21 team that won the World Series? That club didn't have a winning record until Aug. 6 of that season.

So yes, the Braves are facing an unprecedented road to the playoffs. But there's a first time for everything.

In a 3–2 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Saturday, three-time American League MVP Mike Trout supplied the offense for the Los Angeles Angels, belting a pair of solo home runs. Trout got every bit of the first homer, as he crushed the ball to the tune of a 115.4 MPH exit velocity—and the blast was initially estimated to have traveled 435 feet. An impressive home run any way you slice it.

But, oddly enough, initial estimates on Trout's home run proved to be not generous enough to the Angels slugger. Three days after the game, MLB's Statcast technology worked its magic and determined that the home run traveled a whopping 484 feet.

As pointed out by Sarah Langs of MLB.com, this means that Trout now owns the longest home run of the '25 season, as well as the longest dinger since the start of the '24 campaign.

The 484-foot blast is yet another impressive home run in a career full of them for Trout. It was impressive that it still hadn't landed three days later! But all jokes aside, this situation begs the question: How could initial estimates be 49 feet off of the actual distance that Trout's homer traveled?

After spending a reported £446m on new additions during the summer transfer window, the majority of pundits across the country expected Liverpool to retain their Premier League title.

Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak’s arrivals saw the hierarchy break the Reds’ transfer record on two separate occasions, subsequently sending out a huge message to the rest of the division.

However, Arne Slot has so far been unable to find the winning formula with his big-money additions, as seen by the club’s recent form within England’s top-flight.

His side have lost six of their last seven league outings, with their slump seeing the club slide down the table and all but ending their chances of regaining the trophy come the end of May.

It hasn’t derailed their recent ambitions in the transfer market though, which has led to numerous high-profile names being linked with a winter switch to Anfield.

Liverpool’s hunt for new additions in January

Over recent weeks, Liverpool have been just one side mentioned over a possible move to land AZ Alkmaar wonderkid Kees Smit in the upcoming window.

The Dutch attacking midfielder has massively impressed in 2025/26 to date, subsequently registering six combined goals and assists in his 19 appearances across all competitions.

A £25m price tag has been reported for the 19-year-old, but other sides such as Real Madrid and Manchester United also remain keen on landing his signature in the coming months.

However, Smit isn’t the only player in the Reds’ sights, with Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo another player who has been strongly touted with a potential move.

According to Fabrizio Romano, numerous members of the club’s hierarchy have already discussed terms with the Cherries over a deal in the January market, having made a move to understand the conditions of the player’s release clause.

He also stated that a deal is expected to cost around £65m- a fee that would activate Semenyo’s clause – but that other Premier League clubs, such as Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, are also closely monitoring the situation.

Why Semenyo could get Isak firing at Liverpool

As previously mentioned, spirits were at an all-time high on Deadline Day for Liverpool supporters after a deal was finally announced for striker Isak from Newcastle United.

The saga dragged on for months before it reached its conclusion, with Slot’s men having to fork out an English record £125m for the services of the Swedish international.

His tally of 23 league goals last campaign made many think the Reds had finally found the number nine they have craved to complete the club’s impressive attacking department.

However, the 26-year-old’s move to Merseyside has been nothing short of a disaster, with the striker only netting one goal in his first nine appearances across all competitions.

Isak’s recent showing against Nottingham Forest further highlighted his struggles, with the talisman only notching a total of 14 touches before being replaced in the 68th minute.

He’s massively struggled to make the desired impact at Anfield to date, but that could change should the hierarchy complete a deal for Semenyo this winter.

The Ghanaian international, who’s primarily a left-winger, has massively impressed at the Vitality this campaign, as seen by his tally of six goals and three assists in his 11 outings.

However, his underlying stats further highlight the quality he possesses, with such numbers certainly aiding Isak in his own quest for success on Merseyside.

Semenyo, who’s been dubbed “the best winger in the country” by former footballer Chris Waddle, has completed 1.9 take-ons per 90 – often able to get into dangerous areas with the ball at his feet.

Games played

11

Goals & assists

9

Take-ons completed

1.9

Chances created

1.4

Progressive passes

3.6

Passes into opposition box

1.6

Shots on target

1.3

Recoveries made

5.3

He’s also been able to add the end product to his mazy runs in the Premier League, as seen by his tally of 1.4 chances created per 90 – not to mention his goal contribution tally.

The 25-year-old has registered 3.6 progressive passes and 1.6 passes into the opposition box per 90, with such numbers potentially falling perfectly into the hands of Isak to turn around his dismal start to life at the club.

£65m in the modern market is an excellent price for a player of Semenyo’s quality, but it remains to be seen how much the board are willing to spend in January after their recent spending spree.

However, if the club are to get Isak fully up to speed in the near future, he will desperately need added support, which could make the Bournemouth star the perfect man to ignite his stint in the North West.

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Those of a Liverpool persuasion will feel battered and bruised after Arne Slot’s side’s staggering drop-off this season.

The slew of defeats have forced a retreat from their position at the top of the Premier League ladder, and as Alexis Mac Allister said after arresting the losing run at West Ham United on Sunday, the title is not on anyone’s mind; rather, finding a measure of consistency and fluency on the pitch is the incentive right now.

Liverpool might have spent a bucketload this summer, but they also parted with key players, with writer Eddie Gibbs saying, “Liverpool right now look like a side caught between three different ideas of themselves, with none taking root.”

A few tweaks are needed, to be sure. And Liverpool are considering a new wide forward to restore balance across the frontline.

Why Liverpool want a forward

When Liverpool capped off their summer spending spree with the British-record addition of Alexander Isak from Newcastle United, the Premier League was in concert: Liverpool had signed a host of elite players.

And while Isak scored his first Premier League goal for the club on Saturday, it’s been a testing start to the season, with injuries and a lack of fluency a by-product of Liverpool’s wider struggles.

Florian Wirtz, too, looks like he is starting to click into gear, but the Reds have been imbalanced in the final third, and adding width would open up a new dimension from which Slot could rebuild his side’s form.

Well, according to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are frontrunners in the race for Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, who has been among the standout forwards in the Premier League this season.

The Ghana international, 25, has a £65m release clause which becomes active in January, and so Liverpool are not alone in their interest, with Manchester City and Tottenham also ready to lodge bids if the right opportunity presents itself.

In fact, Pep Guardiola’s side have initiated contact, so it’s time for Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes to roll up his sleeves.

Why Semenyo would be a better signing than Isak

Semenyo has only gone from strength to strength since joining Bournemouth from Bristol City in the Championship in January 2023. Andoni Iraola has taken that promising skillset and sculpted it into something special.

Now, Semenyo is considered to be “one of the best players in the league” by BBC writer Umir Irfan and it’s a sentiment many would agree with after a prolific start to the campaign, six goals and three assists posted in the Premier League already.

Two-footed and effortlessly dynamic, Semenyo has proved too tricky to handle for many Premier League defenders in recent memory, something of a monster in the duel and a fearsome, rip-roaring asset down the wing. He is a big-game player besides.

The thing is, Semenyo is conservative in his athletic application; he does not prance about with the force of an uncoiled spring. In this he echoes Luis Diaz, who brought a different flavour to Slot’s title-winning team and has not been directly replaced.

Perhaps Semenyo could be the signing that Liverpool need, one which would prove even more impactful than Isak, who has yet to prove he is worth the record sum, even when banked by such illustrious heights in black and white over the past several years.

Gakpo has enjoyed a quietly effective season on the left so far for Liverpool, even against the current of their crisis. However, he is far less mobile than Semenyo, and he lacks the clarity and sparkle on the ball that Semenyo imbues the Cherries flanks with.

It really cannot be understated how unique Semenyo is. This is a winger who is making incremental gains, a winger who could now bloom into a true superstar not only in the Premier League but in Europe’s elite club competition too.

Liverpool have been imbalanced this season, and this is the profile that Liverpool need. It has the potential to be the best signing of the season for the Reds, albeit one which should have been completed back at the start of the campaign.

Better move than Semenyo: Liverpool set to table bid to sign £53m "machine"

Liverpool and FSG are considering a host of positions ahead of the January transfer window.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 1, 2025

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is set to demand north of £53 million for one of Sean Dyche’s star players as Barcelona eye up a move, according to a new report.

Nottingham Forest turn corner under Sean Dyche

It’s been 42 days since Ange Postecoglou became the shortest reigning manager in Premier League history after a nightmare stint at the City Ground, with Forest since appointing Dyche to steady the ship.

Ange Postecoglou’s tenure at Nottingham Forest

Competition

Arsenal 3-0 Forest

Premier League

Swansea 3-2 Forest

Carabao Cup

Burnley 1-1 Forest

Premier League

Real Betis 2-2 Forest

Europa League

Forest 0-1 Sunderland

Premier League

Forest 2-3 FC Midtjylland

Europa League

Newcastle 2-0 Forest

Premier League

Forest 0-3 Chelsea

Premier League

The Englishman arrived at Forest with skepticism surrounding his controversial appointment, but so far, Dyche has seriously impressed.

His debut in the dugout saw Forest secure a 2-0 Europa League victory over FC Porto, their first in Europe, establishing early momentum before Forest defeated fellow strugglers Leeds United 3-1 at the City Ground — ending a nine-match winless domestic streak that went all the way back to the opening weekend under Nuno Espírito Santo.

Ibrahim Sangare’s first Forest goal kickstarted the comeback after Lukas Nmecha’s early strike, before Morgan Gibbs-White’s header and Elliot Anderson’s stoppage-time penalty completed the turnaround.

Even more impressive came Forest’s stunning 3-0 triumph over Liverpool at Anfield.

Murillo, Nicolo Savona, and Gibbs-White scored as Dyche put on a tactical masterclass against the Merseysiders, who are in catastrophic form right now amid reports that Arne Slot could lose his job.

The Tricky Trees have also shut up shop, conceding just once in their last four games across all competitions, and that is testament to the performances of Murillo, who also put in a Man of the Match display against Liverpool last weekend.

The Brazilian is attracting serious interest from elite clubs, including Arsenal, and we can now add the La Liga champions to his growing list of admirers.

Barcelona identify top target Murillo as Nottingham Forest demand £53 million

According to reports from Spain, Murillo has now ‘become Barcelona’s top target’ to reinforce Hansi Flick’s defence.

Forest are clear, they want north of £53 million for the centre-back and are in a very strong position to demand good money considering he’s contracted until 2029.

Good news for Dyche is that Barça are currently unable to meet this price tag due to their constraints around the La Liga salary cap and well-documented financial difficulties.

The prospect of Murillo leaving in January is unlikely at best as well, despite the admiration from top clubs, with journalist Pete O’Rourke telling Football Insider that Forest will block any winter move.

The 23-year-old finished last campaign as Forest’s best performer by average match rating, according to WhoScored, in what was a fairytale campaign where they nearly qualified for the Champions League under Nuno.

Forest have scope to demand even more money for their prized asset, and we could even see a potential bidding war next summer.

Gary Neville has criticised one aspect of Arsenal’s performance in the 4-1 North London derby victory against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.

It was ultimately an easy day at the office for the Gunners against their bitter rivals, with Eberechi Eze, who Tottenham were keen on signing in the summer, scoring a hat-trick, after Leandro Trossard opened the scoring in the first half.

Speaking after the game, Jamie Carragher admitted he underestimated just how important Eze would end up being for Mikel Arteta’s side, who put in a fantastic all-round performance to move six points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

However, a fellow Sky Sports pundit wasn’t particularly impressed with one aspect of Arteta’s side’s performance…

Gary Neville criticises Arsenal's set-pieces against Tottenham

Arsenal have been phenomenal from set-pieces this season, with Gabriel looking particularly impressive in the opposition penalty area, picking up two goals and three assists in all competitions.

However, while Neville was complimentary of the overall display, the 50-year-old has suggested the Gunners weren’t quite as threatening from dead-ball situations against Tottenham as they have been previously.

Arteta’s side proved they have what it takes to end the long wait for a Premier League title with their performance on Sunday, limiting their opponents to an xG of just 0.07, with only a Richarlison wonder goal catching them out.

Eze certainly sent out a major statement with his performance too, receiving a SofaScore match rating of 10 after scoring a hat-trick and making a number of other key contributions.

Eberechi Eze’s key statistics vs Tottenham

Number completed

Big chances created

1

Duels (won)

10 (7)

Interceptions

2

Tackles

2

Arsenal also displayed that they aren’t one dimensional, with none of their goals coming from set-pieces, and they managed to cope despite having a number of important players out injured, namely Viktor Gyokeres, Kai Havertz and Gabriel.

As such, Arteta will no doubt be confident his side can go on to have a successful season, but there are some tricky fixtures on the horizon, taking on FC Bayern in the Champions League on Wednesday, prior to a trip to second-placed Chelsea at the weekend.

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ByMatt Dawson Nov 24, 2025

كشف فويتشيك تشيزني، حارس مرمى نادي برشلونة، عن الحديث الذي دار بينه وبين زميله في الفريق الكتالوني، عقب خروج البلوجرانا من نصف نهائي بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا الموسم الماضي.

برشلونة ودع بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا الموسم الماضي من دور قبل النهائي، وذلك عقب الهزيمة ضد إنتر ميلان 4-3 في لقاء الإياب على ملعب جوزيبي مياتزا.

وعقب نهاية المباراة دخل لاعبي برشلونة في حالة من البكاء الشديد بالفعل، حيث كان البارسا قريبًا بشدة من الصعود إلى النهائي.

وأشار تشيزني في تصريحات نقلتها ”Barcauniversal.com”، أن لاعب برشلونة، جيرارد مارتن، قد طلب منه الوقوف بجانبه بعد الخروج أمام إنتر ميلان، موضحًا أن الظهير الأيسر طلب مساعدته.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ليفاندوفسكي يرفض الانتقال إلى نادي تركي.. وعملاق أوروبي يترقب

وقال تشيزني: “سألت جيرارد مارتن وقلت له لماذا تبكي؟ فأخبرني أنه خسر نصف النهائي في دوري الأبطال”.

وأضاف: ”ذكرت مارتن بقصته وقلت له أين كنت قبل عامين؟ كنت تلعب كرة قدم عادية في أي ملعب قديم، واليوم يا صديقي لعبت في نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا”.

وأوضح: “قلت له ستخسر مئة مباراة مهمة وستفوز بمئة أخرى، لكن انظر أين أنت اليوم، يا صديقي هذا هو سان سيرو، واليوم كنت تلعب في نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، تقول إننا خسرنا، حسنًا لقد خسرنا، لكن انظر إلى أي مدى وصلت”.

وأردف تشيزني: “استنشق نفسًا عميقًا وانتظر، كان عليه أن يستوعب الأمر وأخيرًا، قال: يا إلهي، حتى أنني صنعت تمريرة حاسمة اليوم، ولم يعد يبكي”.

واختتم: ”إنه يعرف من هو، كانت تمريرته حاسمة في نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، وعندما خرج من الحمام هذا ما شعر به تمامًا، كان يعرف كيف يقف بشموخ ويرفع رأسه عاليًا”.