Aston Villa have been warned that a number of their Premier League rivals are now circling one of their players ahead of a potential summer move, according to a new report.

Emery delighted with Brentford win

After being thumped 4-1 by Crystal Palace in their previous Premier League outing, Aston Villa returned to winning ways at the weekend as they beat Brentford 1-0 at the Gtech Community Stadium. Ollie Watkins’ second-half strike was enough to seal all three points for Emery’s side, who jumped up into seventh place with the victory.

Speaking after the game, Emery was full of praise for his side – particularly goalkeeper Robin Olsen, who was standing in for the injured Emi Martinez, and his back four.

“[Olsen] did a fantastic job today, and the back-four as well, a fantastic job,” aid the Spaniard, via The Birmingham Mail. “We achieved those three points, it is giving us the confidence and the belief in the Premier League to try to continue in fighting for a European position.”

Emery also praised defender loanee Axel Disasi, who is on loan from Chelsea, for his performance at right-back, which saw him named as the Man of the Match.

“Of course, when he played against Liverpool as a centre-back he played good. When he played as a right full-back at Palace and Brugge he was progressively getting better to try and get confidence. Today I think he went one step forward more, playing and succeeding better.”

Villa to face English competition for Disasi

Disasi has started five of the six games he’s been eligible for since joining Villa on loan from Chelsea in February, and has impressed with his stalwart displays in defence. Described as a “monster” by Villa’s fans and “brilliant” by Jamie Carragher, reports in France state Villa want to keep hold of the Frenchman beyond the end of the season.

Foot Mercato reports, however, that if they want to do that, they will face stiff competition from a number of other Premier League sides, who have also been impressed by his performances for the Villans. They don’t mention which clubs are interested, but warn Aston Villa that they must be “wary” about the domestic competition.

Disasi himself has already hinted that he wants to stay at Villa Park beyond June: “They have brought me here to help and I am ready. For the moment, I am just here to play for the six months, but at the end of that, you never know. We’ll see what happens.”

In other Villa transfer news, the Villans have also been tipped to complete the permanent signing of Marco Asensio, who has impressed since moving to the Midlands on loan from Paris Saint-German.

“I think they’ll push ahead and sign him, Emery has been a huge fan for many years,” former Villans CEO Keith Wyness said of Asensio in a recent intervierw with Football Insider. “He’s a talent, and he seems to fit the number ten role that Emery wants him to play. I think they’ll do it.”

Royal Challengers Bangalore strike bowler Harshal Patel is not convinced the use of DRS to review wides and over-the-waist no balls this IPL will increase the accuracy of decisions. While he admits he will use a review for a tight umpiring call, especially in the death overs, Harshal argues that technology might not be definitive in determining a wide or an over-the-waist no-ball, and suspects those calls will fall in a “grey” area.”Technology can definitely be helpful in situations where you can separate black and white. But these balls are always going to be grey, especially wide-ball lines. Because you can’t really judge how much the batter has moved, whether the ball was within his reach, the angle of the delivery…,” Harshal said in a chat with ESPNcricinfo before joining the Royal Challengers camp for the IPL.”There’s going to be a huge difference in where the ball finishes between a right-hander bowling the same [ball] a couple of inches outside the wide line and a left-hander bowling from over the stumps a couple of inches outside the wide line. When the [right-hand] batter tries to reach, it’s always going to be wider when he plays the left-hander, [and] it’s always going to be closer when he plays the right-hander.Related

• Harshal Patel: 'I'm always thinking about how I can offer my team more value'

• 'Home-and-away is what makes the IPL what it is'

• Why has BCCI allowed teams to use DRS for wides and no-balls?

• WPL and IPL: Players can use DRS for wides and no-balls

“I don’t know how many of these factors will be taken into account when making decisions. Obviously, they can’t take a lot of these factors into account because that will consume a lot of time. In my humble opinion, this doesn’t solve the problem. You have to call it the human factor in the game and move on.”Harshal’s fears came to the fore last Sunday in the final of the inaugural WPL, for which the BCCI had trialled the new playing condition of using DRS for wides and over-the-waist no-balls. The WPL final, between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, witnessed high drama early in the match when Shafali Verma was given out caught off an Issy Wong full toss which fell in that “grey” area Harshal described. Wong was celebrating with her Mumbai team-mates when on-field umpire Vrinda Rathi sent the matter to the TV umpire Pashchim Pathak, who took a few looks at the replay before ruling Shafali out.Such reviews will be a part of the two unsuccessful reviews each team will have per innings in the IPL, just like it was in the WPL. So, while it might not always go the way of your team, the option is there for the teams, but to use it smartly.”The other thing is you get only two reviews, right? Do you really want to use a review on a marginal call, which may or may not go in your favour, as opposed to use it in a situation where you can get the batter out,” Harshal said in response to that question. But if you have a review in hand and you are bowling at the death, a phase where fast bowlers tend to bowl wide yorkers outside the off stump?”For sure – 100%,” Harshal said, that in such a scenario he will press his captain to use the review.Incidentally, Harshal’s thoughts match that of former ICC Elite Panel umpire Simon Taufel, who last year told ESPNcricinfo why he disagreed with having wides and height no-balls being reviewed by technology.”With wides, for example, and here we’re going to, potentially according to you, or according to the player or the debate, take a wide call and throw that back to the third umpire for them to judge on something that might be marginal and is still a judgement call,” Taufel had said. “Are you going to be able to over-rule as a third umpire what a leg-side wide might look like? That’s a really interesting proposition to throw to a third umpire and say: I definitely think you got that wide wrong.”If you look at a ball that cuts across a right-hander from a left-armer [fast bowler], that cuts the wide guideline – that’s a pretty big call to over-rule. Can you clearly define for me what conclusive evidence is to overturn a wide both leg side, off side and height? And where do you then draw the line as to what a wide is? Because with wides, for example, you still got this opinion around: either could the batsman have played a shot? Has the batsman brought the ball sufficiently within reach? And you are putting them [under] a lot more stress and pressure around those definitions. Of course, if the ball has flicked the bat or the pad, and an umpire’s called a wide – yeah, that’s quite clearly an error. [But] I worry about where this is going to end up. Is everything that an umpire does likely to fall under the Decision Review System?”

As serial-winning manager, Jose Mourinho, once poetically put it – “finals are not to be played, they are to win”.

Whether it’s the EFL Cup or the World Cup final, no team or nation wishes to be on the losing side, with a showpiece outing providing the chance of earning immortality for the victors.

Witnessing two juggernauts going head to head to decide silverware is a real treat, but there’s perhaps nothing better than a David vs Goliath clash. An overwhelming favourite taking on a plucky underdog.

On most occasions, it is the superior outfit that takes the acclaim. But not always. Sometimes the football gods have something different in store for a final.

With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at some of football’s biggest showpiece shocks.

Related The best EFL Cup finals of all time – ranked

English football’s February showpiece event often has a lot to live up to. Here are some of the best League Cup finals ever seen.

Posts ByStephan Georgiou Feb 8, 2024 8 Denmark v Germany, 1992 European Championship final

Put simply, Denmark just should not have won this tournament. Having famously not qualified for Euro 1992 before taking their place following Yugoslavia’s disqualification, the Danes went on to do much more than make up the numbers.

The shock here is more about their route rather than the final itself, as the Scandinavian nation showed they were more than a match for plenty of European sides.

After seeing off the likes of England, France and the Netherlands, the unlikeliest of final dates came against Germany, where they defeated the world champions 2-0 thanks to goals from John Jensen and Kim Vilfort (plus a bit of good, old-fashioned timewasting).

Related Ranking the ten biggest upsets at the European Championships

With Euro 2024 fast approaching, Football FanCast has created a list of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history…

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 14, 2024 7 Wimbledon v Liverpool, 1988 FA Cup final

“The Crazy Gang have beaten the Culture Club” was the immortal line that followed the final whistle at Wembley in 1988, but this was so much more than a clash of cultures.

Liverpool had not long confirmed their re-found status as champions of England, securing 90 points – 33 more than their cup final opponents.

The Reds had also gone on an incredible unbeaten run that term, losing just two games all year, ironically with a victory over Wimbledon sandwiched between them.

The Dons had never won a major trophy and the fixture was their first appearance in the final.

While overcoming their underdogs tag, they also survived a penalty scare as Dave Beasant saved from John Aldridge to keep Wimbledon in front, as Lawrie Sanchez’s goal proved enough to create history and one of the biggest shocks the competition had ever seen.

Related FA Cup 2024/25: Cup final details, results, TV picks & more

Find all the latest and key FA Cup info here ahead of the weekend’s final between Crystal Palace and Manchester City.

Posts 1 ByRoss Kilvington May 12, 2025 6 Aston Villa v Bayern Munich, 1982 European Cup final

Having somewhat surprisingly won the league title the year before (their first for over 70 years), Aston Villa went one better by going all the way in the European Cup in 1982, beating one of the continent’s finest in the process.

Heading into the final in Rotterdam, it was Bayern Munich who had all the necessary experience to get the job done and secure a fourth European Cup.

However, the likes of Paul Breitner and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge were foiled by Villa – namely substitute goalkeeper Nigel Spink and match-winning goalscorer Peter Withe.

To this day, there has arguably not been a shock like it at that level of the European game.

Related The 15 best Champions League/European Cup finals – ranked

Ahead of the Champions League final, here are the best showdowns of years gone by.

Posts ByPatric Ridge May 30, 2025 5 Birmingham v Arsenal, 2011 League Cup final

Birmingham City snatched an unlikely League Cup triumph at Wembley in February 2011, beating title challengers Arsenal in the final moments in dramatic circumstances.

Having taken a surprise lead through Nikola Zigic, Robin van Persie’s equaliser for the Gunners seemed to suggest normal service would be resumed as the favourites took control.

But a defensive mix-up between Laurent Koscielny and Wojciech Szczesny allowed Obafemi Martins to tap in the easiest of cup final winners, causing delirium in the blue half of Wembley.

It was a seismic shock given Birmingham – eventually relegated that season – had successfully seen off an Arsenal side going for the title and fresh from beating Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona a fortnight earlier.

It wasn’t the first time the Gunners had fluffed their lines in the competition, evoking memories of defeats to Luton Town in 1988 and Swindon Town in 1969.

Related The most successful teams in EFL Cup history

Football FanCast ranks the teams who have won the League Cup more than once.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Dec 18, 2024 4 Sunderland v Leeds, 1973 FA Cup final

Only two lower-league sides have won the FA Cup since Sunderland did in 1973, but the Black Cats’ victory over Leeds is surely the most impressive of the lot.

By this point, Leeds were consistently finishing highly in the First Division, and 1972/73 marked a 10th successive top-four finish. They’d also won two European Fairs Cups in that span and were reigning FA Cup holders.

But Bob Stokoe’s Sunderland had other plans. Ian Porterfield’s first-half goal was the crucial moment of the final, with the underdogs surviving a Leeds onslaught before hanging on to secure one of the famous tournament’s greatest achievements.

3 Greece v Portugal, 2004 European Championship final

Greece entered the 2004 European Championship as tournament nobodies. They had only qualified for two international final tournaments (Euro 1980 and the 1994 World Cup), winning zero games and scoring zero goals.

So when they were drawn in Group A with hosts Portugal and Spain (who they had beaten in qualifying), even the most optimistic of optimists will have struggled to see a path through the quarter-finals, never mind the final.

But under the guidance of Otto Rehhagel, the Greeks formed a defensive solidity that was the bedrock to their success. They beat Portugal in the opening game and held Spain to a draw, squeezing through the group on goals scored.

They proceeded to dump out reigning European champions France and an impressive Czech Republic side to make the final – both shocks in their own rights.

They kept a third successive clean sheet in the final to defeat Portugal once again and record one of the greatest international shocks – in the men’s game, at least…

2 Japan v United States, 2011 Women's World Cup final

Japan’s victory over the United States in the women’s 2011 World Cup final has to be one of the most remarkable outcomes in international football history.

While the US were not at their scintillating best – they came second in their group and had not tasted World Cup glory since 1999 – it is the journey of their victorious opponents that makes this result magical.

In a similar vein to Greece’s men, Japan had never made it past a World Cup group stage, but two wins from two meant their defeat to England was academic, aside from costing them top spot in Group B.

Their campaign also came off the back of Japan’s devastating tsunami, with all the odds pointing towards yet another World Cup triumph for the US, but for multiple displays of courage and perseverance from the underdogs.

Alex Morgan looked to have netted the winner with her 69th-minute finish, only for Aya Miyama’s late equaliser to force extra-time.

United States then had one hand on the trophy again when Abby Wambach nodded home in the added period, though they were to be left disappointed once more.

Homare Sawa’s flick from a corner saw Japan secure an improbable draw – with penalties deciding the winner, where fate was on their side in a 3-1 shootout success, sealed by Saki Kumagai’s spot-kick.

1 Wigan Athletic v Manchester City, 2013 FA Cup final

The 2013 FA Cup final pitted financial heavyweights and outgoing English champions Manchester City against perennial relegation candidates Wigan Athletic.

The Latics were hanging on for their Premier League lives at the time, while Man City had recently relinquished their hold on the title to their local rivals with a whimper.

However, the Citizens were the overwhelming favourites in what was a modern-day David vs Goliath story, sealed by Wigan’s Ben Watson in the dying moments of normal time.

The midfielder headed home from Shaun Maloney’s corner to hand Wigan their first major trophy and the club’s finest moment.

Unfortunately for the victors, they could not continue their heroics in the league as they were relegated just days later, and haven’t been back in the top flight since.

But the memories will last forever, and we’re unsure how long before another final shock as brutal as this one comes along again.

Related The top 10 FA Cup finals of all time – ranked

Some finals fail to live up to the billing, but sometimes the magic of the FA Cup shines through.

Posts 1 ByAlex Caple May 25, 2024

Chris Wright rescued Leicestershire and denied Derbyshire a first victory of the season before the LV=Insurance County Championship match at Derby ended in farce.When Leicestershire were bowled out for 281, a lead of 53, there were only three overs left and with two to be taken off for the break between innings, that would have left Derbyshire only six balls to score the runs.But confusion over the rules left the umpires and teams believing there were three overs to bowl and a 20-minute delay followed before the game ended with Colin Ackermann racing through an over to avoid Leicestershire losing a point for a slow over rate.Derbyshire’s head of cricket Mickey Arthur said: “The umpires miscalculated the amount of overs. They said we had three left and it turned out we had one left.”We thought we had 18 balls there and we were going to give it a full crack but it was a bit harder off six!”I think they were calculating just to make sure they’d got it right and obviously it was right that there was only one left.”Leicestershire’s head coach Paul Nixon said: “We were ringing the ECB from about eight overs left to get clarity on proceedings.”We always thought it was the over you’re in plus two that are taken off. The ECB make a lot of rule changes for the better of the game every year and I didn’t hear of that one.”Peter Such, the match referee, had been speaking to the umpires out there, they were a little bit grey on the matter and wanted to make sure they had absolute clarity.”We just wanted to get to the bottom of it, we don’t all know everything, there’s a lot of rules these guys have to know and the nice thing is they were calm when the pressure was on and made the right decisions.”Wright’s unbeaten 49 from 112 balls steered Leicestershire to safety, sharing an eighth wicket stand of 81 from 130 balls with Peter Handscomb who scored 62.When they came together, Derbyshire were heading for victory after the visitors collapsed in the afternoon, slipping to 181 for 7 at tea, still 47 behind.But the lower order dug in to deny the home side a first win of the season and preserve Leicestershire’s unbeaten start.Any late drama looked unlikely after Rishi Patel, 58, and Lewis Hill, 63, shared a second wicket stand of 113 from 198 balls.But the momentum shifted when Patel was dismissed in the second over of the afternoon session, playing at a ball from Sam Conners that moved away before Hill edged Luis Reece to slip.When Ackermann drove back a return catch in Reece’s next over, the force was very much with Derbyshire although Leicestershire had two Test match batters at the crease in Wiaan Mulder and Handscombe.The pair dug in for 14 overs but Mulder, who has failed to get past 11 this season, played on trying to cut Watt after facing 49 balls for seven.England allrounder Rehan Ahmed had scored a thrilling century at Derby in the final match of 2022 to save the game but his reckless dismissal pushed Leicestershire closer to defeat.Ahmed charged down the pitch to drive Watt into a different postcode, missed by some distance, and was bowled.At least Tom Scriven was beaten by a good ball from Conners which came back with the arm to knock out his middle stump on the stroke of tea.If Derbyshire thought they had broken Leicestershire’s resistance, Handscomb and Wright made them think again by wiping out the arrears with a mixture of determined defence and selective aggression.They added 81 and faced 130 balls before Conners struck with the second new ball when he tempted Handscomb into a drive which Wayne Madsen held at second slip.Michael Finan and Wright survived another 31 balls until Henry Brookes bowled Finan with one that kept low but Josh Hull stayed with Wright long enough to ensure Leicestershire were safe before the game descended into chaos.

Rangers and the 49ers Enterprises have identified their preferred managerial target at Ibrox to arrive ahead of the 2025/26 season.

49ers agree deal in principle for Rangers takeover

It has been a whirlwind start to 2025 for Rangers, with the club sacking Philippe Clement and bringing in former captain Barry Ferguson as interim boss until the end of the season.

Away from the pitch, there has also been movement at boardroom level, with the 49ers Enterprises agreeing a deal in principle to take over at Rangers, looking to buy a 51% stake in the club.

Andrew Cavenagh, a health insurance tycoon, and Paraag Marathe, chairman of Leeds United, are two key figures behind a potential takeover, which has been discussed behind the scenes since October.

49ers must bin "sloppy" Rangers dud who earns more than Igamane

Three of the Rangers players who should be moved on by the 49ers in the summer transfer window.

By
Dan Emery

Mar 4, 2025

Everyone involved is confident a deal can be finalised before the start of the 2025/26 season, where Rangers will be hoping they have a new permanent manager in the Ibrox dugout.

A number of names have been suggested as potential candidates to replace Clement at Rangers, including Derek McInnes of Kilmarnock and former Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner.

Rafael Benitez has also been mentioned as a possible target, and a new update has shown that the 49ers have their eye on the Spaniard.

49ers and Rangers make Benitez preferred manager target

According to The Chronicle Live, relaying reports from The Daily Record, Rangers are indeed looking at a move for Benitez. The report says ‘sources close to the club have claimed that Benitez is being discussed as the preferred option to take the Ibrox hotseat’.

The 64-year-old, who has been out of work for 12 months, was once described as “excellent” during his time at Everton by Sam Allardyce and appears to be the current top target in Glasgow. He’s also admitted he is on the search for the right opportunity to return.

Benitez almost moved to Brazil with Botafogo and said earlier this year: “Yes, it was very close. I had a very good conversation with the owner and also the director of football. They impressed me because they were very ambitious. But it was too far away. Then you have to analyse all the details, and my family is here. I was very happy with the approach because I liked the way that they approached. Very professional. And the ideas were very good.

“I have had a lot of offers during the year. But I was always waiting for the Premier League because it’s the league that I like. You have to choose the right opportunity and hopefully it will come soon.”

Benitez, who plays a 4-4-2 system, has never managed in Scotland, but if the 49ers get their way, that could soon change ahead of the new season, making this one to watch.

It would be fair to say that it’s been a bit of a bumpy ride for Mikel Arteta since taking the Arsenal job in December 2019.

However, with three Premier League title races in the last three years and a second Champions League quarter-final to look forward to in as many seasons, the Spaniard has gotten more things right than he has wrong.

A good example of this would be the club’s transfers under his tenure, as Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Magalhaes and David Raya have dramatically improved the starting lineup.

However, the former captain has also signed his fair share of flops, including one who’s playing well enough out on loan that the club may be able to shift him in the summer for less of a loss.

How Arsenal's players are faring out on loan

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at other players who have found their feet out on loan this season, such as Nuno Tavares.

The Portuguese star joined Lazio on a season-long deal, which includes a clause that will see his move made permanent for around £7.6m, should certain conditions be met, and while he struggled on loan with Nottingham Forest last term, he’s been exceptional this year.

In all, the “unstoppable” full-back, as dubbed by Italian football expert James Horncastle, has made 26 appearances for the Roman side, in which he’s provided nine assists, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 2.88 games.

Appearances

26

Minutes

1834′

Goals

0

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.34

Minutes per Goal Involvement

203.77′

Another Arteta signing who failed to make it in the Gunners’ first team but is enjoying a great campaign out on loan is Albert Sambi Lokonga.

The Belgian midfielder joined La Liga giants Sevilla on a season-long loan with a £10m option to buy in the summer, and despite dealing with hamstring injuries, has made 18 appearances so far, of which 13 have been starts.

The 25-year-old has been impressive enough that Atlético Madrid are now reportedly interested in signing him on a permanent deal in the summer and could be set to battle Sevilla for his signature.

However, the Verviers-born star isn’t the only midfielder out on loan who Arsenal could sell at the end of the season.

Chalkboard

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

The Arsenal loanee that Berta has to sell

While a few other players are out on loan this season, such as Reiss Nelson, Karl Hein and Marquinhos, none of them have played well enough to potentially boost their valuations.

On the other hand, Fabio Vieira has started doing just that.

The Portuguese midfielder made a surprise £34m move to Arsenal in the summer of 2022, and while there was a fair amount of excitement about what he might be able to bring to Arteta’s side, it would be fair to describe his time in the capital as a bit of a failure.

For example, while the Santa Maria da Feira-born dynamo was able to produce 23 goal involvements in just 39 games in the 21/22 campaign, he amassed a lacklustre tally of three goals and nine assists in 49 appearances across his two full seasons in North London.

So, with it becoming increasingly clear that the £45k-per-week flop was not going to make much of a difference heading into this season, he was sent back to Porto on loan in a bid to get him back on track.

Season

21/22

22/23

23/24

24/25

Appearances

39

33

16

31

Goals

7

2

1

5

Assists

16

6

3

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

0.24

0.25

0.29

While he endured a slow start back at his former club, he’s since started to look like his old self.

In his last four league games, the 24-year-old has scored three goals and provided one assist, lending credence to Arsenal content creator Harvey Diamonds’ claim that “he’s hit some incredible form as of late.”

However, while some may be tempted to bring him back to the Emirates in the summer and give him another shot next season, it might be far smarter for Arteta and Co to try and recoup as much money as they can for him while he’s playing well.

After all, he did very little in two years to suggest he has what it takes to make it in English football, and he is still just as slight as ever, which was one of the biggest issues with playing him before.

Ultimately, while Vieira is an undeniably talented footballer, Arsenal would be far better off cashing in on his recent rejuvenation this summer and reinvesting the money into more of a sure thing instead.

Arsenal sold "crazy" Havertz upgrade for just £4m, now he's worth 213% more

The incredible youngster could have solved Arsenal’s biggest problem this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 19, 2025

Royals have a better chance of making the playoffs than Punjab Kings or Kolkata Knight Riders, but they need other results to go their way

S Rajesh19-May-2023

Rajasthan Royals

Punjab Kings

Rajasthan Royals’ superior net run rate (NRR) gives them a distinct advantage in their clash against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala. With three teams already on 15 or more points, there is only the last slot remaining for the teams that can get to a maximum of 14 points. Both Royals and Kings fall in that category, along with Kolkata Knight Riders.Royals, though, have an NRR of 0.140, compared to -0.308 for Kings, and -0.256 for Knight Riders. All these teams will have to get past Royal Challengers Bangalore, who are already on 14 points with a healthy NRR of 0.180. (Mumbai Indians are on 14 too, but with a poorer NRR of -0.128.)Among these teams, Royals clearly have the best chance of taking that fourth slot if RCB and Mumbai both lose their last game. Even if RCB lose by only one run, Royals need to win by just 10 (assuming first-innings scores of 180) to edge past them on NRR.For KKR and Kings to achieve the same, they will have to hope for much greater assistance from RCB: even if RCB lose by 30 runs, KKR will still have to win by 78 to get ahead on NRR; for Punjab Kings, that margin is around 94 runs.These teams will have to do to their opponents what RCB did to Royals on May 14, or hope that Gujarat Titans inflict a similar huge loss on RCB in Bengaluru on Sunday. Barring such an occurrence, qualification chances are extremely slim for Kings and KKR. Royals, on the other hand, still have a chance in terms of NRR. But for run rates to come into relevance for these teams, both Mumbai and RCB will have to end their league campaigns with home defeats.

أعلن الإسباني خوسيه ريبيرو، المدير الفني لفريق الأهلي، عن اللاعبين البدلاء أمام بورتو، اليوم الثلاثاء، بالمباراة التي تجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات كأس العالم للأندية 2025.

وتُلعب المباراة بين الأهلي وبورتو، على أرضية ملعب “ميت لايف” بمدينة نيويورك الأمريكية، في إطار الجولة الثالثة والأخيرة من مباريات المجموعة الأولى لمنافسات بطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025.

تشكيل الأهلي أمام بورتو في كأس العالم للأندية.. زيزو والشحات أساسيان

وافتتح الأهلي بطولة كأس العالم للأندية بمواجهة إنتر ميامي، الأحد الماضي، في لقاء انتهى بالتعادل السلبي، ليحصد كل فريق نقطة.

ويتواجد الأهلي في المجموعة الأولى من كأس العالم للأندية، إلى جانب بالميراس البرازيلي وإنتر ميامي الأمريكي وبورتو البرتغالي.

وتلقى الأهلي هزيمة صعبة أمام بالميراس البرازيلي بثنائية نظيفة في الجولة الثانية من مباريات المجموعة الأولى. بدلاء الأهلي اليوم أمام بورتو في كأس العالم للأندية

مصطفى شوبير، محمد سيحا، مصطفى مخلوف، خالد عبد الفتاح، عمر كمال، ياسر إبراهيم، جراديشار، كريم الدبيس، أشرف بن شرقي، أفشة، أليو ديانج، أحمد رضا، مصطفى العش، يحيى عطية الله.

One of Manchester City’s premium January signings was midfielder Nico Gonzalez. The former Barcelona star, who is a product of the esteemed La Masia academy, made the move to the Etihad Stadium for £50m from Portuguese side FC Porto.

So far, the 23-year-old is only a short way into his Citizens career. He has only played eight times so far for Pep Guardiola’s side, starting six times in the Premier League and Champions League.

It was the latter competition in which he scored his first, and to date, only goal for City, although it was a consolation strike against Real Madrid.

Playing as a number six so far for City, Gonzalez was partly signed to help ease the blow of Rodri’s absence, who is still sidelined with injury.

Based on the statistics above, he’s done a pretty good job of covering.

The latest on Rodri's injury recovery at Man City

It has been a tough season for City on the pitch, which has not been helped by the fact that Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, a key player in the middle of the park, has been out injured. The Spaniard picked up a serious knee ligament injury against Arsenal in September and is yet to return.

However, at the start of March, there was some positive news to come out of the City camp surrounding the midfielder’s return to action. Guardiola said he was unsure if Rodri would make it back before the end of the season, but did not rule it out, saying “maybe it’s going to happen”.

Incredibly, the Spain international, who won Euro 2024 last summer, has already returned to training on grass. City’s official account posted a video on social media at the end of February of their star man sprinting and training with a ball at his feet.

So, there are encouraging signs that the Spain international will be back before too long. Even if he doesn’t play in the Premier League this season, then perhaps he will feature in the Club World Cup over the summer.

Either way, there is no doubt he has been a big miss for City. Perhaps Guardiola wishes they had kept one player at the club over the summer, who could have helped City in Rodri’s absence.

Manchester City's in-house Rodri alternative

City have plenty of exciting youngsters on their books, so finding a way to fit them all in the squad is not necessarily easy.

One of the players they loaned out in the summer was midfielder Maximo Perrone, who could have been a perfect Rodri alternative.

The 22-year-old midfielder has spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Como, managed by legendary midfielder Cesc Fabregas. Playing as a number six, Perrone has featured in 18 games this season, grabbing two assists.

He does have an eye for goal, too, as he showed in pre-season. The Argentine youngster scored for City in one of their games, slotting home from close range and showcasing his ability going forward.

Perrone has featured twice for City so far in competitive action, with both appearances coming in their treble-winning season, 2022/23. He played in the FA Cup and Premier League, before going on loan to Las Palmas the following season.

In Spain, the youngster was impressive. He completed the most progressive passes per game by a U21 player across the big five leagues in Europe, with 8.41. That is according to Wyscout via football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

This term, his numbers from FBref are also impressive. He is impressive on the ball, completing 55.69 passes per 90 minutes on average, ranking him in the top 11% of Serie A midfielders. He also averages 2.86 tackles and interceptions each game. It’s easy to see, therefore, why he’s allegedly modelled his game on one of Pep’s favourite ever players; Sergio Busquets.

Passes

55.69

89th

Pass accuracy

89.6%

93rd

Key passes

1.26

69th

Tackles and interceptions

2.86

65th

Ball recoveries

4.82

60th

Football analyst Ben Mattinson said that City should have “used Perrone to manage Rodri’s minutes”, labelling him the “ideal Rodri back-up”, which is backed up well by the stats. He is quality on the ball, which is demanded of him in Guardiola’s side and is defensively astute, too.

Looking ahead to next season, the Citizens might well look to integrate the youngster into the side, to help take the burden off Rodri and provide an excellent alternative.

Pep has struck gold on Man City wonderkid who's worth more than Echeverri

The Man City starlet is worth more than Echeverri

ByJoe Nuttall Mar 20, 2025

Kylian Mbappe has been rubbing shoulders with more sporting icons, as he joined NBA baller Jimmy Butler and F1 star Lando Norris in Monaco.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

La Liga season has come to a closeEx-Monaco star back in familiar surroundingsNations League & Club World Cup next upFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

World Cup winner Mbappe has headed back to familiar surroundings after seeing his debut campaign at Real Madrid come to a close. His first season as a ‘Galactico’ delivered two trophies, 43 goals, La Liga's Golden Boot and the European Golden Shoe.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

He will be back in the hunt for more major silverware when joining up with Los Blancos again for their FIFA Club World Cup campaign – which is due to get underway on American soil when facing Al-Hilal on June 18.

THE GOSSIP

For now, Mbappe has been mingling with other sporting superstars. He linked up with basketball ace Butler as the Golden State Warriors forward has seen his own season brought to a close in the NBA play-offs.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

DID YOU KNOW?

After taking in a meal with Butler, Mbappe was joined at a popular nightspot by British racing driver Norris – fresh from his memorable victory at the latest Grand Prix to be held on the streets of Monaco.

Instagram