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It's been a rough Premier League season for Manchester United this year, with every small semblance of recovery quickly extinguished by another disappointing defeat or draw.

Erik ten Hag hasn't been able to build upon his impressive first season, and following the shocking result against Crystal Palace on Monday night, it feels like just a matter of time before he is handed his P45.

That said, for all of his mistakes in the dugout, he has been let down by a number of his players, especially at Selhurst Park, where the likes of Andre Onana, Casemiro, and Christian Eriksen put in hall-of-shame performances, although based on recent reports, the club might already have an upgrade lined up for the latter, and he's been compared to a young Paul Pogba in the past.

Manchester United transfer news

According to a report from journalist Graeme Bailey earlier this week, Manchester United sent a team of scouts to watch OGC Nice's Ligue 1 clash with Strasbourg over the weekend to keep an eye on midfield ace Kephren Thuram, who they were reported to be interested in last month.

The report has claimed that Nice are 'gearing up to lose at least one big name this summer', and while Chelsea were also said to have scouts in attendance on the weekend, INEOS' links to the French side can only bode well for future negotiations.

No potential price has been reliably reported in recent weeks, but when Premier League rivals Liverpool were said to be interested in the Frenchman last year, Italian publication Tutto Juve (via Football365) claimed that it would cost around £45m to secure his services.

It certainly won't be a cheap deal to complete, but nor is it likely to be unreasonably expensive in the current market. Moreover, with the comparisons to a "young Pogba" and the cratering form of Eriksen this year, it seems like a deal United can't afford to miss out on.

How Thuram compares to Eriksen

The comparison to United's previous French midfielder may seem outrageous at first, but it comes from respected data analyst Ben Mattinson, and there is some merit in it.

He hasn't claimed that the 23-year-old talent is as good as the World Cup winner in his pomp – few players are – but that he has undeniable similarities to a younger version of the divisive midfielder.

For example, Mattinson has argued that while the Nice ace has slightly less flair than his older compatriot, he shares his attacking ability while also possessing a defensive astuteness that could see him play as a defensive midfielder, as some believed Pogba would be in his younger days.

Aside from his similarities to past stars, United should be going all out to sign Thuram because he would represent a massive upgrade on Eriksen in every department, as shown when comparing the pair's underlying numbers.

For example, while the Dane produces slightly more progressive passes per 90 than his potential competition does, he comes out second best in every metric relevant to a central midfielder and by quite some way in a few, such as progressive carries, shots, tackles, successful take-ons and aerial duels won.

Thuram vs Eriksen
Stats per 90	Thuram	Eriksen
Non-Penalty Goals + Assists	0.28	0.24
Progressive Carries	3.07	1.53
Progressive Passes	4.49	5.40
Progressive Passes Received	2.63	1.77
Shots	1.66	1.04
Shots on Target	0.54	0.32
Passing Accuracy	85.9%	80.8%
Shot-Creating Actions	3.61	3.46
Goal-Creating Actions	0.19	0.16
Tackles	1.90	1.37
Tackles Won	1.32	1.05
Interceptions	0.83	0.32
Clearances	1.51	0.97
Successful Take-Ons	1.61	0.24
Aerial Duels Won	0.73	0.08
All Stats via FBref for the 23/24 League Season

Moreover, at 32 years old, it seems doubtful that the former Tottenham ace will improve over the summer, whereas at just 23, the Frenchman still has another two years until he's likely to hit his peak, per The Athletic.

Ultimately, while Eriksen has been a brilliant player for much of his career and even put in a good shift for the Red Devils last season, his decline has been steep and with Thuram seemingly attainable this summer, United should do all they can to bring him in as an upgrade.

INEOS can seal Man Utd masterclass with "extraordinary" Casemiro upgrade

The talented midfielder could solve one of Erik ten Hag’s biggest problems.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

May 4, 2024

Ian Smith, the former New Zealand wicketkeeper and veteran broadcaster, has been honoured by New Zealand Cricket for his “outstanding services to cricket”. He was awarded the Bert Sutcliffe Medal on the first day of NZC’s virtual awards ceremony for 2019-20.Other cricketers to have received this award include Walter Hadlee, Merv Wallace, John Reid, Graham Dowling, Richard Hadlee and Ewen Chatfield. Smith, arguably the most recognisable voice of New Zealand cricket on television sets around the world, said he felt “emotional” about joining this list, and dedicated the award to his wife, Louise.”I’m so grateful,” Smith said from his home in Hawkes Bay. “It makes me quite emotional actually to think about joining the list of people who have already won this award.”The playing aspect was the realisation of a dream. I fondly remember the times keeping to Sir Richard Hadlee, watching Martin Crowe bat sides into submission and all the other guys playing their part as well.”I’ve loved every minute of calling Test cricket. Brendon [McCullum’s] 300 will live forever in my mind; Test wins at Lord’s, Hobart, Ross Taylor’s 290, the draw at Eden Park with so much drama against England, and of course the World Cup final at Lord’s last year.”I dedicate this award to my wife Louise. Anyone who’s been involved with touring and cricket will know you have to have a base and Louise has been fantastic the whole time.””It’s been a great journey and I wouldn’t trade it for a second.”The highlights of a playing career that spanned 63 Tests and 98 ODIs between 1980 and 1992 included a spectacular 173 off 136 balls to rescue New Zealand from 131 for 7 against India in Auckland, and a tally of seven catches in one innings against Sri Lanka. After retirement Smith slipped seemingly effortlessly into commentary and has been calling the action for over two decades, including 112 Tests at home.In the first of several domestic awards that will be announced this week, NZC also named the T20 men’s and women’s players of the year – unsurprisingly both players came from Wellington, who won both competitions this season. New Zealand captain Sophie Devine was Women’s Super Smash Player of the Year, while Devon Conway, the South Africa-born batsman who is on the verge of qualifying to play for New Zealand, won the Men’s Smash Player of the Year.Conway topped the run charts in the Super Smash – as well as the first-class Plunket Shield and the 50-over Ford Trophy – in the 2019-20 season. He made 543 runs in the Super Smash, at an average of 67.87 and a strike rate of 145.18. Devine fashioned a third straight T20 title for Wellington women, with with 365 runs and 12 wickets.The second group of domestic award winners will be announced on Wednesday, while the international award winners will be named on Thursday and Friday as part of the ongoing virtual awards ceremony – a necessity in the time of Covid-19 and social distancing.

Kylian Mbappe has struggled so far since his move to Real Madrid, however, Didier Deschamps has backed the France captain to handle the pressure.

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Mbappe suffers slow start with Real MadridDeschamps backs him to cope with pressureSays forward will find his feet in La LigaGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Mbappe scored on his Real Madrid debut against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup, however, the Frenchman struggled to find his feet in La Liga and failed to get a single goal contribution through Los Blancos' first three league matches. However, Mbappe followed it up with a brace last weekend against Real Betis in a 2-0 win, and Deschamps has backed the 25-year-old to cope with the pressure on his shoulders.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT DESCHAMPS SAID

Speaking to the media, the France boss said Mbappe breaking his La Liga duck does not make a difference: "I have no reason to feel relieved, obviously I am happy for him, even if he had already scored in the first game of the European Super Cup. Kylian is used to this in his daily life, he sets very high standards for himself. His coach Carlo Ancelotti was not worried and neither was I. Kylian has always scored goals and he will score them."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Mbappe hasn't just struggled at Real Madrid as the 2022 World Cup Golden Boot winner failed to show his usual level in the France shirt at Euro 2024. The French captain only scored a solitary goal in Germany – a group-stage penalty against Poland. However, Deschamps is not worried about the drop in form heading into the Nations League.

Deschamps said: "The French national team is better when Kylian is there. From experience, being in the French national team is a break that is good for many of them. He was not effective – at first – but I spoke to him and he feels good. Obviously he is not at his best yet, but he is not a robot or a superman. Expectations are high. He has a great capacity to absorb everything that happens on and off the pitch. But we can understand that human fatigue can be significant."

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WHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

The 25-year-old will be in action next up in a France shirt when Les Bleus take on Italy and Belgium in their opening Nations League group-stage clashes.

The Blues' owners could earned some rare praise for taking a strong stance against racism but they instead chose to reward it

It's now four years since former QPR director of football Les Ferdinand revealed that the club's players would no longer be taking the knee in solidarity with the 'Black Lives Matter' movement.

"No one is more passionate than me about this topic," the ex-England international explained. "I have spoken on the matter throughout my footballing life. But, recently, I took the decision not to do any more interviews on racism in football because the debate was going around in circles…

"The taking of the knee has reached a point of 'good PR' but little more than that. The message has been lost. It is now not dissimilar to a fancy hashtag or a nice pin badge." Or a shiny new shirt.

• Getty
  

  Making a mockery of an entire movement

  Chelsea are very proud of their home kit for 2024-25, which was designed to reflect "the dynamic culture of London" with a jersey that "features a distinctive 'melting pot' pattern." It's such a shame for the marketing team, then, that Enzo Fernandez was wearing not only the shirt, but also the captain's armband as he took the knee ahead of Sunday's Premier League opener against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.

  It was a truly shameful sight, a tone-deaf response to a racism row that not only made a mockery of an entire movement, but also highlighted the total lack of strong leadership at Chelsea right now.

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• Getty Images
  

  'Uninhibited racism'

  Just one month before the City game, Fernandez and a number of his Argentina team-mates had felt compelled to celebrate the nation's Copa America triumph by singing a racist song about black players from a country that hadn't even participated in the tournament.

  "They play for France, but their parents are from Angola," the players joyfully sang. "Their mother is from Cameroon, while their father is from Nigeria. But their passport says French."

  As if to underline the fact that racism is rooted in stupidity, Fernandez decided to live-stream this display of embarrassing ignorance. Unsurprisingly, many of his team-mates were appalled by such behaviour, chief among them Wesley Fofana. "Football in 2024: uninhibited racism," the centre-back wrote on social media.

• Instagram
  

  'Caught up in the euphoria'

  Fernandez promptly posted the obligatory 'heartfelt' apology, insisting that he was "truly sorry" for his actions. "That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my character or beliefs," he insisted while also rather incredibly implying that racism can be a consequence of getting "caught up in the euphoria" of victory.

  His employers also issued a public statement: "Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour completely unacceptable. We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities and identities feel welcome. We acknowledge and appreciate our player's public apology and will use this as an opportunity to educate. The club has instigated an internal disciplinary procedure."

  And how did that inquiry conclude? With Chelsea agreeing to match a significant donation made by Fernandez to an anti-discriminatory charity, before then making him vice-captain for the 2024-25 campaign.

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• Getty
  

  'It's finished'

  "All of us make mistakes," new manager Enzo Maresca said while defending the decision to put Fernandez in such a prestigious position. "It's important to recognise Enzo made a mistake, recognised the mistake and it's finished.

  "I don't know about you, but I made some mistakes in the past and I recognised. As a human being, if you make a mistake and you recognise it, you are not going to be punished for life."

  The problem is, though, that Chelsea didn't punish Fernandez, they promoted him – and that staggering move has overshadowed all of the club's previous efforts to change the negative perception of a significant part of its fanbase, and create a more inclusive culture at the club.

MatériaMais Notícias

Detentora dos direitos televisivos da Copa América sediada no Brasil, o SBT emitiu uma carta aberta sobre a transmissão do torneio na TV aberta. O grupo, que volta a transmitir o campeonato após 32 anos, abordou temáticas envolvendo a segurança aos envolvidos na competição e os deveres da emissora com a Copa América.
+ Confira a classificação das Eliminatórias Sul-Americanas!

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Confira a carta aberta do SBT.

O Esporte sempre foi um dos instrumentos de formação e de inclusão social, propiciando à população em geral o acesso a uma vida mais saudável e a oportunidade concreta de ascensão social para milhares de jovens. Nesse sentido, o futebol seguramente é o mais visível e acessível em nosso país; gera paixão, aspiração e sentimento de pertencimento na população, ao ver seu time campeão ou quando vê a Seleção Nacional jogando e conquistando títulos. Muitos dos ídolos brasileiros vieram do futebol que faz parte de nosso patrimônio cultural.

Justamente por entender essa importância, o SBT decidiu voltar a disputar os direitos de futebol e, com profissionalismo e respeito aos demais concorrentes, tem sido vencedor em torneios relevantes como a Copa Libertadores, Champions League, Europa League, Copa do Nordeste e a Copa América. O SBT faz isso porque acredita que o futebol, sendo o esporte mais popular de todos e de grande atração de audiência, é uma combinação perfeita com uma emissora popular como a nossa, tão querida pelo público. O SBT está trazendo grandes eventos e fazendo uma transmissão com sua cara, do seu jeito, que se espelha no brasileiro de todos os cantos do país, e preocupado sempre em engrandecer o futebol, os clubes e as marcas patrocinadoras. O SBT, percorrendo as trilhas do jogo limpo e competitivo, sem qualquer protecionismo, está dando pluralidade democrática ao futebol em TV aberta para que não fique concentrado. Isso é relevante! Ganham o público e o esporte!

Assim, no final de 2020, o SBT deu início às negociações pelos direitos de transmissão da Copa América que legitimamente conquistou, e assumiu a obrigação de transmissão onde quer que ocorresse. Coerentemente, o SBT realizará a transmissão da Copa América em cumprimento aos contratos de direitos e de patrocínios, tal qual vem ocorrendo com todos os demais detentores de direitos de futebol e olimpíadas neste exato momento, e em acordo com as diretrizes de cada Estado da Federação. Cabem às Autoridades, Confederações, Federações e Clubes resguardarem todas as questões relacionadas aos protocolos sanitários necessários em função da pandemia, para que todos os campeonatos de futebol e eventos esportivos em andamento continuem sendo um ambiente seguro a todas as pessoas envolvidas.

Ao SBT, cabe informar com isenção, como tem feito desde o início da pandemia, para a devida conscientização sobre a importância do uso de máscaras, do distanciamento social, da não aglomeração de pessoas e desejar que consigamos avançar rapidamente com a vacinação de toda população para assim superarmos essa enorme crise que tantas vidas já levou em nosso país e no mundo e pelas quais lamentamos e nos solidarizamos.

O SBT acredita na capacidade da Conmebol para a organização segura do torneio e espera que tudo corra bem com os atletas, delegações e profissionais envolvidos em sua execução e cobertura, e que a transmissão possa levar um conteúdo de qualidade ao nosso público e aos nossos patrocinadores.

MatériaMais Notícias

A CBF anunciou que a Neoenergia é sua primeira patrocinadora exclusiva das Seleções femininas, desde a principal e de base. Em evento realizado nesta terça-feira, no Rio de Janeiro, o mandatário da entidade, Rogério Caboclo, confirmou que a marca também passará a ter os naming rights do Brasileiro Série A1 feminino. O vínculo com a empresa que pertence ao grupo Iberdrola durará até 2024.

-Trata-se de uma parceria inédita da CBF com a Neonergia, que passa a ser a primeira marca a patrocinar exclusivamente a seleção em todas suas categorias. É um marco que reflete bem a valorização e importância que o futebol feminino está alcançando no Brasil – destacou Caboclo.

A marca da patrocinadora aparecerá nas costas da camisa de treino da Seleção feminina. Rogério Caboclo apontou que a Neonergia ainda promoverá práticas mais sustentáveis na utilização da energia da Granja Comary, em Teresópolis (RJ).

> Veja a tabela do Brasileirão feminino Série A1

O CEO da Neonergia, Mario Ruiz, exaltou o novo acordo.

-A Neoenergia inicia uma parceria pioneira com a CBF. Nosso intuito é promover oportunidades reais para que mais e mais mulheres trilhem um caminho de sucesso na sua vida com o futebol – disse.

> Veja a tabela das Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo de 2022

Ruiz ainda adotou um tom otimista com o acordo.

-A Seleção já conquistou sete vezes a Copa América, foi vice-campeã mundial e medalha de prata em Atenas e Pequim. Falta um pouquinho de energia para ser campeã mundial. Isso é o que nós estamos trazendo agora… declarou.

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

A cerimônia na sede da CBF ainda teve a presença da coordenadora de competições femininas, Aline Pellegrino. Já Duda Luizielli, que ocupa o cargo de coordenadora de seleções femininas, não esteve no local porque se recupera de Covid-19.

Técnica da Seleção feminina, Pia Sundhage definiu o acordo como uma mudança de rota.

-Não é só sobre dinheiro. É muito mais que isso. É atitude, são ações, é o que precisamos. Estou muito feliz porque faço parte dessa mudança… – apontou.

A treinadora ainda cantou um verso da canção “Times They are a-Changin'” (Os tempos estão mudando), de Bob Dylan, astro de quem é fã declarada.

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Manchester City have reportedly "sent scouts" to watch a record-breaking European player in action, with contact already made with the individual in question.

Man City eyeing big-name summer signings

Pep Guardiola has built arguably his strongest-ever squad at the Etihad currently, with so many elite options littered all over the pitch. He is a manager who constantly wants to freshen things up, however, ensuring that players don't rest on their laurels and get too comfortable. For that reason, it has been no surprise to see City being linked with a plethora of big names of late, as they look for another eye-catching summer in the transfer market.

For example, the reigning Premier League champions are believed to be willing to spend a whopping £127m on AC Milan winger Rafael Leao, potentially seeing him as a replacement for Jack Grealish, who has struggled to kick on this season. The Portuguese has nine goals and eight assists in all competitions in 2023/24 to date.

City are also reportedly the front-runners to snap up Bayern Munich superstar Jamal Musiala, jumping to the head of the queue ahead of Liverpool. A move to England could appeal to the youngster, having turned down a new contract at his current club. Former Cityzens player Douglas Luiz could be a target, too, with Guardiola rating him highly and possibly wanting to seal a reunion with him in the summer.

Man City make contact with record-breaking gem

According to a new update from Corriere dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Manchester City have "sent scouts" to watch Milan teenager Francesco Camarda. Contact has been made with him, with north London pair Arsenal and Tottenham also interested, and they all have the "financial ability to mock" any offer that comes his way from Milan.

Camarda is certainly an exciting option for City, considering his record-breaking feats in his young career to date, becoming the youngest player in Serie A history last year, appearing as a substitute at the age of just 15.

Admittedly, the Italian forward has only appeared twice this season, with his two cameos totalling just 12 minutes, but he is considered a player with a huge long-term future. Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero has shown his support for him recently.

Italy Under-17s

9

4

Italy Under-16s

7

3

Italy Under-15s

9

6

Long-term planning is essential at City, making sure the club continue to thrive long after Guardiola is gone, and Camarda could be a major part of the future at the Etihad, having thrived with three different youth teams at international level.

Aston Villa’s chances of securing a top-four finish in the Premier League took a big hit last weekend as they stumbled to a 4-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur.

Having just three days recovery between the clash on Sunday and their Europa Conference League tie against Ajax looked as though it caught up with Unai Emery’s men.

While they were 2-0 down to Spurs, John McGinn got himself sent off with 25 minutes remaining and the north Londoners netted another two in added time to wrap up a convincing victory.

Should Villa prevail against the Dutch giants this Thursday, could fatigue begin to set in and derail their challenge for a Champions League spot?

McGinn’s red card on Sunday means he will now be suspended for the next few league matches and combining this with an ever-growing injury list, it looks as though the Midlands side could see their dreams being destroyed.

Emery has formed an excellent starting XI, but his squad depth is a worry, especially in defence.

If Matty Cash gets injured, the only other senior right back in the first-team squad is Calum Chambers, and he has played a grand total of 222 minutes this season, and he is currently earning more than one of their January transfer signings.

Calum Chambers’ statistics at Aston Villa

In January 2022, during Steven Gerrard’s first transfer window in charge of the club, the former Rangers manager lured Chambers north in a move that cost them just £2m.

This was due to the defender having only six months left on his Arsenal contract and, on the surface, it appeared to be a bargain.

Chambers had spent the previous six and a half seasons at the Gunners, making 122 appearances across all competitions, yet his final 18 months saw him feature on just 17 occasions, and it was clear his future was elsewhere.

Gerrard had secured the signing of a defender with plenty of Premier League experience, and he played 11 games for Villa until May 2022, scoring once in the process.

This should have been a solid platform to work with ahead of the following season, yet he started just five matches for the club, including only two in the league.

The right-back ranked in a lowly 17th position in the squad for accurate passes per game (10.9) in the top flight, while finishing in 11th spot for accurate long balls per game (0.6) and 14th for tackles per match (0.6), indicating that he failed to perform when given a chance in the first team.

The 29-year-old has found opportunities even harder to come by this term as Emery prefers Cash on the right of his back four.

Indeed, Chambers has played just 44 minutes of Premier League football during 2023/24 and that came against Nottingham Forest a couple of weeks ago amid the club's wretched run of injuries at the back.

The Englishman still has another year left on his current contract, yet the Spaniard will clearly be looking to move him on this summer, especially considering the wage that he is earning every week.

What Calum Chambers earns at Aston Villa

The defender signed a three-and-a-half-year deal in January 2022, earning a staggering £50k-per-week in the process.

Since he joined, the defender has only played 32 times for the Villa Park outfit, which indicates that he is rinsing the club dry, even if a lavish fee wasn't spent to acquire his services.

Aston Villa's top ten highest earners

Player

Weekly salary

Clement Lenglet

£150k

Boubacar Kamara

£150k

Youri Tielemans

£150k

Moussa Diaby

£130k

Ollie Watkins

£130k

John McGinn

£120k

Lucas Digne

£120k

Emiliano Martínez

£120k

Leon Bailey

£120k

Diego Carlos

£100k

Via Capology

Indeed, combining his £2m transfer fee with the £5.7m he has earned roughly since moving to the club just over two years ago, the total comes to £7.7m, which works out at £240k per game.

While he may be towards the lower end of the scale concerning the highest earners at Villa, he is still earning more than Morgan Rogers, who joined in January, yet the youngster clearly has a big part to play for the club in the coming weeks, unlike Chambers.

How much Morgan Rogers earns at Aston Villa

It was evident during the winter transfer window that Emery was looking to add some attacking reinforcements to his side, while also thinking about the future in the process.

This led him to target a move for Rogers, who had impressed during the first six months of the season for Middlesbrough.

The winger had scored seven goals and registered nine assists for Boro in all competitions and this type of form clearly grabbed the eye of Emery.

A deal was finally announced on deadline day, with Rogers potentially costing the club up to £16m, but his potential ensures this could soon turn into a wise investment.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

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The winger was handed a long-term deal while earning a wage of £20k-per-week, which placed him near the bottom of the squad, and this is even £30k-per-week less than Chambers, who has barely featured this season.

The 29-year-old is approaching the last few years of his career and has certainly rinsed the club since his January move in 2022, although Emery will be keen to move him on as soon as possible.

Rogers, on the other hand, has a wonderful future ahead of him. He has yet to open up his account for Villa, but given plenty of time to develop, there is no doubt he can become a shrewd acquisition.

Against Luton Town a couple of weeks ago, Rogers was unleashed in the starting XI and gave Emery plenty to think about while delivering a promising performance.

Not only did he have a shot on target, but the 21-year-old succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts, made two key passes and lost possession on just four occasions, proving that he is ready for the Premier League.

In comparison, Chambers’ last league appearance saw the defender win zero duels, and make zero tackles or interceptions along with succeeding with 0% of his accurate long ball attempts.

Yet he is earning more than Rogers. The summer transfer window simply cannot come quicker for the former Paris Saint-Germain boss as he seeks to improve his squad.

Chambers will surely be one of the first players to depart to free up some of the wage bill.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na estreia do Grupo G da Libertadores, o Flamengo venceu o Vélez Sarsfield, em Buenos Aires, sem abrir mão de suas principais características sob o comando de Rogério Ceni. Na vitória por 3 a 2, o Rubro-Negro teve mais posse de bola e atuou com a linha de defesa alta, o que foi destacado pela Conmebol.

– O Flamengo vive no campo rival – diz parte do trecho do vídeo publicado pela entidade após o triunfo do Rubro-Negro na terça-feira, complementando:

-Claro que a magia pode estar nos homens de frente, mas grandes times se armam desde atrás, e o Flamengo, assim, também mostra sua magia – finaliza a produção, que conta com imagens inéditas do confronto. Confira abaixo!

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🔴⚫️ Um olhar diferente para a primeira vitória do @Flamengo na CONMEBOL #Libertadores 2021.

🏗️ Assim o time de Rogério Ceni constrói seu jogo: linha defensiva adiantada, um time que vive no campo do rival.

📹 Imagens inéditas de uma grande noite de futebol! pic.twitter.com/xJkQVHBMeQ

— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@LibertadoresBR) April 22, 2021

Crystal Palace could find themselves facing "issues" surrounding prospective new manager Oliver Glasner, as journalist George Simms moots potential issues with club chairman Steve Parish.

Glasner set for Palace job with Hodgson leaving

Despite current head coach Roy Hodgson falling ill in training on Thursday afternoon, widespread reports have indicated that Glaser is set to replace the Palace legend.

Crystal Palace could unleash Wharton's dream partner in “excellent" teen

Roy Hodgson could turn to his youth for reinforcement.

ByTom Lever Feb 14, 2024

Hodgson is thankfully now in a stable condition and recovering, but before the 76-year-old's unfortunate incident, it is believed Selhurst Park chiefs and Glasner had mutually agreed on him taking the Palace hot seat.

Fabrizio Romano shared news yesterday that the agreement between Palace and Eintracht Frankfurt's former boss is sealed, with Hodgson set to depart the south Londoners after a second stint in charge of his boyhood club.

The Eagles have endured a regrettable campaign thus far, Indeed, they're currently flirting with Premier League relegation and sit among the division's lowest-scoring sides. Only bottom three Everton, Burnley and Sheffield United have scored fewer goals than Palace so far this season, with reports suggesting Parish has been on the lookout for a new manager over the past few weeks.

Naouirou Ahamada

6.07

Nathaniel Clyne

6.37

Chris Richards

6.43

Sam Johnstone

6.44

Joel Ward

6.48

The club, though, are now settled on Glasner and the tactician comes with a very promising track record. He boasts a Europa League-winners medal and Austrian second division title on his CV, with ex-Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovac also praising his "meticulous" attention to detail.

"He’s very structured, very well organised, meticulous, observes the opposition very closely and prepares the team very well for them,” he told the Frankfurt Allgemeine Zeitung (via Bundesliga).

“He doesn’t just let Eintracht run their boots off. He adjusts tactics, tries to simulate the opponent during the week in training. Oliver has transferred his ideas of football well to his team because he works methodically, because there’s no chopping and changing.”

However, there are also drawbacks to his arrival, as Simms reports for inews.

Palace dealt Glasner drawback as journalist moots Parish issues

The 49-year-old has been central to fallouts with club chiefs at previous sides Eintracht and Wolfsburg, where he suffered strained relationships with the board and sporting directors over transfer policy.

As Simms points out, Palace "issues could arise" with Parish and Glasner in a similar fashion. He comes with a "risk" attached, namely due to his ambition and tendency to not hold back in regard to wanting full control. It will be very interesting to see what comes of this, as this could prove to be a match made in heaven or one doomed to fail.