The Premier League title race was blown wide open deep into time added on at Villa Park after Emiliano Buendia fired home from close range to sink Arsenal, a defeat which pundits say could've easily been avoided. Gunners legend Ian Wright believes Mikel Arteta got his tactics wrong late in the game as Villa pushed for their winner.
It was a battle of wills and wants on a final day where both teams danced on knife-edge. And it couldn’t have set up the next two Tests better
Mark Nicholas23-Jul-2025Nobody saw it coming – not a whole afternoon with barely a run scored. In truth, hardly anyone saw an afternoon with cricket as an option. When play began on the fifth day of the third Test at Lord’s, the consensus was that it would be done and dusted either side of lunch. Then, as Indian wickets fell like confetti from the hot, blue sky, most of us wondered if we’d get any lunch at all.But cricket has rarely behaved as expected. It is a game of unpredictability, driven as much by human frailty as by the strength of character that gets the players there in the first place. Think how often you have settled into your seat to watch your favourite take guard or mark out his run-up and how quickly you have been let down. Cricket, and especially Test cricket, is a game of patience for us all. It is frequently difficult and frustrating. It is a game of instinctive skill that relies on method for its excellence. No cricketer is remotely the same. There are imitations, but no clones, mainly because so much of it is played in the mind. And, of course, cricket is fragile – one minute you have it, the next it is gone.If Ravindra Jadeja had his time again, would he play that remarkable, out of character innings the same way? Or would he go for broke from the outset, before England retreated to the field settings that denied him the oxygen of boundaries? Remember that when he arrived at the crease there were still recognised batters in hand, which gave him options. Once KL Rahul, Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy had gone, the options went with them.Related
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Shane Warne played his part in “finding” Jadeja when he captained Rajasthan Royals in the first IPL. Jaddu was just a kid – a rough diamond, really – but Warne immediately identified the quality in his bountiful gifts and the flair, so much so that he christened him “Rock Star”. Almost unbelievably that is 17 years ago. After which, Warne did many things, the last of them too final to bear. Jadeja too, has done many things, not the least of which is to become one of the best, most entertaining and popular cricketers in the world.Which led me to wonder what Warne would have said about his innings had he been commentating. Probably Warne would have said he should have gone hard out of the blocks; that the counter attack is easier when the field is up and the opposition are looking to take your wicket. Once they sit back, happy to give you a single and bowl at the other guy, it gets a whole lot more difficult. Which isn’t to say Warne would have been right. There were 22 runs and a back-spinning defensive shot in it. That, over five days, is precious little.And at the moment of the back spin, with Siraj batting, as the ball rolled gently back onto the stumps and a bail tumbled off, what would Jadeja have thought? That he got it right or wrong? And in that question, is a truism: that the greatest gift in high-level performance is to make the right decisions under pressure.Trickle-down effect: the moment that ended Siraj’s resistance, and the match•Getty ImagesAt the time, I felt he got it right. Rahul had fallen ten runs after his arrival. The pitch was difficult, irascible in its variable bounce and pace, and therefore hard for the batters to make the play. Washington followed Rahul in the blink of an eye but Reddy was to be trusted, and had after all made a wonderful hundred in Melbourne last Christmas on a tricky pitch against a mighty attack.Together Jadeja and Reddy batted for 15 overs, like cowboys weighing up the odds in the last-chance saloon, knowing full well that there was no one out there to help. They would have talked about pulling the trigger, but figured they were better together, chipping away at a tiring attack. They could not have predicted the extent of the Ben Stokes superpower or the level of his team’s desire. And then, when Reddy took a bullet, Jadeja was left with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj and another 81 runs to find. England set deep, biding their time and playing on nerves. For two hours, as next to nothing happened, no one left their seat. And so it was we saw Test cricket’s greatest trick, the ability to make next to nothing into theatre.Bumrah fell to the bouncer tactic and Siraj to the arrows of fortune. Jadeja stood unbeaten, dumbfounded, gutted and alone. The England players went warmly to each of them, knowing what it takes when the stakes are so high. Jadeja would have done the same. There was honour in defeat and no guilt. Jaddu made his choice, fulfilled his part of the deal and ran short of partners. Would he do the same again? Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps even he doesn’t know.That story, those vignettes are a part of history now, not to be dwelt upon in the days ahead. Jadeja is in good form and surely has crucial roles to play. He is a savvy cricketer, both adaptable and adventurous. you would never back against him rising up to play the winning hand in the match directly after the one in which he finished so forlorn.What of Stokes, this great warrior. A friend who played first-class cricket himself thinks Stokes the greatest leader England has had in any sport. If that is an exaggeration, it cannot be by much. For a start, he is an incredible cricketer. The run-out of Rishabh Pant in the first innings, the influential batting while not at his best, the titanic bowling – that phrase about not being able to get the ball out of a bowler’s hand has rung true this series all right. He pretty much literally bowled until he dropped at Lord’s, hammering the ball into a hard length that gave the power players in the Indian line-up no respite. Yes, he leads from the trenches but does so with both a plan and a message. His players know where they stand and exactly what part they must play. They are a team in the collective sense, chosen to realise a series of mini-ambitions that collate as the whole.Take Zak Crawley, who so many are always so keen to drop. Ben loves Zak because Zak is tough; because Zak looks the opponent in the eye; because Zak is not intimidated; because Zak is “team”; because Zak is spirit, harmony and consistency of plan; because Zak can catch everywhere; because Zak can bat and because Zak doesn’t flinch.Zak of all trades: can bat, can catch, can intimidate the opposition•Getty ImagesCrawley made 22 in the second innings, when Bumrah kept hammering his gloves with thunderbolts that burst from the surface. The margin of victory was 22. England could have lost a couple of wickets that niggly evening but Crawley punched back at those hits as if he were a boxer on the ropes. Then he used small and reasonable excuses – advertising on the sight screen and a glancing blow to the hand – to use up a big chunk of time, thus saving England another over at the stroke of 6.30pm. Ben likes Zak because he doesn’t wilt, whatever the provocation. And Ben wants Zak in Australia, the land where many Englishmen have wilted.Crawley explains why Stokes is the leader he is. This criteria in selection may not have been a path well trodden. In the old days, players were dropped for staying out late or batting too slowly or failing twice. Then, more recently, it turned full circle and became easier to stay in the team than get out of it. Now these decisions are based on character and personality every bit as much as performance. Stokes knows exactly what he wants and Crawley is that soldier, for many reasons other than averaging 40.To England, this eight-day break has been gold. For India, a frustration. Shubman Gill and his men would have preferred to get right back on the horse. Defeat needs closure, but while the mind has time to wander, it tends to wander where you don’t want it to go. England have had a breather, simple as that, and then they go again with an eager and combative Liam Dawson back amongst itJofra Archer and Bumrah are playing: of course they are, it’s the witching hour. What a sight each of them is – so different, so impressive. People are saying Bumrah is the best fast bowler ever. Who knows? But he’s up there. Nature plays its part in these things and, in Bumrah’s case, gave him a late release of the ball from a position fractionally past the perpendicular. This gives him an angle to work with and the gift of delivery closer to the batter than is usual. And boy does it show. Everyone’s in a hurry against Bumrah, even on slow pitches, and most play and miss as a matter of course. This is wonderful to watch and horrible to play against. For a time, and in a more bombastic way, Freddie Flintoff had a bit of Bumrah about him, and in that time he too spat the ball from the pitch with the sort of violence that very few have managed before or since. Ask Ricky Ponting.Then there’s Archer, who makes fast bowling look absurdly easy, which it isn’t. His snorter of a ball to Pant in the second innings at Lord’s could have made for a highlight show of its own. The throat bouncer that roughs them up is a wicked thing, cruel in its physical threat and unerring accuracy. We all remember Steve Smith at Lord’s in 2019. We doubted we’d see it again but perhaps we are. Fast bowling is one of cricket’s great spectacles. Well performed, it is the game’s greatest weapon. We have a real good ‘un in an England shirt and great ‘un in an Indian shirt. What’s not to like. Welcome to Manchester, folks.
Rajat Patidar will lead India A in their first one-dayer against Australia A, on September 30, and Tilak Varma will take charge for the second and third games of the series after finishing the Asia Cup in the UAE, with Patidar as his deputy, on October 3 and October 5. All the matches will be played in Kanpur.Along with Tilak, other Asia Cup squad members Abhishek Sharma, Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh will join the squad for the second and third matches to add muscle to it. Leaving the squad after the first match will be Priyansh Arya and Simarjeet Singh. Meanwhile, Ayush Badoni is the only member of the 17-member squad – KL Rahul and Mohammed Siraj are in only for the second game there – selected for the two four-day matches to also be part of the one-day side.Not much attention appears to have been given to the last edition of the List A Vijay Hazare Trophy, where, of the top-ten run-getters, only Prabhsimran Singh and Abhishek, both from Punjab, have been picked. Ayush Mhatre, among those heavy scorers, will, of course, be leading the India Under-19s in Australia at the time. Similarly, among the top-ten wicket-takers, only Arshdeep features in the ‘A’ side.ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Apart from the Asia Cuppers and Badoni, the squad has a strong and familiar-looking batting core, with Patidar, whose Central Zone are on the verge of winning the season-opening Duleep Trophy, Riyan Parag and Abishek Porel. Prabhsimran and Porel are also the main wicketkeeping options. Suryansh Shedge, Vipraj Nigam and Nishant Sindhu are the allrounders. Frontline bowlers include Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh and Ravi Bishnoi. For the first game, Arya adds a batting option and Simarjeet a medium-pace alternative.The four-day matches will be played from September 16 and September 23 in Lucknow.
Rajat Patidar (capt), Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Riyan Parag, Ayush Badoni, Suryansh Shedge, Vipraj Nigam, Nishant Sindhu, Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Porel (wk), Priyansh Arya, Simarjeet Singh
Tilak Varma (capt), Rajat Patidar (vice-capt), Abhishek Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Riyan Parag, Ayush Badoni, Suryansh Shedge, Vipraj Nigam, Nishant Sindhu, Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Porel (wk), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh
Jamie Carragher took aim at one Liverpool star, who was “really poor” against Sunderland, as Arne Slot’s side endured another mixed evening at Anfield.
Liverpool struggle at Anfield yet again
After victory over West Ham United last weekend, Liverpool looked to their game against Sunderland as an ideal chance to make it back-to-back wins in the Premier League and stop the rot. The Black Cats had different ideas, however, and soon reminded the Reds why they find themselves in the position they’re in.
In many ways, Chemsdine Talbi’s deflected effort summed up Liverpool’s recent fortunes. With the Premier League champions entering the game off the back of two Anfield losses, the last thing they needed was for Virgil van Dijk’s block to find the back of Alisson Becker’s net.
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One positive for Liverpool in recent weeks has been the form of Florian Wirtz, though, and at long last the German made his mark in the Premier League. His effort went down as a Nordi Mukiele own goal, but there’s no doubt that one of the summer’s most expensive signings stepped up to get his side level.
It was far from a vintage display from the champions, but they’ll at least be relieved to avoid another defeat. Following victory at West Ham, Slot’s side should see the Leeds United game this weekend as the opportunity to turn the narrative to two wins from three games in the same week.
That said, whether Alexander Isak plays a part this weekend remains to be seen. The Swede didn’t follow up from last weekend’s first Premier League goal for the club and had just 15 touches, much to Carragher’s frustration.
Jamie Carragher slams "really poor" Alexander Isak
Watching on from commentary, Carragher slammed Isak as “really poor” and said that the forward has no “excuses” for his disappointing form at this stage of the campaign.
After smashing their transfer record to welcome the £280,000-a-week star, Liverpool were in dreamland in the summer. Alas, that dream has quickly turned into a nightmare for all involved.
Isak has gone from strike to strike-less at times. Liverpool sit eighth and their attack has never seemed so toothless under Slot. With Hugo Ekitke also struggling to find the back of the net in recent weeks, there’s no doubt that the Reds have an attacking problem on their hands.
It doesn’t get any easier, either. On paper, a trip to a newly promoted side should be a routine affair, but Liverpool will be squaring off against a Leeds side who just defeated Chelsea.
Before then, Slot simply has to find a way to get Isak more involved. With just 15 touches, the Swede was always likely to struggle.
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Pakistan’s selection committee will meet on Monday to make a decision on the matter
Danyal Rasool18-Oct-2025Mohammad Rizwan’s status as Pakistan ODI captain has been plunged into doubt by the PCB after a statement released by the board said it was “yet to finalise a captain” for the upcoming series against South Africa. The PCB said the white-ball head coach Mike Hesson had called for a meeting of the selection committee to make a final decision on the ODI captaincy.The statement made no mention of Rizwan, who was appointed by the PCB last year and led the side to ODI series victories in Australia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Results in 2025 have been less attractive with a loss in a home tri-series final to New Zealand, an early exit from the Champions Trophy, and an away series defeat in the West Indies.While there had been speculation about the fate of Rizwan, no specific cricketing reason was provided for throwing his role into uncertainty. There has been no obvious drop in batting or keeping form; Rizwan is the second highest scorer for Pakistan in ODIs this year with 361 runs at over 36. In Test cricket, the other format he is currently selected for, he scored 75 as part of a 163-run stand with Salman Ali Agha that helped Pakistan take a 1-0 lead against South Africa in the ongoing Test series.Shaheen Shah Afridi previously had to vacate T20I captaincy for Babar Azam•AFP/Getty ImagesWhile Rizwan has not officially been removed yet, the statement makes it all but inevitable. It was a fate suffered by Shaheen Shah Afridi in T20Is shortly after Mohsin Naqvi took over as PCB chairperson. At the time, the newly appointed Afridi had captained just one series, but when asked about him at a press conference, Naqvi pointedly declined to confirm he would continue the role.”Even I don’t know who the captain will be,” Naqvi said at the time. “Whether Shaheen continues or a new captain comes in will be determined after the fitness camp. There are a number of technical factors we will consider, the details of which I do not want to go into. We want a long-term solution, whether it’s Shaheen or a new man. And then we intend to stick by that man, instead of just changing a captain just because you lose a match.”A week later, Shaheen was sacked as captain and replaced by Babar Azam, with further controversy when the PCB published a statement on Shaheen’s behalf which he declined ever having written or approved. While an uneasy truce was reached between player and board at the time, ESPNcricinfo understands that relationship has improved.Hesson is not technically in charge of determining or appointing the ODI captain, and does not sit on the selection committee. However, that Naqvi appears to have agreed to put the matter to the selection and advisory committees either reflects the influence Hesson currently enjoys at the PCB, or the fact the board was not averse to a change in the first place anyway. The committee will convene on Monday, according to the PCB, with a decision expected then.
England went down 4-1 in Brendon McCullum’s first series in charge of the white-ball side. Alan Gardner was joined by Matt Roller and Vish Ehantharajah pick through the pieces
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Feb-2025Sunday’s 150-run hammering in Mumbai put the seal on a 4-1 T20I series defeat for England, as Brendon McCullum’s tenure in charge of the white-ball teams got off to a bumpy start. On this week’s pod, Alan Gardner was joined by Matt Roller and Vithushan Ehantharajah to look at what went wrong, as well as look forward to a return to ODIs ahead of the Champions Trophy. On the menu: England’s batters versus spin, questions about the bowling blueprint, and the possibility of a Joe Root return in T20Is.
Pete Alonso’s decision to sign with the Orioles could represent a massive shift in the American League East.
After Baltimore landed Alonso on a five-year, $155 million deal, Jeff Passan made a pretty big claim. ESPN’s MLB insider took to X and tweeted the following:
While that claim is bold, it really isn’t hard to see it being correct.
While there could still be moves coming, Baltimore’s lineup is absolutely loaded after adding Taylor Ward and Alonso. Here’s a look below.
Pete Alonso is set to take over at first base, and the 31-year-old is coming off an outstanding year in which he slashed .272/.347/.524, with 38 home runs and a wRC+ of 141.
Former No. 1 overall pick Jackson Holliday has yet to hit his stride in the majors, but the second baseman has all the tools to become elite. In 2025, he slashed .242/.314/.375 with 17 home runs and a wRC+ of 96. He’s only 22 and is poised for a breakout.
Shortstop Gunnar Henderson should be a perennial MVP candidate, who carries a lifetime 132 wRC+, with a peak of 154 in 2024.
Third baseman Jordan Westburg slashed .265/.313/.457 with 17 home runs and a wRC+ of 115 in 2025, and the 26-year-old should only improve.
Catcher Adley Rutschman is coming off a down year, and his hitting numbers have trended in the wrong direction since he posted a 134 wRC+ as a rookie in 2022. He’s sure to be pushed by top prospect Samuel Basallo, who made the big leagues in 2025. Last season, Rutschman slashed .220/.307/.366 with nine home runs and a wRC+ of 91.
Basallo is currently penciled in at DH. The 21-year-old sac action in 31 games as a rookie in 2025, he slashed .165/.229/.330, with four home runs and a wRC+ of 55. But in 76 games at Triple A, he posted a .966 OPS, with 23 home runs, and had 44 walks against 76 strikeouts. He consistently crushed the ball in the minors, and his bat should catch up eventually.
Baltimore landed 31-year-old Taylor Ward in a trade this offseason, and the left fielder should boost the team’s outfield offense. In 2025, the 31-year-old slashed .228/.317/.475, with career-highs in home runs (36) and RBIs (103), while posting a wRC+ of 117. With more protection surrounding him in the lineup, those numbers could jump up.
Right fielder Dylan Beavers is another young guy poised to break out. In 35 games as a rookie in 2025, he slashed .227/.375/.400, with four home runs, but did post a wRC+ of 125. In 94 Triple A games, Beavers slashed .304/.420/.515 with 18 home runs and a wRC+ of 152. At 24, he has plenty of room to grow.
Colton Cowser is set to take over in center field, and stop me if you’ve heard this before, he’s a young top prospect poised to make a jump. In his first full season in 2024, Cowser slashed .242/.321/.447, with 24 home runs and a wRC+ of 119. He took a step back in 2025 (as did much of the lineup), and those numbers dropped to .196/.269/.385, with 16 homers and a wRC+ of 83. His season got a late start due to a fractured thumb and was later stalled by a concussion. A full, healthy season should see him back on the right trajectory.
Passan is right, that is a loaded lineup. While changes could still be coming, Baltimore should enter the 2026 season with one of baseball’s best offenses. Adding Alonso was just the icing on an already attractive cake.
Ottneil Baartman will replace him for T20Is against Namibia and Pakistan, while Lizaad Williams has been included in the ODI squad for Pakistan
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2025
Kwena Maphaka had hamstring discomfort while playing in a domestic match•Getty Images
Fast bowler Kwena Maphaka has been ruled out of South Africa’s one-off T20I against Namibia and the white-ball tour of Pakistan because of a hamstring strain.Ottneil Baartman has been named as replacement for the T20I, scheduled for October 11. He has also been included in the T20I squad for the three-match series against Pakistan later this month. Lizaad Williams, who is already part of the T20I squad, has been added to the ODI squad for the Pakistan series.As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Maphaka had an injury scare while playing for Lions against Western Province in a four-day domestic match at Newlands last week. He bowled 5.5 overs in the first innings but had to leave the field with hamstring discomfort. He was taken for a scan which revealed no major damage and returned to take the new ball in the second innings. His 3 for 26 in ten overs led Lions’ charge to victory by an innings and 134 runs.However, CSA later stated that “subsequent scans and medical assessments revealed a grade 1-2 injury, and he will undergo rehabilitation over the next four weeks”.South Africa’s long tour of Pakistan begins with two Tests from October 12, followed by three T20Is from October 28 and as many ODIs that will conclude on November 8.South Africa’s squad for Namibia T20IDonovan Ferreira (capt), Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Rubin Hermann, Rivaldo Moonsamy, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Andile Simelane, Jason Smith, Lizaad Williams, Ottneil BaartmanSouth Africa’s squad for Pakistan T20IsDavid Miller (capt), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, George Linde, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Andile Simelane, Lizaad Williams, Ottneil BaartmanSouth Africa’s squad for Pakistan ODIsMatthew Breetzke (capt), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Donovan Ferreira, Bjorn Fortuin, George Linde, Lizaad Williams, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Sinethemba Qeshile
Real Madrid and Chelsea legend Arjen Robben has embarked on a surprising new professional career in padel, four years after retiring from football. The 41-year-old, who boasts 12 league titles and a Champions League trophy, recently earned his first ranking points in the International Padel Federation and is aiming to emulate Zlatan Ibrahimovic's impact in popularising the sport.
Arjen Robben transitions to professional padel
Former PSV Eindhoven, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Groningen star Robben has made a professional transition into the sport of padel, four years after his final retirement from football in July 2021. The 41-year-old, known for his illustrious playing career as a winger, is now a ranked professional padel player, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Robben's decorated football resume includes 12 league titles across four different top flights, a Champions League trophy, and 96 caps for the Netherlands over a 14-year international career. Now, at 41, he is applying his competitive spirit to a new athletic challenge.
In late August, Robben achieved his first ranking points in the International Padel Federation (FIP) by entering the FIP Bronze Westerbork tournament, part of the CUPRA FIP Tour, in his native Netherlands. Alongside his partner Werner Lootsma, Robben secured his first-ever victory on the tour, overcoming six match points in a qualifier to defeat Ralph Boekema and former footballer Mark Weldmate with a score of 4-6, 6-3, 7-6.
AdvertisementGettyEarly results and high-profile recognition in padel
While Robben's debut victory was a significant milestone, his journey in professional padel is still in its early stages. Following their win, Robben and Lootsma were outclassed in their last-32 clash, suffering a heavy 6-1, 6-0 defeat against world No 155 Sten Richters and world No 144 Thijs Roper.
Despite the loss, the event garnered significant attention, with hundreds of fans turning out to watch Robben play. Richters and Roper paid tribute to the former footballer post-match, commenting: "He's the best former professional footballer we know who plays padel."
Robben, ever gracious in defeat, maintained a humble perspective on his initial foray into the professional circuit. He stated: "I don't think I can take myself too seriously. I started with low expectations. But I tried to fight on the court, and score as many points as possible."
Emulating Zlatan Ibrahimovic's impact in the Netherlands
Robben's passion for padel dates back to his time playing for Bayern Munich, where he regularly engaged with the sport. He revealed: "I used to play three times a week when I was in Germany." This long-standing interest has now evolved into a professional pursuit, with clear ambitions beyond personal enjoyment.
Robben has explicitly expressed his desire to emulate the impact of other former footballers who have embraced padel, specifically pointing to Zlatan Ibrahimovic's influence in Sweden. "Zlatan Ibrahimovic made padel an important sport in Sweden, and I think I can do the same in the Netherlands," Robben stated, indicating his aspiration to popularise the sport in his homeland.
In 2023, Robben even teamed up with former Netherlands strike partner Robin van Persie in the Pro-Am of the World Padel Tour Amsterdam Open. The iconic duo showcased their competitive spirit, winning the "Legends Game" at the event. Van Persie remarked afterwards: "What an incredible experience to play at the Amsterdam Open once again! An intense match in excellent company."
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Current world ranking and future prospects
Robben currently holds a world ranking of 1,980 with three ranking points in the International Padel Federation. While this places him a considerable distance from the top-ranked players – Argentine Agustine Tapia and Spaniard Arturo Coello, who are joint world No 1 with 20,200 points apiece – Robben's entry into the professional ranks is notable for a recently retired footballer.
His current ranking places him significantly behind players like Argentine Franco Stupaczuk, who is fifth in the standings with 8,835 points. The gap between Robben and the elite of padel is substantial, but his renowned determination and competitive drive suggest he may look to climb the rankings in the coming years.
Robben's transition into padel adds another dimension to his post-football career, which also includes some involvement in coaching. His dedication to learning and competing in a new sport, even at 41, highlights his enduring athletic spirit.
تلقى محمد صلاح نجم ليفربول إشادة من زميله السابق آدم لالانا، بعد التصريحات التي أطلقها النجم المصري ضد ناديه ومدربه آرني سلوت والتي أدت لاستبعاده من المشاركة ضد إنتر ميلان في دوري أبطال أوروبا.
وقال لالانا في تصريحات نشرتها “بي بي سي” البريطانية :”محمد صلاح يستمد حافزه من سعيه الدائم لإثبات خطأ الآخرين”.
وأضاف: “إنه ليس متغطرساً، لطالما تحدثت مع أولادي عن سلوكياته، وكيف أنه لا يبالغ في الفرح وفي لحظات النجاح”.
اقرأ أيضاً.. موقف النصر السعودي من ضم محمد صلاح لمرافقة رونالدو
وواصل: “صلاح لا يلوم نفسه كثيراً في لحظات الضعف، هو دائماً ما يركز تركيزاً كاملاً على المهمة المسندة له، كنت أنظر إليه فأشعر بالطمأنينة لشدة تحكمه بنفسه طوال الوقت”.
وتابع: “أعرف محمد صلاح جيداً، فهو دائماً يكافح ويتحلى بالمرونة ويسعى دائماً لتطوير نفسه”.
جدير بالذكر أن ليفربول قد حقق الفوز على إنتر ميلان بهدف نظيف مساء أمس على ملعب سان سيرو في إطار منافسات مرحلة الدوري بدوري أبطال أوروبا.